Ghost Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I am looking to hand paint the tube stripes for my next build, and have been experimenting with shades of blues available. Being in the UK I am looking at the Humbrol range, and after much reading and advice sought I have bought four shades to compare, and thought I would post them if anyone else is interested. I have gone for: Gloss 14 - French Blue 15 - Midnight Blue 48 - Mediterranean Blue Satin 221 - Garter Blue I had to just brush them on quick this evening as had to put the kids to bed, so excuse the rough brush strokes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandalorianWarrior87 Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Sorry to go a little off topic for a sec, you using a stencil to paint these on? p.s Number 14 looks pretty close but i haven't started on my bucket yet. Just my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted June 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I only taped the top and bottom on the above, but not sure when it comes to the actual ones if to go for a full stencil or just to do what I did above and take my time with a small brush!! I have a round piece of plastic which I think is close to an accurate curve to pencil on first at the correct measurements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrestonva[TK] Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Is there any community-wide agreement as to what is really the "correct" shade of blue? Does it differ between ANH and ESB? Elite standards simply say "blue tube stripes" but don't specify a particular shade. Is ESB darker than ANH or vice versa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firebladejedi[TK] Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I think the #14 looks the best / most like the originals going by your pics. I really should have a go at this myself some day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-4510[TK] Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 14 for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperTrooper Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 14 looks best. I know another good looking blue is Testors model masters: blue angels blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1134[501st] Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 I'm voting 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Voorhees[501st] Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 i agree with everyone else, 14 looks right to me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkamino Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 I'm thinking 14 too, but something about 48 seems to catch me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riveting Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Yep 14 get's my vote too , I've used 48 in the past a couple of time's but found it to be a fraction too pale for my preference. Great comparision though, thanks for posting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john danter Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 14 does look the best there but they used #15 midnight blue dude, so I dunnoi what you should do. Could it be the lighting in your pic maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperTrooper Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 I photoshoped you photos to show what the eye sees, instead of what a camera sees. They can be very different. Hope you don't mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted July 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 It is quite hard to show this exactly, especially on a screen, as I can look at it directly centre on my laptop or a couple inches below centre and the colours do appear quite different. The colours on my plastic sample do appear a touch darker than supertroopers images, but that said I look at different pictures of the Brian R, and some look like #15 and others look like #14.....a nightmare ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-4510[TK] Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Where is Brian R when you need him. And for that matter Dave M's MIA too, darnit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 they used #15 midnight blue dude Who told you that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThayNerd[TK] Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 14 looks the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nice-biscuit Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 It's got to be 14 for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peregrinus Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 From what I know, the buttons on the ab plate are Mifdnight Blue. The tube stripes have no Humbrol match. But according to you, Paul, 221 is closest -- Mike posted your comments on it here. I'm grinding through all my many Testors paints to see if there's one there... Mike, after time to reflect, how do you feel about their Ford Engine Light Blue? --Jonah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 Looking at the comparison below, I'd say the #14 is the closest to the original colour. I still don't think they look glossy, but that could be just due to the age of the helmets and paint will break down over the years. I use #14 nowadays, but who is to say there was only one colour used on all the helmets ever made? Ghost said: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK6237[501st] Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 I only taped the top and bottom on the above, but not sure when it comes to the actual ones if to go for a full stencil or just to do what I did above and take my time with a small brush!! I just hand painted my first helmet using Humbrol #14 for the tube stripes (#5 for the traps, and #21 for the chin and black outlines), and I´m well happy with the way the color turned out. However, I used a stencil, and the paint bled like crazy...Even though I used the expensive, blue 3M professional painters tape, an took care to rub the stencil down good. Ended up removing most of the paint with white spirit and a sharpie, and then redoing the stripes only masking off the top and bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandalorianWarrior87 Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 When i get my kit thinking of painting instead of decals now, lol. Thanks for sharing the colours, helps me out quite a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 (edited) Here's a pic of my hero helmet with #14 French Blue tube stripes just for reference. Edited December 1, 2021 by gmrhodes13 photo updated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted July 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Thanks for posting for reference. Nice helmet Paul!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandalorianWarrior87 Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Amazing TM! Looks killer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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