Painting Question

Banditrcn24

New Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2023
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Hello I just got the AMT Artemis 1 1/200 Scale model. I am having trouble finding the right paint colors to match the orange of the core stage. I would also like to know your tips on making the RS-25 Nozzle look realistic too. This orange is hard to look for.
 
That’s gonna be a hard one to replicate. There’s different shades of orange on that rocket. A good hard amount of weathering will have to achieve that dead flat faded look you’re looking for.

I would say experiment by mixing your orange using various colors such as white, black, grey (light and dark grey colors), and maybe brown or rust, even rubber.
 
Hello I just got the AMT Artemis 1 1/200 Scale model. I am having trouble finding the right paint colors to match the orange of the core stage. I would also like to know your tips on making the RS-25 Nozzle look realistic too. This orange is hard to look for.
Hi and welcome to the forum. Just had a look at that kit and it looks great. Looking forward to seeing your work. Post plenty of photos please. Pantherman
 
Clear orange won’t work no matter how many light coats you put on. Plus clear orange is gloss. As far as the other orange shades, you can’t tell by a swatch on a computer screen. That’s why I suggested mixing your orange paints using whites, greys, blacks, browns, etc…
 
The clear is for use as a filter .
I'm recommending starting with those or similar colors .
Tweaking hues is just part of the process .

any gloss can be made matte quite easily so that's never an issue .
 
So I am only using a Brush I dont have a airbrush this is my first model ever and I am big space nerd and SLS is my favorite rocket so I wanted to build this model. So I was just curious whats the best way to go about painting the Core Stage. In IRL its a polyurethane foam to keep the tanks insulated for when the rocket is fuel up with Liquid Hydrogen and Liquid Oxygen. Thats why it has that very matte look. and also should i Paint the rocket with a white primer?
 
Definitely use a white primer .
An alkyd like Rustoleum's 2X series . , spray can .
That way you can remove the acrylic color coat , if it looks wrong ,with alcohol and not affect the primer at all .

Are you in the States ?
I ask so I'm not referencing vendors that are across the ocean or something .
 
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There is so much variation in the orange I would get a rust color, an orange, and a yellow. Then I would mix them up as needed to replicate the different shades.
 
The orange is critical though .
You can't use a red orange obviously .
I'm waiting for a reply from Banditrcn , if it's brush painting then those AK paints aren't really the best choice .
Whole nother discussion ahead .
 
The orange is critical though .
You can't use a red orange obviously .
I'm waiting for a reply from Banditrcn , if it's brush painting then those AK paints aren't really the best choice .
Whole nother discussion ahead .
I dont have a airbrush so its only brushed.
 
Yeah , that's what you said -- and your first build .
Are you intending to reproduce the color modulation as seen in those photos or just do a monochromatic coating ?

Where are you located ?
Where do you buy paints ?

You're going to need a flow aid that contains propylene glycol to give you more open time for painting such a large surface .
Spray paint some scrap with the same primer so you can practice on that until you can produce a decent film without leaving brushstrokes .
 
Yeah , that's what you said -- and your first build .
Are you intending to reproduce the color modulation as seen in those photos or just do a monochromatic coating ?

Where are you located ?
Where do you buy paints ?

You're going to need a flow aid that contains propylene glycol to give you more open time for painting such a large surface .
Spray paint some scrap with the same primer so you can practice on that until you can produce a decent film without leaving brushstrokes .
I mean i want it to be realistic with the coating but i fear being to detailed will take a ton of work and time and for it being my first model maybe doing something simple at first then getting better at detailing it. I am also in the states but live in a small small town we have a local hobby store they sell mostly testors.
 

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