How to print chrome silver as accurate as possible.

[RickPink65]

Hello. I have seen that aircraft models that are silver or chrome silver, have to be printed as a gray tone which is not exactly very accurate. What would be the best bet to obtain an accurate chrome silver colour or at least a close second?
Thanks.

[ashevilleangler]

Try using the forum search advanced function with aluminum as a keyword and search titles only. Here's the result that I obtained.

http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/s...archid=3680562

You could also try a similar forum search for silver paper"

Hope this helps,

Curt

[airdave]

metal finishes, especially polished metals, are generally just a reflective or mirror surface.
so they reflect whatever is around them...including colours.

I'm an airbrush artist, so painting chrome is a common thing.
Its all about painting realistic and distorted reflections.

less polished metal surfaces are less reflective...
but like you say, the gray tone is not always the most effective method.

The other problem with metal finishes is the colours and tones shift as the viewing angle changes
...and this is purt near impossible in paper modeling unless you actually use a chrome or metallized finish.

Unfortunately, you cannot print properly on these finishes.

If the aircraft model is all one finish...say chrome...you could use a chrome paper.
And then apply "decals" afterwards.
But if you want details, panel lines, and other surface artwork, you may have to settle for more printable papers.

I have experimented with metal-like effects that can be achieved on the ink jet printer.
best one I have done so far in on my recent Thunderbolts and Mustangs.
Its not perfect but its the best I've done with inkjet.
From the right angles, it looks pretty good.

[Raja Ahsani]

You could try red river inkjet paper
46lb. Silver Metallic Inkjet Paper
The real problem is how to print white on silver paper

[mbauer]

Have you googled silver chrome to find the RGB or Hextones numbers? Then in the program you're using create a color with those numbers to print. Not exact but will give a different look than just gray.

Here is a link to a pantone to rgb conversion chart. RGB means Red Green Blue, as you can see from the chart silver is: R=192, Green is 192, and Blue is 192.

goffgrafix.com - custom web site design and programming - designing affordable, functional web sites

Click through the quick links at the top till you find a color that looks like what you want, then read the numbers to the left to create the coloe in eith RGB or you can do Hextones as well-that is a different search (google hextones to pantone or RBG conversion).

If you know the specific name of the color you're looking for, sometimes you can search that and find it quick: Car manufacturers have specific color names Chevorlet Silver for instance.

Here is a place that people create their own colors, here is the code for chrome: Color / E3DEDB / chrome :: COLOURlovers use the search box to find other colors.

Chrysler has an awesome paint color chart: Color Codes - Chrysler Paint Cross-Reference it is good because you can search for different colors by year, vehicle or even by shade of color. Once you find a color then you can type in or click on colors on this site: http://encycolorpedia.com/a1a7b3 if you see a color you like click on the color, when the page reloads it gives you the RGB, and Hex color numbers at the top right-it also puts different shades above and below the original color, if you like them more, just click and it gives the color code for that color.

Be sure to scroll down the page to see other colors that are similar! Just click and you will get that color codes....Lots to look at but once you find some codes, type in the numbers in your paint or drawing program to reproduce that color!

Hope this helps.

Mike

[Paper Kosmonaut]

For small surfaces on a model I often use Bare Metal Foil, an ultra-thin sticky type of sheet aluminium which, after applying, is super shiny and realistic. For a full polished P-51 Mustang look, I'd go for a chrome coated type of paper. Indeed, it is almost impossibe to print on, but there is a method, albeit an elaborate one:
I use a print medium coating over the chrome layered paper. It is a transparent fluid you have to apply with a brush or sponge. Let it dry completely and then you can print on it. Afterwards, you have to seal it with a varnish of some kind, because the top layer is easily removed. Especially stuff like Windex can completely erase the print layer (which comes in handy when it has gone wrong) in one simple wipe.

Still, this needs some experience before you get it all right. But it works quite well and gives a very nice result.

Look at Ken West's Apollo capsule model, made by Billy Leliveld a couple of years ago. He used this chrome coated paper for the capsule's hull. (scroll down a little for the images)

[Texman]

Originally Posted by Raja Ahsani

You could try red river inkjet paper
46lb. Silver Metallic Inkjet Paper
The real problem is how to print white on silver paper

Unfortunately, the RR silver paper has not been available for several years
now.

[dhanners]

Is there a particular aircraft you're wanting to model?

[RickPink65]

Hello guys, thank you very much for the information. It seems to me that it is not at all easy to replicate the chrome silver colour on card models. I have on list several models which are all chrome silver. The first example is the 1/33 scale Boeing B-29 Super Fortress "Enola Gay". I recently visited the full size one and it is so beautiful!! Also an important airplane in any aircraft collection The model is GPM and I scanned it. Then I improved the markings etc. This model is very detailed and deserves the best finish possible. Any suggestions?
Other aircraft I love to make is old time airliners like the Caravelle, Boeing 727, DC-3, etc. etc. These models are usually chrome silver with some gray areas and usually top of fuselage white. When printed gray instead of silver, it is ok but the attractive chrome finish is lost. Let me have your opinions on this most important subject. Thank again.

RICK.

[RickPink65]

By the way, I don't use inkjet. I have a laser printer which is definitively better and more stable as time goes by.