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Frustrated...Can't find the right color for my Intrepid


kapland

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Building 1/350 USS Intrepid (Vietnam era).... having trouble matching the hull/Island color to actual picks.... i'm stuck using either Tamiya or Vallejo. Apparently you can no longer get Model Master in Canada now....some BS about the label or something... And the FS code for a color are different shades between these two brands.... I'm frustrated as i do not want to screw this up. Any help would be appreciated

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I feel your pain.  I used Model Master enamels for a number of years, but changed over to Model Master acrylics (no odour & easy cleanup) only to find that Canadian stores are no longer stocking the acrylics due to lack of bilingual labelling.

 

As far as the different paint shades go, I've found that there are even differences in colour shades for the same FS number within a paint brand, e.g. Model Master acrylic dark ghost grey FS 36320 looks the same (to me) as MM enamel light ghost grey FS 36375. 

 

My only suggestion is that you pick the paint brand and colour that looks close to what you want, even though it may not match exactly.  There are a number of colour conversion charts on the web that describe the recipes for making the various FS colours by mixing each brands' standard colours.  An alternative that I'm considering is travelling to the US to buy Model Master acrylic paint in the future.

 

John

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John, 

That is my exact problem!!! The FS codes do not match between brands....ones darker or ones lighter.....funny you say you may  travel to the states to pick some up, my wife said i should have our friends bring some back with them lol. But i think i am just going to stick with Tamiya & Vallejo as the two hobbie stores here in Edmonton carry a great selection of both. I will just have to experiment with all the different shades they have and pick the closest. Thanks for your reply

 

Kurt

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To take the FS dilemma deeper down the rabbit hole, you can't even get a consensus on the colour from the various online sellers of the real paint and colour chips. Ignoring the issues of monitor displays versus real life, the online swatches from the various sellers differ. What chance do model companies have when there's that variation? I'd think that the best way would be to buy an official FS fan deck and then use that as an original source for matching to model paints.

 

Or better yet, build cars. They can be whatever colour you want them to be!

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An official FS595 fan isn't particularly expensive and various sources offer CIELAB colourspace values. There is discrepancy for sure, but I'm not sure that it's justified and wonder if a part of the differences will be the inevitable subjective comparisons of existing product that looks "close enough" to someone of unknown qualification to be relabelled and sold as something else?

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