USS Enterprise Original Model Colors

[largento]

In case you haven't seen this, the Smithsonian released the colorimeter readings (LAB color) for the original colors on the 11-foot Enterprise model used in the filming of the original Star Trek television show.

 

I made this quick image of the colors. Photoshop can't measure the colors to the precision of these settings, but this is the averaged versions.

 

 

 

Here's the link to the story.

 

 

In case the story disappears, I'm pasting them here:

 

 

1) Production Hull Gray-Green; LAB: L 64.45 A -3.53 B 2.40, Approximate match: Benjamin Moore “Heather Gray” # 2139-40, Note: Actual match is less green and less yellow (chip currently available from Benjamin Moore).

 

2) Pilot Hull Blue-Gray; LAB: L 62.96 A -1.97 B -4.20, Approximate match: Sherwin Williams “Babbling Brooke” # HGSW 3364, Note: Actual match is slightly darker, and slightly less red.

3) Light Gray accent color; LAB: L 81.37 A -2.23 B -0.37, Approximate match: Pratt and Lambert “Nickel” #2232, Note: No adjustments needed (“Calibrated Colors IV” color deck).

 

4) Medium Gray accent color; LAB: L 66.89 A -0.55 B 3.99, Approximate match: Pratt and Lambert “ Half-tone” #2298, Note: No adjustments needed (“Calibrated Colors IV” color deck).

 

5) Dark Gray accent color; LAB: L 49.13 A -0.52 B 1.20, Approximate match: Pratt and Lambert

“Gettysburg” #2242, Note: No adjustments needed (“Calibrated Colors IV” color deck).

 

6) Yellow markings; LAB: L 79.72 A -10.24 B 56.78, Approximate match: FS 595B # 23785, Note: Actual match is slightly darker, slightly greener, and slightly less yellow.

 

7) Red markings; LAB: L 37.26 A 40.76 B 16.79, Approximate match: Valspar “Cut-ruby” #1009-4, Note: Actual match slightly less red and slightly less yellow.

 

8) Turbo Lift Green; LAB: L 46.63 A -5.39 B 5.09, Approximate match: FS 595B #34159, Note: Actual match slightly lighter, slightly less green and slightly more yellow.

 

9) Dorsal Aqua accent color; LAB: L 56.60 A -21.72 B -17.72, Approximate match: FS 595B #35275. Note: Requires thinning to a very transparent wash. - See more at: http://www.startrek.com/article/revealing-the-colors-of-the-enterprise#sthash.eR41erXG.dpuf5mc912mk

[robcat2075]

It's greener than I remember it but I don't suppose our TV was ever adjusted right anyway.

[largento]

Obviously there were many factors in how the color ended up appearing. Whatever lighting was used (my understanding was that the lights were incredibly bright and they were limited with how long they could shoot the model without worrying about it catching fire), the compositing of film elements for the special effects, how the film stock reproduced the colors, whatever color grading and correction that happened at every stage (up to the broadcast station) and the tuner, and of course, NTSC' color gamut was pretty restrictive.

 

Leonard Nimoy's makeup was an odd color (described as being the color of chicken soup, the photo I've seen looks close to the color of pumpkin pie filling) and stations frequently tried to "fix" that. Likewise Kirk's tunic was a kind of lime green color that looked gold under bright lights, but was never the yellow that it often appeared to be.

[robcat2075]

that's interesting. I had never perceived Spock as having a different color other than being rather pale.