how do you choose your paint scheme??

[Wynn Robins]

Here is how I do it...

I usually have a goood idea of what scheme a plane will have before I even start to build it....once I have seen the plans, I generally know what I will do to finish......weird I know...but it works.

I sometimes scan the plans in and print them on standard paper, then sketch the design I want....or if I have a photo of the plane I am building I will do it this way...

take the photo

load it into PC paint and delete the colours

re-draw the scheme to see how it looks...

the last pic is of the new scheme I am working on for my next vector 40.....not quite there...but the bsaics are working....

[Paul Taylor]

Way Kewl Wynn!!!

I just grab a rattle can of paint and see what color comes out. Make sure I have enough and start spraying. I guess that is why your looks better then mine.

Now if I can just start building lite! Guess I have to stop doing figure 9's first.


Paul

[Jim Pollock]

I just look as some old ones on pictures in Stunt News pick a cool one and modify it to suit my taste.

Jim Pollokc

[Harleyman]

That is really cool Wynn!
That is just MS Paint huh?  Thats how you colored my Talon, right?
I think you have a future as some type of Graphic Artist.

A great idea, I need to give it a try.

[Wynn Robins]

hey chris....that is right....dirty old PC paint.....that is how I did the talon as well.....although it was a bit rushed as I did it on my lunchbreak at work...

[frank carlisle]

i've been doing stars and stripes for the last 3 planes. i'm on my last one now.  no more stars. don't know what to do next. i sure have a lot of insignia red, white and blue.
guess i'll try what you are doing. it's very cool.

[Wynn Robins]

Frank,
what is the airplane you are working on?  I can do a scheme for you.....I really enjoy it........and I can probably comeup with something sweet with red,. white and blue.....without stars...

[Steve Helmick]

When I see a model I really like, I save the pic to my computer and use it as a base for "the plan". I might change colors completely, and would do almost anything other than checkerboard (it's been done to death).

I'm not real good with color coordinating, but I keep an eye on the Tower Hobby and Hobby Lobby catalogs. The R/C cars are very well done, and some of the R/C airplane graphics are pretty good...especially the German stuff. So, I'd take those colors, maybe some of their graphics, and paste them onto a stunter or whatever I'm working on. I'm sure they have pro artists design the color schemes for their advertising/show models. Don't wait too long to figure out the graphics and color choices. By the time the model is ready to cover, you should have it 100% thought out.  Steve

[frank carlisle]

Frank,
what is the airplane you are working on?  I can do a scheme for you.....I really enjoy it........and I can probably comeup with something sweet with red,. white and blue.....without stars...

Here is pic of current model--next one will be same frame but new scheme is greatly desired

[Bill Little]

Well..........
I don't have a "plan", usually.

I often build *replicas* of Classic planes so I just use the original colors and scheme for them.

On my modern planes I might steal a scheme from someone else, or just *start* on the finish and see what comes out! 

Contrary to Steve, I almost *NEVER* have the paint scheme in mind before I start painting.   

My next PAMPA plane scheme is already figured out simply because it is a semi (way *semi*) scale plane.

[Jim Thomerson]

Sketching around on original designs, I copy my last small sketch and color pencil  various paint schemes on it. There was an article by Claus Makis, a professional artist, in Stunt News several years ago.  Maybe you can dig up a copy.