When building space themes, what kind of color schemes do you go with?

[fr33manator]

Do you decide by faction?

I usually use a 4 color scheme

1 primary solid, 1 secondary solid,1 tertiary solid,1 trans

or

1 primary solid, 1 secondary solid, 1 primary trans, and 1 secondary trans

I find I get nice looking schemes that have distinction.

What do you do?

[Rook]

Ah another random “what if” thread. Once again if your looking for a real answer rather than just increasing your post count, maybe create a poll and do a little bit of scientific research.

PS: I think don’t limit yourself.

[fr33manator]

Sorry, I can't create polls yet. But I do like asking hypothetical questions.

Is that a problem?

I'm still learning the ropes here. Any help would be appreciated.

My main colors are Black, white, blue, trans neon orange, trans dark blue, and trans neon green.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

Ah another random “what if” thread. Once again if your looking for a real answer rather than just increasing your post count, maybe create a poll and do a little bit of scientific research.

PS: I think don’t limit yourself.

Creating a poll here requires him to increase his post count!

And back on topic, I like very much Blacktron's color scheme, although I also like trans blue, white, black, and trans red, much like Futuron and Space Police.

[fr33manator]

I suppose a great deal of what determines which colors you use is based on the colors you have, which is determined by what sets you purchased a lot of.

My collection is comprised primarily of black, then white, then blue.

But I have a ton of Lego I haven't begun to sort through yet. I think the next major color additions I begin to acquire will be one of the greys (I'm leaning towards dark grey) and red.

God I love bricklink

[fr33manator]

Since I cannot create polls yet, perhaps some of my superior AFOL brethren would care to?

Basically just a simple poll asking to rank the colors you most use in your sic fi MOCs.

Thanks in Advance

[Brickdoctor]

What Rook means to say is that we don't need a thread for every question you can think of. For example, all three of the topics you've posted here could have been consolidated into one topic about Sci-fi MOCing in general.

(though that is not to say I can speak for the staff on this matter; I'm just explaining)

[fr33manator]

What Rook means to say is that we don't need a thread for every question you can think of. For example, all three of the topics you've posted here could have been consolidated into one topic about Sci-fi MOCing in general.

(though that is not to say I can speak for the staff on this matter; I'm just explaining)

How would I compile these topics together then?

I searched and did not see threads dealing with these specific questions.

I've just been up late lately and wonder these things, to ground myself.

I don't mean to violate forum rules, perhaps someone could give me a primer?

I'm used to a very different forum, so forgive me if my style is not consistent to what is the norm here.

[The Mugbearer]

First of all, relax and just aviond in future to multiply topics with questions about one specific subject.

Now, about Sci-Fi color schemes.

As LDD still remains my as primary instrument for making my MOCs because of the lack of money, I am doing with colors whatever I want.

I will show some samples of my works to display my colouring principles.

First of all, Starships and such.

I am trying to use one pirmary solid color, mostly black or dark grey, then secondary solid like gray or light-gray, to single out some details on the ship's corpuse. Four other colors is a one or wo decorative colors which represents faction's primary color and two transparent for engines, illuminators and energy weapons.

Example:

Aegis Special Colonial Fleet, Frigate-class ship, name: "Aegis Prime". It is black with dark-grey insertions, plus red and dark-red, which distinctive for Aegis ships' color scheme. Transparent blues are illuminators and engine lights, and trans-greens are the plasma turrets' barrels.

Then, Troops:

It's all moe simple for minifigs. They have two primary colors, secondary decorative, secondary metallized (for elite ones or for special cases) and transparent if needed.

Example:

Aegis Fleet's Marines:

Black as primary, blue and dark-blue as secondary decoratives, trans-orange for Gauss rifle's muzzle, and metallic gold for the one with closed visor, in order to imitate mirror sun-protective screen in the helmet.

Miscellaneous:

Here's I am choosing my situation.

For example, here is Cuberpolice Speed-Chase Car:

It has one primary solid (white), two secondary solid (dark grey and grey), one decorative (orange).

My GF's way:

Here's TWO metallized colors: primary ('sand blue') two secondaries ('titanum' and 'silver'), and also one decorative (lime), plus transparent for visor.

So, that's my thoughts.

[fr33manator]

so this is the color scheme I went with for my factions.

[RichardRobins]

My personal favorite is the M:tron theme colour scheme, except in my own moc's I prefer to replace the neon trans green with a nice trans clear or ice blue.

Edited October 6, 2011 by RichardRobins

[fr33manator]

I am currently expanding my red and light grey bricks, in order to create other factions. The M-tron scheme has grown on me a bit, and light grey definitely fits in with the space setting. Trans-green and trans-red may factor in as well.

I wonder how a trans-green/grey/red faction would look

[charlieboy]

I wonder how a trans-green/grey/red faction would look

It would look just like Space Police II

Not bad but nowhere near as good as SP I or SP III

Personally I love the colour schemes of all the eighties and very early nineties space themes,not a fan of anything between then and SP III!

Edited October 21, 2011 by charlieboy

[Hollander]

I usually go for a base color of bley or dark bley, and add some touches of red, blue, yellow or orange. Just touches though, I don't like the idea of ship completely in one specific color.

[Rook]

To answer your question a little deeper: Yes there is such a thing as color theory, an art & design principle. There is also something called color psychology. Basically colors affect the brain in different ways. Understand color theory and color psychology and you convey a deeper level of imagery through emotions caused by visual stimulus.

[-zenn]

To answer your question a little deeper: Yes there is such a thing as color theory, an art & design principle. There is also something called color psychology. Basically colors affect the brain in different ways. Understand color theory and color psychology and you convey a deeper level of imagery through emotions caused by visual stimulus.

Interesting, since I was younger I always combined colors to certain number, same goes for combo's (and vice versa). Although, some colors might have a different number when turned around, but it just makes sense to me.

examples;

3 (blue) + 7 (yellow)

2 (green) + 5 (red)

3 (blue) + 5 (red)

black (1) + white (0)

red (3) + yellow (2)

orange (5) + green (3)

I know, weird huh...

Edited October 21, 2011 by -zenn

[fr33manator]

But what about when you factor the trans-colors in? Or do you have a scheme for that?

[-zenn]

But what about when you factor the trans-colors in? Or do you have a scheme for that?

Haha, I don't know. Only have it with basic colors. I just read on wiki it's called color synesthesia...

Anyway ontopic, I mostly use; 1 base color, 1 primary highlight, 1 secondary highlight and 1 trans color.

Edited October 21, 2011 by -zenn

[fr33manator]

To answer your question a little deeper: Yes there is such a thing as color theory, an art & design principle. There is also something called color psychology. Basically colors affect the brain in different ways. Understand color theory and color psychology and you convey a deeper level of imagery through emotions caused by visual stimulus.

Interesting. Would you mind extrapolating on that?

Haha, I don't know. Only have it with basic colors. I just read on wiki it's called color synesthesia...

Anyway ontopic, I mostly use; 1 base color, 1 primary highlight, 1 secondary highlight and 1 trans color.

I thought it was perfectly on topic. The "why?" of which colors we use can be just as important as the "what?".

[TheWarden]

There are no "right" answers. I've seen spacecraft with dark red, lime green and purple accents that looks interesting. You almost have to try everything to see how it looks.

What's possibly more accepted is proportion and number of colors.

Usually it's like a large amount of one color, a moderate of another, highlights of a third. Typically aim for no more than three. Although cosmetic details (flags, running lights, etc) might go past 3.

To start with, study all the color schemes of the past Sci-fi themes of LEGO.

[fr33manator]

I have, and I generally go with no more than 4 colors. Usually a primary solid, secondary solid, tertiary solid and highlight trans

Although if I go with only two solids, I may use two trans colors.

I find that black, white, blue, red, and grey most fit in with the space themes, but it really depends on your setting, I feel

[SuvieD]

Color is a fickle and interesting mistress to deal with. You never know what she will want to dress in and often times she looks better in her raw forms.

With space I like to mix it up by faction, then use, next rank, and finally by personal touches. For example, a more modern Blacktronesque group could use a blended palette from previous sets mixed with modern colors or tweaked to fit best within a collection. Not everybody has piles of trans yellow or red floating around of course. Black underbody, greebled portions, and wings/wheels will go nicely with white armored and propulsion bits. Toss in some dark red or lime green for weapons and you will have a decent color setup. I personally like to have weapons trans separate from windscreen trans and sometimes thrust too.

It is not so much the colors you use or want to use. It is much more in that the color you choose has purpose. The Imperial ships in Star Wars look sleek and color coordinated while the rebel ships had a more patched together feel. Is one better than the other though? I have seen MOC's in nearly every color look both amazing and horrible. It the mocists intent, design, and often their willingness to redesign that lets them use some trial and error to create that sweeter than honey combo.

I like it more old school when it comes to both building and color. So if it doesn't have studs showing or couldn't stand in for a neon sign at least in some ways it just doesn't sit right as a space MOC for me.

[fr33manator]

Color is a fickle and interesting mistress to deal with. You never know what she will want to dress in and often times she looks better in her raw forms.

Brilliantly and beautifully put

The factions I am currently designing for are based on an ice planet, so things like purple, red, yellow and green felt out of place to me.

I went with the IP:2002 colors for one, prominence swapped around a bit but all elements still there, and for the other it was black, white, trans dark blue.

All colors that feel natural to a planet of ice and rock, IMO.

But I have built creations that were color crazy, yet had that ragtag, scrapyard feel. I had an epic battle train with a myriad of different colors here and there. It was a space mercenary group, and so much fun to build for. But that was back when I only had a certain amount of Lego at my disposal,

So I couldn't be too picky colorwise