40 replies to this topic

[n.elmholt]

What is your formula or what do you use for the McLaren orange?

 
I have no precise formula.
 
I use basic yellow and red and mix untill I feel happy with the hue.

I prefer a light, warm yellow colour with a slight orange tone.
 
Faskolor for the clear bodies and automotive type paint from Slotracing Werks in Germany for the hardbodies. 
 
Niels, DK

[Cheater]

Here's a short video that makes Neils' point:

 

[TSR]

This is a 1/24 static model based on Philippe's Heller McLaren M7 plastic kit.

 
Whooo, Niels, if I send you a kit, would you build it for me? 

[Ramcatlarry]

Mopar Rob used to work for a paint supplier that serviced body shops. He can provide  a part number of any paint color.

 

I always heard the color was "papaya orange".

 

I use Testor/Pactra Grabber orange Model Master lacquer. I undercoat my colors for density, so darker may have a silver or black undercoat

[Mike Patterson]

It's really hard to say exactly what the correct color is if you go by photographs. The car in post #18 is a newer picture, probably taken with a digital camera, and tweaked in Photoshop. The colors have nice saturation and sharpness. In the past, this was only achieved with Kodachrome 25, or a LOT of darkroom work.

 

In post #19, these pictures appear to have been taken with Ektachrome. This film had a cooler color palette, but was much faster, and better suited for action photography.

 

The picture in post #22 is just gorgeous!

 

I'm afraid that unless someone has an unmolested, ORIGINAL, McLaren body body part, we shall never know. And even if such a piece would surface, and taken somewhere to be color scanned, the differences in lighting and the equipment being used, would still provide only an approximate answer.

[beardogracing]

Color!!! I learn't many years ago, when I used to build Stand Off Scale WW2 R.C. Airplanes that:

 

If you look at a color chip, it's about 1 foot from your eyes.

If you look at a 1/6th scale model placed ten feet from you..how much more atmosphere is the to take into account, Air has color, it's a foggy white.

 

Conventional practice on a stand-off R.C. plane was to paint the model based on colour chips, then when finished, give the complete aircraft a mist coat of thinned out white, all details included, canopy etc.

 

So if you're looking at a 1/24th scale McLaren how much atmosphere should there be between you and that car, if it was the real thing?

Let's say it's two feet from you. 2ft x 24 = 48 feet, what color does 48 feet of air have?

 

The static model aircraft people know this too.

 

Chris

[Tom Eatherly]

Colors in posts #18 and #22 look about right. Just like my avatar. Post#19 looks a bit faded photography wise.

[Zippity]

HOT OFF THE PRESS  

 

I have just been advised by one of New Zealand's leading model makers (read "Lord of the Rings" here) that Tamiya spray TS56 Brilliant Orange is the perfect match for McLaren Orange.

 

 

[Tex]

LOL

 

If you post a pic of a McLaren even remotely accurate in color, no one will REALLY, DEFINITIVELY know the difference. You guys need to crank up the iron and get back to work.

 

Wait. I need to crank up the iron and get to work.

 

 

 

 

 

Nevermind.

[Zippity]

How about we ask the family?

[Tex]

You're the closest; have at it.

[Mike Patterson]

Just for fun, i downloaded one of Mike Swiss' McLaren pictures and played around with it. Here's the original:

 

 

And here's the "new & improved" version:

 

 

Which is more correct?

[Mike K]

Guess you can't trust the camera lens... or Photoshop...

[MSwiss]

I only got involved because it seemed highly unlikely the McLaren's were the yellow / non-orangey color shown in the first post. (Even though some other swatch's of Traffic Yellow are very orangey.)

[Tom Eatherly]

Which is more correct?

I'm guessing bottom. Old photography still fades. Not a pro at photography, but, thats my guess.

[W. J. Dougherty]

Tried the paint mentioned above; nice paint but its not for Lexan...