Paint Scheme Commitment - Is it me OR.....

[RockKook]

Okay, so I struggle with commitment on paint schemes for my rigs. There are so many cool things to do, yet I can't seem to ever just push down on the rattle can and GO with it. Some look for inspiration builds, some go with their gut, and some even have their favorite theme color for all their rigs.

I guess that is what makes us all unique, right? Where do all of you start? Is there a method to the madness? I seem to be more methodical.

Scale....realistic.
Racing Livery.....team or unique.
BlackOUT/Murdered
Vintage.....
Airbrush Technical....flames and skulls, etc.

What do you look for, for inspiration? How would you categorize your paint?

Here is an example of a pre-paint sketch AND how I work through some of the crazies in my head.






YOU MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS YOU DON'T TAKE. ~ Wayne Gretzky

[RockKook]

Looking for inspiration......

Anyone have any? RED, WHITE & BLUE???!!!!

[pastimesteve]

I'll chime in! I struggle with this as well. Besides looking over hot babes like the one above, I often look to classic race car liveries for inspiration as I guess I'm nostalgic that way. 1950s and 60s NASCAR liveries can even serve as inspiration sometimes. Obviously, I also look at other scale builds I've admired over the years, along with browsing this and other similar forums.

Steve

[RockKook]

Thanks Steve......I'm totally with you. I just posted the last pic for response. Trying to put a little sexy into RC for all of us. I LOVE racing liveries...especially vintage ones. I love the pin-striping, graphically fantastical numbering and even some of the gold leaf stuff. I guess most mine would come from the 60's and 70's.

I'm a chevy man.....so, here are a couple of my favorite Camaro pics.





And motorcycles....

[Crawllife]

Yes, if the topic is commitment, It bothers me to the point where it helped me stop painting for the public. Just laying out a job that flows right takes days/weeks for me. Then it's colors and fades. I have 3 jobs to do by the 25th. One is just a set of panels. I have 20-30 different mask sets on my coffee table trying to figure out what to do. I have 10 of every popular lid and it still drives me crazy!!!!

[RockKook]

I'm so glad that I'm not alone Crawllife!!! Where can I find some of your work? I like the XR you've got on your profile.

BEST!

[Crawllife]

I have a vendor thread and a few pages back I have a page I used to update

[RockKook]

I also look for sponsor decals....and try to build my rigs around a vendor theme or color scheme.

I did this Miller Welding rig for Lue@MattZilla......Lue wanted this Miller Welding blue scheme to thank them for their welding equipment he uses, so I painted it AND the interior blue and white to match as well. It's simple, but I thought it looks pretty striking. Decals always bring things to life too.



I also gave him a decal set for K&N that he used on his Mantis chassis. I'll probably eventually do my own K&N and Miller Welding rigs.

So, I'm constantly on the look out for inspiration, paint schemes and new decals.

[RockKook]

NOW, I have another project making panels and then paint. Hmmmmmm......



BUT.....if I didn't love it, I wouldn't be doing it! Right?

Trying to bring sexy back to RC.

[BigSki]

I tend to look at the colors in nature for inspiration. The way some snakes are colored, for example. Or tropical fishes. This helps me find colors that you normally don't see in everyday life. I don't try to do any paint jobs that are too intricate for the simple fact that I suck at painting.

[TacoCrawler]

IMO... it needn't be a stressful decision.

fact is... it ya don't like yer results...
paint it over

Styrene... sand off what you don't like - repaint.

Lexan/Poly... I've read dot4 brake fluid will remove it - clean and repaint.
or it could be painted on the exterior.

I like to keep my paint fairly simple...
'cause it's not a shelf queen.
And I prefer the more subtle factory look.

Regardless of the the final coat... Styrene or lexan
I always start off with a base/1st coat mimicking metal or rust.

bottom line... it's what you personally like to see.

after all... you'll be looking at it most

ps...

If ya can't decide a like of your own...
then choose from the web, and copy that.

* paint is not rocket science... nor forever


good luck ! (with your indecisiveness) Lol

[shahram72]

I hesitate and procrastinate on things like this. But you gotta just get started and go with it. Bodies are cheap, most of the time, you can always paint another one later. And sometimes you don't figure out what is best until you just get started. This has been my experience. The only body I am totally decided on is for my Maxstone 10. I know every part and shade and have the paints, I just need to do it. I'm going with Spaz Stix candy apple green to match the green aluminum and faskrome on the bumper. Now I am really hesitating on my Toyota FJ Cruiser build (Tamiya CC-01). I have a nice Orange or Blue Krylon Fusion to look like stock. Either will look great. But I really want to use Krylon Terra Cotta which is a brownish orange. My wife says no it will be ugly. But I always like those strange shades used on some Toyotas and want to go that route. What do you guys think?

[mccollom405]

I bought a 1:1 FJ when they hit in 2007 and it was the light blue color. I regretted buying that color as there was a crap ton out on the road but very few in the more earth tone colors. I say rock the terra cotta color! Ive been on the fence about getting the FJ kit but if I do its gonna be sand/tan color.
As for the dilemma on color and schemes for my last scx10 body, I lucked out and found an airbrushed one on ebay for the same price as an unpainted body. Just got lucky on that one. I need an idea for a new Wraith body right now.

[RockKook]

Scale is a whole other world! There are even more choices and personal preferences when it comes to scale. Do you want a pristine paint job or a really heavily marred paint scheme showing heavy use and abuse. I'll have to post some pics of things I really think look great.....scale wise. However, I'm getting farther and farther away from scale.....only because the body choices seem limited AND all the variations have been done 5000 times over.

If you guys have scale examples of projects you are working on, post them up and point out what you like best about them.

PEACE

[RockKook]

Forward progress on body panels.......



Paint next!!! Let's see what I end up doing.

[Crawllife]

the whole idea of " don't like it, paint over it", doesn't apply to comp stuff. I know there are things to remove fascolor but its not a sound enough science to ease my mind. I have however [ since this thread was started], thought of a way to make the process easier with clients. ive concluded that there are 2 paint directions clients can go. 1- make all the custom names, logos and symbols they request and risk the lid looking like a patchwork quilt. or the 2nd one which I now recommend to all that contact me. paint a cool backdrop or themed scheme and carefully select decal location. ive found that while having your screen name or favorite band logo done with vinyl paint mask is super custom, it will turn out to look like a solid color job with decals on it. vinyl guys like me cant layer masks. I hope this makes sense. if you get a shot, check out the lid I did for EY designs. its the best example I have of the " paint a backdrop" idea. although I did get lucky with squeezing some vinyl masks of his company into the backdrop.

[RockKook]

@Crawllife.....I'm a huge fan of KISS.....Keep It Simple Stupid. Also the theme or simple backdrop works for me too. I've got huge influences from graphic design.....and industrial design as it relates to surfing and skateboarding. It is starting to all just translate over for me. You'll see what I mean, soon.

[RockKook]

My newest commitment......presenting ZMantis. I think I might still have to paint the fuel cell, flat black....so it doesn't look quite so much like Christmas.



You can see the rest on Facebook HERE or
RCC HERE.

[Crawllife]

It's just nice to chat with someone who understands what I mean. I've told ( 3 times today ha!) that I can be difficult to understand when conveying a point. Work looks good man. Keep it up!!

[RockKook]

Originally Posted by Crawllife

It's just nice to chat with someone who understands what I mean. I've told ( 3 times today ha!) that I can be difficult to understand when conveying a point. Work looks good man. Keep it up!!

I've been black-balled for complementing people on their work....so, I believe it. I guess they feel threatened by talent....and you have talent, my friend.....AND are a contributor. A good one!



BTW....i can't even give my traditional 3 thumbs up any more....it's been black balled too.