Mar 28, 2024, 08:44 am

News:

New, New TardisBuilders!


2005 Tardis PAINT COLOUR?

Started by the dw geek, Apr 24, 2020, 04:43 pm

Previous topic - Next topic

the dw geek

Hi there, I hope I've come to the right board, newbie here. I'm currently working my way through my plans to build a 2005 Tardis, but I'm still very unsure what colours I should paint it. I've come across a few posts on here regarding the supposedly 'correct colour paints', but every answer varies. I was just wondering if anyone could help me out? Many thanks Smiley

Angelus Lupus

Ah, this is quite the (paint) can of worms you're opening, here!  ;D

Finding the right blue is one of the hardest things in anyone's build - this is because the same blue can look very different in various lights (studio, bright sun, overcast) as well as the differences due to post-production effects like colour grading. So much so, that 'the blue it looks like in person' can be different to 'the blue it looks on TV'

The 2005 Tardis may be easier, because they seemed to be more consistent with colour (as opposed to Classic Who which often seemed to be "slap whatever paint you can get cheap over the worst patches and call it done") but in the end I think a lot of folks go for the blue that looks best to them, and unless it's wildly wrong you'll have a decent looking Tardis!

Good Luck!
A mixed-up non-conformist, trying to fit in.

the dw geek

Hi there, thanks so much for your response. Not only have you pointed me in the right direction, but I've also gained some knowledge! lol ;D

Regards.

Volpone

The 2005 TARDIS will probably be tricky because it is so dirtied-down.  I feel like someone made observations on it and how it was done at some point but that might just be my imagination.  If Dino were here, he could probably find it if such a thread existed.  I'll just say, when I first saw it it struck me as being more grey than blue--almost a slate color.  But even so, in some pictures it is much more blue. 

This is just a SWAG from someone who's seen *maybe* 3 Eccleston or Tennant episodes, but these look promising to me: 
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/paint-and-supplies/interior-paint/wall-paint/1773415?x429=true&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxKiK_quC6QIVDD0MCh1vWwCVEAQYAiABEgIFwfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
And either the "Rainstorm" or "Dark Night" on this Sherwin-Williams swatch:
https://www.materials-world.com/paint-colors/sherwin_williams/fundamentally_neutral/sw_neutral_07.htm

Again, just a guess.  Absolutely not an answer to your question. 

And to further muddy the waters, if you're looking at a paint card, pick the color you think it is and go at least a shade darker.  I've painted my TARDIS at least 3 times (it's an outdoor TARDIS, so it needs repainting) and only once was I totally happy with the color.  And that time I was really worried when I bought it because I thought it was way too dark.  I thought it was almost black, but it turned out really well (this was when I had the 1963 white windows paint scheme). 
"My dear Litefoot, I've got a lantern and a pair of waders, and possibly the most fearsome piece of hand artillery in all England. What could possibly go wrong?"
-The Doctor.

the dw geek

Hiya! Your response is very much appreciated. The more help, the more easier it will be, hopefully...lol. I'll take a look at those links now and I think I'll also use a paint card like you said. Thank you! :)

superrichi1a

Just in response to what Volpone has said: at one point, the technique they had used was figured out. I think it was Purple, on his blog, who posted some pictures of the box in various states of finishment (my new word), and based on this there was some discussion here on how it was achieved, particularly on PhillipW's thread before he left, as he was in the process of building his own box.

If I remember correctly, it was done something like this:

- The unpainted props were attacked with a blowtorch so that the wood burned. The soft parts of the wood became very charred and brittle, and were then abraded away with wire brushes, leaving the harder bits of grain more pronounced. This is how we get the very distinct grain and variation in colour.

- The props were then painted all over in a very light blue-grey.

- The next coat was a darker, deeper blue-grey which was rubbed over with cloth, so it nestled in the cracks and exposed the more raised sections of lighter blue. You can see, particularly on the series 4 box, where for most of the panelling the centre was concentrated on, leaving a lighter circle in the middle and darker corners where the darker blue was more intact.

- Finally a wash of black was added and rubbed away in strategic places to create the weathering.



That's the best I can remember, but if anyone can recall more accurately please step in and correct me. The thing with the Tennant box, it seems, is that there is no one blue colour you can choose - you need to choose both a lighter and darker coat, then get the final-step weathering right to recreate the elusive shade of the prop.
Isn't it how ironic that we have to think of solutions out of the box, in order to build our boxes a lot of the time?

the dw geek

OMG! Thank you for such a long, detailed & helpful response, this helps me massively!  I can't wait to begin!  ;D Warm regards.