After few months on standby, I a going back on this WIP at the painting stage.

The 3 tie received a fresh coat of primer. I then had to find the right base color. It is subject of controversy since a long time. Boy, at the cinema, I saw them white in the first movie (which was not yet called A New Hope), and blue in the two subsequent films. Later, with videotapes, DVDs and magazine sources, I saw them gray in the first film, gray and blue in the second, and blue in Return of the Jedi.

In fact, they are all in a medium blue. All other colors were only light games. Some of my pictures below also show these effects. The background color also plays a significant role.

There is a very good article about this on the RPF: http://www.therpf.com/f10/efx-tie-fighter-sdcc-91735/





The right shade is Tamiya TS-32 (unfortunately only available in spray). The intermediate blue Lifecolor UA045 is very close.
No longer working anymore with Lifecolor (they are too difficult to use with the airbrush), I used a 50/50 mixture of Tamiya XF-23 Light Blue and Gunze H56 intermediate blue.








I tried first a blue Tamiya XF-23, but as you can see, it was too bright.




Near a white lamp, it is just a little blue












With only the ceiling light, it is already a little darker












The final mixture 50/50 XF-23/H56 is airbrushed. The part in hand is much darker and as more blue. Although, it is not as easy to see in the picture:




Ceiling lighting, with a clear background,












Not too far from a white light: it's gray!








The wing on a white background: it is dark gray








The same on a black background : light blue!








Under a rather yellow light, they look grey












The paneling is quite simple, consisting of a single color, and the gunze H56 intermediate blue, which seems a very close match.




Here on the hatch, with a white light, the base color is again very blue.








it is more gray with only the daylight from the window (but not in direct sunlight)
























The windshield frame is in a much darker shade than the rest.
I cut masks with a compass cutter in a large Tamiya tape.








I went on a Tamiya XF-50 Field Blue, so a very dark blue gray.
Once again, you can see the color differences in the lighting. The third picture (directly under a white light) is clearer, and is not yet as strong as a studio lighting!
















The windshield is as dark as i wanted, but finaly a bit too blue, and I think Iwill definitely do it again only in dark gray ... It is difficult to paint a Tie, isn't it ?