Chromakey PANTONE to RAL number conversion

[thomas-english]

We have just had a job come into our infinity room that wants greenscreen but is unwilling to pay for the commercial greenscreen paint. They are happy with a colour match from the paint shop.

 

I would like to find a more scientific way of going about this. I want to get a good match and not rely on a local paint mixing machine and its operator colour matching. Importantly, so I can email a colour code to the client and have it approved for the day so I will have no issues with the client being unhappy with an incorrect shade.

 

The Pantone codes 354 (for green) and 2735 (for blue) come recommended however Pantone do not sell paint in europe because of their lead content. Does anyone know what RAL codes are the equivalent to these Pantone codes.

 

Or does anyone have another way?

Edited September 2, 2008 by thomas-english

[thomas-english]

is RAL 6018 too yellow ?

[thomas-english]

OK. I have after spending a long time on the phone to ICI technical department and technical paints. I have come up with these equivalents. Technical paints were also a GREAT help. http://technicalpaintservices.co.uk/contact.php

 

 

GREENSCREEN - Pantone 354 - Colour dimension number 1070G - Dulux name "puppet"

BLUESCREEN - Pantone 2735 - Colour Dimension number 3060R60B - Dulux name "Hocus Pocus"

 

These Dulux paint names have not been used for 10 to 15 years.

 

These can be mixed by any Dulux supplier from the above number. They should be able to dial in that colour dimension code, if they can't, tell them to call their technical centre and get the manual recipe.

 

Dulux also do a "dulux trade flat matt" rather than a "vinyl matt". I think this would be best.

 

I would love some comments on this before I set it all in stone.

 

Thankyou

Edited September 2, 2008 by thomas-english

[Walter Graff]

There is no one to one method. Easiest way is to sit down with a Pantone and

Ral chart and find close matches. Fear not, being off a few nm's will not make for a worse key.

[Walter Graff]

sounds good. Flat is always better. Have to wonder, for the $20 more for a gallon of paint, is it really going to kill the budget?

[thomas-english]

well it works out at exactly half the price.

 

I suspect that some of the chroma key paint manufacturers may be simply relabelling dulux ! certainly relabelling something.

[Stephen Williams]

well it works out at exactly half the price.

 

I suspect that some of the chroma key paint manufacturers may be simply relabelling dulux ! certainly relabelling something.

 

Hi,

 

Generally Rosco paint just requires one coat so even if the paint is half price you could spend more as you will probably have to apply 2 coats of Dulux. Adding water to the paint is a very BAD idea as you will need a second coat, and any retouching will stick out badly, very few people ever accept that however!

 

I had a client who always used to have his paint specially mixed, it was always horrible and actually cost more to use. After 5 years using Rosco they are now saving money.

 

FWIW When using blue I prefer the lighter Ultimatte color.

 

Stephen

[Walter Graff]

Hi,

 

Generally Rosco paint just requires one coat so even if the paint is half price you could spend more as you will probably have to apply 2 coats of Dulux.

 

Steven you made my point. A lot of people think there must be some sort of rip-off, as it's just green paint. For those that have not used it, it's not. It indeed goes on so well that I can't remember a time that I needed a second coat. Spend $25 on regular paint and you'll need twice as much to get the same clean finish.

[thomas-english]

Yes this is a consideration. The client wants us to specifically buy cheap paint, he wants us to take a tub of chromakey paint and colour match it in a store. This is madness however the customer is always right. I can advise but what he wants is what I'll do to the best of my abilities, if thats how he's worked before and he's happy thats whats important. Thats what working in Film and TV is all about.

 

However I am not going to let some spotty youth colour match a load of paint.

 

My concern with the thickness though is it will bring the sanding down of the whole infinity space a few steps closer.

Edited September 3, 2008 by thomas-english

[Juha Leminen]

thing is, who cears about the blue or green. What matters is where the colors are in color wheel that are wanted

to be filmed and how far from those colors you can find a color. You want it from so far that its to be gotten by going to hell and back :rolleyes: .

But ofcourse the more chrominance the better and you dont want it to wash. :blink:

[thomas-english]

Well the reason I care where the green is is because I assume the client will be pulling a colour difference Matte which calculates the Matte on green minus red max or blue max. So the less red or blue stimulation possible the better. I can t see a client worth his salt pulling a chroma key matte. But who knows.