Set Colors - Andrew Probert and Rick Sternbach

JoeRalat · Dec 13, 2008

Hello, I was hoping to get some color information on the sets. I have seen some of Andrew Probert and Rick Sternbach props and the colors listed on the props are pantone colors. I wanted to know if you guys had any informations on what colors where used on the sets. Are the colors pantone colors?

I am working on my new workshop, and I wanted to make it into a small voyager office. Me and my buddy Daryl own a lot of trek blueprints, and that is what I am using to make the office. I have the rubber mats and laminate for the door, but I need some paint colors.

If anyone wants to check out the blueprints catalog we have..go to www.startrekblueprints.com. Right now we have a few TNG prints online. I will have Voyagers and the other series prints online soon.

Thanks Rick and Andrew for your time and any info you can give!

BolianAuthor · Dec 20, 2008

You might actually want to ask Mike Okuda about this, because when I was asking him about information on the "Future Imperfect" bridge changes, he cited Jim Mees, who was the set decorator on TNG and VOY. He might be able to help you out.

Jadzia · Dec 22, 2008

On a television set, the colours are not always as you see them, because allowances have to be made for the strong set lighting, and allowances for how things transfer to screen. Furthermore, the set lighting is usually tinted with use of gels until it gives the right mood on screen. This is usually done by trial and error, not by design.

So to create the same "feel" as you see on screen, you might well need different colours than what was used in the set.

Your lighting will be far more important than having precise paint colours.

SonicRanger · Dec 22, 2008

^^^

That's definitely true. Look at what happened when a new cinematographer came in during TNG's 3rd season and changed the lighting -- the whole color palette of the bridge "changed" with that.

And the E-D bridge carpet colors changed every season too:

http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/gallery/artoftrek/ed-bridge-bright-dark.jpg

You'll have to cut 'n' paste that URL into your browser or go here:

http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/gallery/bridges2.htm

trevanian · Dec 22, 2008

SonicRanger said:
^^^

That's definitely true. Look at what happened when a new cinematographer came in during TNG's 3rd season and changed the lighting -- the whole color palette of the bridge "changed" with that.

I agree with the lighting notion affecting the sets, but in terms of what the new TNG DP did, wasn't that more in the nature of adding diffusion, softening stuff up? The really nice edges you get by originating on film were blurred, making the whole thing look more video-mushy to me, which kind of defeats the purpose of shooting on 35mm to start with.

DS9 seemed to suffer from this too, but on DVD (as opposed to broadcast), it wasn't so bothersome. Maybe TNG did too and I don't know? (I've only seen TNG broadcast, never rented the discs.)

I WOULD say that the VOYAGER bridge was the richest looking, so the colors chosen there (as seen in video interviews AND on the show) were only embellished by lighting, not defined by them. But usually lighting does 'color' the issue somewhat. Look at TWOK and SFS, which don't have huge changes in the bridge between flicks, outside of some extra burn marks. While the camera angles in TWOK are better, the lighting is far more dramatic in SFS most of the time, with splashes of color instead of walls of color.

SonicRanger · Dec 22, 2008

trevanian said:
I agree with the lighting notion affecting the sets, but in terms of what the new TNG DP did, wasn't that more in the nature of adding diffusion, softening stuff up?...

JoeRalat · Dec 23, 2008

Thank you all for keeping this thread alive. My guess when it comes to colors, it that the colors are from a paint company like Behr. I still love to hear from anyone who worked on the show..

But here are some photos of voyager vr (Startrek.com) the images from the vr are taken with a camera so its less likely that it was color corrected.

If you look at the photo, you can see that the Dr's office is a mint green. I am trying to match up the colors with Behr colors.

SonicRanger · Dec 23, 2008

Clearly avocado green.

Rick Sternbach · Dec 23, 2008

JoeRalat said:
Hello, I was hoping to get some color information on the sets. I have seen some of Andrew Probert and Rick Sternbach props and the colors listed on the props are pantone colors. I wanted to know if you guys had any informations on what colors where used on the sets. Are the colors pantone colors?

Usually the set walls were painted according to swatches mixed up by the lead painter and discussed with the production designer, and didn't involve the Pantone book at all (I used the Pantone set mainly with props and graphics). The closest thing to a swatch book was the Dunn-Edwards catalog, but we also used a few other paint company books to use as references. Sometimes the colors were straight out of the can, sometimes they were custom mixes. I doubt any real records exist as to what colors were used where; recreating a shade was, I imagine, a matter of eyeballing based on filming and swatches.

Rick
www.spacemodelsystems.com

FalTorPan · Dec 23, 2008

That may very well be true, but I would imagine that some sort of record had to be kept in order to streamline day-to-day touch-ups to the sets. Maybe not.

BolianAuthor · Dec 27, 2008

Those are some remarkably CLEAR shots of the Voyager sickbay... a color match based on those excellent refs shouldn't be too hard.

JoeRalat · Dec 29, 2008

Sorry for the late reply, but thank you Rick Sternbach for the information. Its a very good start. I will keep everyone updated!

Admiral Buzzkill · Dec 29, 2008

http://www.dunnedwards.com/retail/content.asp?category=89

Set Colors - Andrew Probert and Rick Sternbach

JoeRalat

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