Using Adobe Photoshop 5.5 gives me the ability to match model
paint to the color paint chips from Don's Color with a lot less work.
The color picker in Photoshop
allows me to scan a color chip to get the color Hue, the Saturation percentage,
and the Brightness percentage.
If Model Master has a WWII color
that is the same ANA or FS number I will start with that color.
The color is sprayed on a one
square inch piece of plastic, then scanned to Photoshop for comparison with
Don's Color Paint Chips.
Comparing the color Hues, I can
tell what color needs to be added to the paint mix to get the Model Master
paint to more closely match Don's Color paint chips.
Comparing the color's saturation,
I can tell if more color needs to be added to the paint or if the color should
be more grayed out.
Comparing the color's brightness,
I can tell if the paint needs more black or white.
Click on
images below to see larger images
These are some of the basic
colors I use on model aircraft.
Army Dark Olive Drab QMS
# 41 used as an Army Air Corps camouflage color, 1940-'41.
Model Master 1712 FS 34097 is a
close match, its about 10% lighter and has 30% more saturation
Olive Drab ANA 613 used
as topside camouflage color 1942-'45.
Model Master 2050 ANA 613 is a close match but needs some red
tinting.
Army Medium Green QMS #
42 used as Army Air Corps topside camouflage color, 1940-'41.
Medium Green ANA 612 / FS 34092 used as a
topside camouflage color, 1942-'45.
Model Master 1764 FS 34092 is a close match but needs some
tinting.
Army Neutral Gray QMS # 43 used as an Army Air
Corps camouflage color, 1940-'44.
Model Master 2035 FS 36173 is a good match.
In May of 1942, ANA 603 Sea Gray superseded Army Neutral Gray
and Navy Blue Gray. Some aircraft manufacturers had stockpiled such a large
supply, they were still using QMS # 43 well into 1944.
The Photos;
The three models show the use of
these colors, the P51-A is painted QMS # 41 Dark Olive Drab, the P47 is painted
ANA 613 Olive Drab, and the PBJ is painted ANA 612 Medium Green.
The Color Hue Chart has the color
hue 40 highlighted to indicate the hue of ANA 613 O.D. , and 153 for ANA 612
Medium Green.
On the Color Hue Chart the colors are at 100% Saturation and
100% Brightness.
The photos show Don's
Color paint chips with the right half of the chip made 20% lighter
so the color can be seen as it would look when it fades.
The Saturation of a color will
also decrease as it fades, but I only increased the brightness for clarity.
The Hue of a color can also change as it fades because some
pigments fade faster than others.
The photos of the Model
Master paint chips were made from scans of the paint sprayed on
plastic card stock.
The photos of the aircraft
interiors and the four Mustangs shows that the Adobe Photoshop color picker can
be used to find the color hues in color photos.
Using Adobe Photoshop 5.5 makes
it quite a bit easier to match paint than the old way of matching paint by
eye.
David Rapasi
Click on
images below to see larger images
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