# How to paint Star Trek models as they look on TV and movies?



## ModelN00b (Aug 27, 2008)

The physical models they used for the shows were painted strangely and specifically for studio lighting and the cameras. When I paint these things (the two I've painted years ago lol) for normal daylight they just don't look right for many reasons. The color is off. The shading is off and not as sharp (not much you can do about this one). Everything is off.
Heck, I look at professional model people make these things and I'm still left unsure.
For example the USS Enterprise-D models I see all pretty much look a lot bluer then on TV and less metallic. In general they often look a lot lighter (because of lighting not painting usually). They just look off.

So how do I paint my incoming ST models effectively? I'm never satisfied with the recommended painting colors. The lighting is impossible to fix but I might be able to get a paint with just the right reflective properties to look neat in a mildly lit room (if I knew anything about painting).

I'm lost! :freak:


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

You're right about the studio miniatures -- they're painted to look good on film, and, presumably, to allow for desaturation in the color timing (color-correction), since trying to add color to gray is nigh impossible. 

Painting instructions may be accurate to the studio model, the TV look, or to nothing. Keep in mind that in order for it to look "right", it would have to match (more or less) something in your memory or in front of you. It would be hard to match an image in your distant memory, so find an image that looks right, print it, and have it on hand when you paint. Then you can match it.

Oh, and do some tests on scrap. Under the lighting that you'll use to display your models.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

For Starfleet ships, I recommend gray primer (except for movie-era stuff, which is generally white).

For Klingon ships, olive drab with highlights in other camophlage colors, with the exception of the venerable D-7, which looks better in the aforementioned gray primer, with metallic details.

As for Romulan ships, for TOS, gray primer, for TNG, various shades of green. Ignore Enterprise entirely, since they screwed up the timeline so badly, anything from that series should be shunned.


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## MML (Apr 20, 2008)

I was wondering about the Enterprise D myself - I recently got the Platz reissue and the paint instructions aren't great. I'd like to get it looking like the Generations miniature, it looks the business. Can anybody point me towards paint codes, etc.?


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## sbaxter (Jan 8, 2002)

MML said:


> I was wondering about the Enterprise D myself - I recently got the Platz reissue and the paint instructions aren't great. I'd like to get it looking like the Generations miniature, it looks the business. Can anybody point me towards paint codes, etc.?


Paging John P ...

Qapla'

SSB


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

You could try painting using the colors of the original (described on the web, if I recall), then misting thinned gray over the whole thing to bring down the contrast, stopping and checking as you go.


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## idman (Apr 11, 2004)

MML said:


> I was wondering about the Enterprise D myself - I recently got the Platz reissue and the paint instructions aren't great. I'd like to get it looking like the Generations miniature, it looks the business. Can anybody point me towards paint codes, etc.?



Try what I did a 50/50 mix of light gray and duck egg blue then add a few drops black to the base coat and hand paint the aztec. Mine turned out great. A guy liked it so much when I had on display at my LHS he offered me $300.00 for it.


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## MML (Apr 20, 2008)

idman said:


> Try what I did a 50/50 mix of light gray and duck egg blue then add a few drops black to the base coat and hand paint the aztec. Mine turned out great. A guy liked it so much when I had on display at my LHS he offered me $300.00 for it.


That sounds good - I see duck egg blue in a lot of photos. I didn't fancy the idea of hand painting though - I've got the aztec templates on standby!


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## Modeler1964 (Aug 13, 2006)

One thing to consider also is the scale of the subject as it relates to what is perceived by the eye. For instance, over on the cult tv man site (I think) there is an article entitled (What color is the TOS Enterprise). In that review, they come up with an actual color similar to concrete (A grey with a hint of green color). Assuming this is correct, we are talking about an 11 foot model. That color may not look quite right on the Polar Lights 1/1000 version. Correct me if I am mistaken, but I believe as the subject gets smaller, the lighter you should go with color to represent the scale. There are a few articles on this and there is even a program called paint assistant to figure exact matches and scale, lighting and whatnot. 
I painted my 1/1000 Defiant camouflage grey rather than light ghost grey as many people do. The camo grey is lighter. I felt that the Lt Ghost Grey was to dark for such a small subject. It boils down to the image you have in your mind as far as color. Don't be afraid to experiment, you can always remove paint with a bath of superclean. Good luck and make sure you keep us posted!


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Yeah, you should get lighter, and less contrasty. Imagine this: you're standing on the Trek shooting stage with the 11 foot miniature in front of you and the PL kit (built) in your hand. Hold up the kit and move yourself away so they both appear the same size to you. If they were both painted with the same paint, the big one will look lighter and less contrasty because of the extra air between you and the big one. The effect of the air (through which you are seeing the big model) is the same effect that makes distant mountains appear pale. 

So, in order to make the model look the same color, it has to be painted lighter. How much depends on the difference between the sizes of the two models, as others have written.

BTW, it has nothing to do with the imagined size of the "real" 937-foot ship, nor with the fact that it is supposed to be in space.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

Conversely, it's a reason why some stuff in NASA photos look fake. No air, so you don't have that fading effect.


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## JeffG (May 10, 2004)

I generally like to paint a ship model the way the filming miniature looks. There are a few shots where the strange blues and such do come across in the films, though still not quite as prominent as they look in behind the scenes photos. That's why some folks who really aren't that involved with Trek films or modeling will see an accurately painted model and say "I don't remember all those colors in that ship. Is that right?" To which you (who have done your research) can proudly say, "Yep!"


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## ModelN00b (Aug 27, 2008)

Bleh, I guess to each his own but some of them are crazily different on screen. The Jem'Hadar fighter studio model colors look ridiculously different. I think I'll just continue trying to match what's on screen.


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## JeffG (May 10, 2004)

Understandable, but if I were painting a vampire that was usually seen in a film at night, I wouldn't paint him entirely in blue hues, I'd make him look how he would appear in normal light. Then if I decided to take a photo and re-create night lighting, it would look like it did in the film. But most importantly, to each his or her own.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

There are some craft store paints the are a very good match to Modelmaster paints and a cheaper in price for 4x the amount of paint!! So what I suggest is get the craft store colors that match the MM colors you wish to use and start mixing/experimenting.


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## Vaderman (Nov 2, 2002)

For the movie era Starfleet ships, a lot of pearlecent colors were used. You can get airbrush pearlescentss from art craft stores or from taxidermy places (used for coloring mounted fish). Raist3001 has some of the best aztek coloring on movie era ships. 

For the TOS era Starfleet ships, I use Tamiya JN Grey (XF-12) with a little bit of white added to it. It gives it that grey cement with a slight greenish tone that I think is very close to the TOS era ships.

Scott


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## Scott Sandoval (Dec 31, 2007)

I used a simlilar mix with Tamiya greys blues and whites, dont mean to blow my own horn of anything but heres what mine turned out like.

http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/...s TOS Refit/?action=view&current=P1020233.jpg

http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/...s TOS Refit/?action=view&current=P1020254.jpg

Remember I used Medium blues and greys, I think I used the same mix for my TIE Advanced aswell

http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/Scotty701/?action=view&current=P1010069.jpg


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## Garbaron (Apr 23, 2004)

Well that’s one of the questions (Studio model or on screen looks?) each of us has to answer fort hem selves. But in the end we all want the same: an as close as possible replica of the Enterprise.. whether with an A, B, C, or D and E. 

Since I love to add as much detail as I can and most reference pictures on the net show the studio model, I have long since decided to always create the studio model looks. 

Later, when she is finished I try to recreate the light condition as seen on screen and take some shots, which not rarely serve as wallpapers on my PC. 

Example: 

Studio model looks finished RTL Refit
http://www.culttvman.com/thorsten_scholz_ncc-1701-a_pic_34.html

Attempted recreation of onscreen looks: 
http://www.culttvman.com/thorsten_scholz_ncc-1701-a_pic_31.html
(extreme yellow of view ports and spots due are not that extreme in reality)


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## bigjimslade (Oct 9, 2005)

*Why is TOS model Green?*

While we are on the subject, maybe someone can explain this.


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## ModelN00b (Aug 27, 2008)

In the end I'm just looking at pictures and videos of the Defiant (current trek model I'm going to work on) in lighted conditions. Not any model but what's on screen. I'll try to match the colors by eye mostly. None of the egg blue or whatever.  I don't think there are any shots where the Defiant looks egg blue at all.


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## Captain April (May 1, 2004)

The TOS filming model has a greenish tint to the gray paint job to better separate it from the bluescreen. Color correction generally took out the green and, when it was done right, made the ship color more of a general battleship gray. Needless to say, it wasn't always done right.


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