paint scheme...

[jbagley]

Painting soon and finalizing the paint scheme. We've pretty well picked out colors and am trying to decide between two schemes. These are just outlines and don't quite represent the colors exactly; essentially bright red, black and gold. I've seen a few RV's in these colors and think they look fantastic! Oh, and i'm already painfully aware of the cost of red paint.

Some say the photos don't work, so here are direct links:

http://www.thelostnet.net/3pm/3545b_paint_scheme_small.jpg

http://www.thelostnet.net/3pm/3545b_paint_scheme_line_small.jpg

Your thoughts? Also, is the number on the rudder like that legal?

Also, to save some people a step... Here are some high-res png images created from the 3-view cad drawings from Van's. Import these into your favorite image editor and go nuts!

http://www.thelostnet.net/3pm/rv6a_frontview.png
http://www.thelostnet.net/3pm/rv6a_sideview.png
http://www.thelostnet.net/3pm/rv6a_topview.png

 

[N941WR]

The links don't work either.

 

[Michael White]

Go with the flames! No offense, but the tapered stripe just kinda lays there and doesn't do much for you visually...there is no correlation to the dragon. The flames go hand in hand with the dragon motif and tie things together.

P.S. Shadow flames like Rick Gray put on his F-1 Rocket would rock!

 

[N282S]

What Michael said

Go with the flames! No offense, but the tapered stripe just kinda lays there and doesn't do much for you visually...there is no correlation to the dragon. The flames go hand in hand with the dragon motif and tie things together.

P.S. Shadow flames like Rick Gray put on his F-1 Rocket would rock!

I agree. What about reversing the colors on the vert stab. Say red background and black dragon. Maybe a little more boring, but, less distracting from the rest of the plane.

 

[Brantel]

Long tappering stripes make the plane appear longer/bigger. The trick even works on the pics above. The bottom one looks longer even though it is not. Flames done right are cool as well. A Dragon needs flames!

Yes, Red paint is freaking rediculous $$$!!!

 

[ColoCardinal]

That dragon is way cool! Did you design it? I agree with the others; go with the flames. I think that They still need something (more length?) to fit in better with the dragon.

 

[jbagley]

Thanks all for the feedback!

There is a small important detail that isn't well represented in the paint schemes. I've accented the empenage fairing, which is why the vertail tail is black. Instead of boring curves that are normally on the leading edge of this fairing I added some fiberglass and turned them into peaks. Horizontal stabilizer will remain red, the empenage fairing and vertical stabilizer will be a contrasting black. Most people tend to try to hide this piece, unsuccessfully. So, I thought I would do the opposite.

Hard to describe, so hereis a photo.

P.S. Shadow flames like Rick Gray put on his F-1 Rocket would rock!

These are called ghost flames. We looked at that, but with the bold 2dimensional lines of the dragon and tail the ghost flames with depth to them just didn't jive very well. We did a spray out of ghost flames on red and I love how they look, but doesn't fit with the single-color one-dimmensional dragon. Also, painting the tail black and putting red ghost flames on the nose would make it appear very unbalanced. Needs more black on the nose.

Long tappering stripes make the plane appear longer/bigger. The trick even works on the pics above. The bottom one looks longer even though it is not. Flames done right are cool as well. A Dragon needs flames!

This is the part i'm struggling with. The side-by-side RV's are short and fat. A simple stripe down the side tends to balance the overall shape and accentuate the nice lines of the aircraft. Here is an RV3S done in red, black and gold with a simple stripe down the side that I think looks fantastic! This plane is in the 2011 Van's calendar I think for January.

That dragon is way cool! Did you design it?

Partly. I Idealized it and found an artist to design it.

 

[Mike S]

Here is my $.02 on it.

My vote would be for flames------but not the "tribal" ones you are showing, go with traditional flames.

$.98 change please.

 

[Bob Axsom]

The focus on the VS fairing is unwarranted and yellow?

Your theme in the flame design is consistent in the side view, how does this play out in the plan view? Your micro concern about the VS fairing is unwarranted. The yellow edging is too harsh. Do you want 12" numbers? In this design they do provide some visual relief.

Bob Axsom

 

[xavierm]

dragon head

A dragon head up front breathing flames trailing down the side would probably look cool too.

 

[diamond]

Go with the flames! No offense, but the tapered stripe just kinda lays there and doesn't do much for you visually...there is no correlation to the dragon. The flames go hand in hand with the dragon motif and tie things together.

P.S. Shadow flames like Rick Gray put on his F-1 Rocket would rock!

ya what he said

 

[olyolson]

Paint job

Just an opinion- Ditch the dragon and flames, it cheapens the airplane and makes it look like a toy. The second paint job with the stripe will balance the airplane visually. Do a red & black checkerboard on the rudder.

 

[TOAD]

Sweeeeet!

I Love the flames.
Use small numbers so that no one can identify you should you inadvertently enter a TFR or make some FAA rule infraction.