Gloss White or Flat White for VF-1-Which Do you Prefer?

[modcineaste]

Inquiring about if you prefer to paint and finish your VF-1 Valkyries model kits in Gloss White or Flat White?

This has less to do with the pro or cons of which is good for decals, ease of building etc. but strictly which you personally prefer to finish your VF-1's model kits in.

Just trying to gauge which is more popular with modelers.

Cheers!

Leonardo

[Ranger565]

Inquiring about if you prefer to paint and finish your VF-1 Valkyries model kits in Gloss White or Flat White?

This has less to do with the pro or cons of which is good for decals, ease of building etc. but strictly which you personally prefer to finish your VF-1's model kits in.

Just trying to gauge which is more popular with modelers.

Cheers!

Leonardo

For me it would be Matt White Or simi gloss, That way it would be more to the true way they paint fighter jets in Real life.

[David Hingtgen]

IMHO, most VF-1's are "actually" very pale grey, like Yamato does. Hikaru's TV 1J is about the only "pure" white one. That said:

Light grey fighter jets in the real world tend to be flat. White fighter jets are rare, but plenty of white bombers/TACAMO/AWACS and the like---and those are glossy white. So:

White=gloss

Pale grey=flat

[azrhino]

Depending on scale, I still wouldn't go beyond semi-gloss. On a 1/72 or smaller Valk, a high gloss finish makes it look toy-like.

And as to your original question, even if you are going for a gloss finish, I would suggest painting the model in flat and then top coating with a clear gloss. Flat paints just seem to be more forgiving.

Edited February 17, 2010 by azrhino

[Kylwell]

I finish mine with a flat to satin finish.

[Vifam7]

I prefer using grey for fighter aircraft.

I went with Tamiya AS-16 + clear flat for my first ever completed VF-1. Tamiya says AS-16 is USAF light grey 1960's to 1970's era. I liked the color it gave. May not be correct or accurate but the end result looked rather right to my eyes.

[Gubaba]

I just go with what the Hasegawa instructions tell me to use.

Boring, I know.

[Spitfire_BR]

Add me to the boring list...

I just go with what the Hasegawa instructions tell me to use.

Boring, I know.

[Mercurial Morpheus]

I recommend flat as well. Gloss paints do tend to give models a very toy like appearance. The scale also makes shiny objects appear flat anyway. I've used gloss (metailic actually) and flat paints for Gundams, and the flats just plain look more authentic and pricey. As for white vs grey, the Bandai remaster made all the valks steel grey, though I generally prefer white, or at least an off white/very pale grey.

[Cancer107]

Add me to the boring list...

Me too.

But Mr. Color #316 FS17875 is the white painted on F-14 Tomcat in 70's, which makes sense very much.

Also, the white instructed as "Val-white" in the instructions of ancient Imai/Arii kits is the same white as Mr. #316.

So I personally believe that it is the "correct" white for VF-1.

Gloss or Flat... I will go Semi-gloss for 1/72.

[Kyp Durron]

If I was going to do a Roy 1S, Hikaru 1A, etc...I'd go with a flat insignia white.

-Kyp

[modcineaste]

Thanks for the insight everyone. I usually prefer flat paint for my kits but I thought on this go around I might use gloss but the light grey paint is suggested in the instructions for the VF-1J, white is suggested for the DYRL fighters.

For those who do paint their Valyries in a light grey, which paint company and color do you usually use?

Thanks!

Leonardo

[Lolicon]

Far be it for me to contradict the many pro modelers on these boards, though I think a lot of it boils down to personal preference.

For military vehicles I generally think flat paints give a more realistic appearance. But for anime mecha I like using a semi-gloss finish, seeing as the subject material is animated and doesn't actually exist in the real world. I guess for me it's just a compromise between the animated world and the real world?

That doesn't mean the models I've seen here with flat finishes don't look great!

[THOR]

i paint whith gloss to apply decals then hit it with future then with clear flat

[PetarB]

I've been experimenting with gloss finishes. But if you don't do it right, you can get a very toy-like finish. I think the VF-1 definitely needs a flat finish. The valks from MacrossII and Macross7 seems to call for a well managed gloss finish...