Additional paint and painting information for modelers:

Cross-reference paint tables and other color information:

• Humbrol to other brands

• ModelMaster to other brands

• Comparing colors online using standard color references (advanced color information)

Color charts for specific paint brands:
    Note - in most cases these color charts have just been scanned in by the manufacturer, and the colors
     are not digitally encoded like the color samples above.  The charts should be used for general comparison only! 

• Humbrol (includes link to look up dealers)

• ModelMaster - Military Enamels

• ModelMaster - ModelMaster II Enamels

• PollyScale Military Acrylics

• Testors enamels

• Floquil RR Enamels (exceptionally wide range of browns and greys)

• Gunze-Sanyo - Aqueous acrylics

• Gunze-Sanyo - Mr. Color acrylics

• Tamiya

• In the US:  Testors.com:  Testors, Floquil, Pollyscale, and ModelMaster paints, airbrush equipment and compressors

• In the UK:  ModernModels.com:  Humbrol paints

There was also canvas on the reels on the poop deck, and on the compass platform on the Boat Deck.
 

The color below is the author's estimate only.

All the cranes were painted white (the same color as the Hull White.)  The round bases of all the cranes were also painted white, except the ones in the well deck.  The well deck cranes had their bottom halves painted the same color as the Lower Half of the Well Decks.  

The round tops of all the crane bases were painted a light grey, the same color as the light grey for the roofs. 

After White Star Buff, this is a challenge, but for a different reason: the color of unfinished wood is difficult to replicate.  There is probably no color that's more subjective and subject to personal interpretation and preference.  To understand the challenge of finding a color match, take a pine board and let it fade in the sun a bit. Now try to find a modeling color that’s close. Many modelers search for and choose their own color different from anyone else, and are very satisfied with the results.  The bottom line is that it has to look good from the normal distance at which you view your model.  

Titanic’s decks were pine, and not 100% teak as is used today. Teak was only used around the edges of the deckhouses, concrete ventilator bases and other hardware, because of its much higher cost. Titanic used two types of pine, as described in the 1912 text Practical Shipbuilding:

This material was used on all of Titanic’s decks except the well decks, forecastle deck, and poop deck.

This was used on the well decks, forecastle deck, and poop deck, and probably had a slightly darker color.
It should be emphasized again that teak was not used for the general decking. Practical Shipbuilding states that

"Teak . . . costs about twice as much as pine . . . although the costliness of teak prohibits its general use, it is largely employed for those portions of high-class yellow pine decks where the prevailing conditions are apt to cause rapid decay or wear and tear. . . In a pine weather deck it is, therefore, usual to fit all around it, a margin, or waterway plank of teak wood. . . a boundary plank of teak wood is (also) generally fitted around all iron deck erections, houses, casings, ventilators, . . . etc.)"

The wood on Titanic’s decks may have been fairly weathered by the time she sailed on April 11. It had been exposed to the elements for months during her fitting out, in all kinds of weather, although not necessarily enough sun to bleach the deck to a pale shade.  Most  modelers do prefer a very pale shade of paint.  But some photos also seem to indicate that these new decks may not yet have whitened to the point described in the Shipbuilder excerpts above.   (See another photo at right.  This photo, and many others, indicate that the wood may still have been fairly green with a high resin content, and therefore somewhat darker than well-seasoned wood.)

Some modelers prefer to enhance the appearance of the deck color by applying thin washes of various colors or stains to give it a grainy look. This is an advanced painting technique and shouldn't be attempted without practice.  There are also references around to deck planking decals, but these are no longer available. Don’t be too concerned about this though.  For the most part the thin caulking lines between deck planks would not be visible from a great distance anyway. For the same reason, apply any washes very conservatively if attempting to simulate wood grain.

There are many colors that will work, providing they are within the general range of colors that includes light brownish grey, sand, yellowish tan and the like.  Remember that all wood decks and roofs were bordered with rain gutters.  These should be painted black.  (A thumbnail photo can be seen in the Roofs section.)

At left is a photograph of the Boat Deck on Peter Davies-Garner's Titanic model.  Although this deck was made of wood veneer, it's a superb example of the overall color that the modeler should achieve.  Pine decks were very light in color.

The deck color is one of the most important colors on your model if you wish to achieve a realistic look.  It's one of the most visible, and the wrong color will throw off the appearance of the whole ship.  Paint a strip of scrap plastic the length and width of one of the Promenade Decks, let it dry, and hold it against the ship under different lighting conditions to check the overall effect.)

Note:  The Testors #1241 Wood color recommended in the 1:350 MiniCraft kit is not listed above as it is too light and tan in color and gives the model a toy appearance.

The outsides of all doors were painted the same as all other white areas.  The exception was the large elongated oval section where the doorknob was located.  This can be painted the same as the Officers' Quarters Windows.

The upper part of the funnels was black.  The same paint can be used as for Hull Black.  However, unlike the hull – which must have a flat finish – some photographs do show a visible sheen to the black funnel sections (photo below) and some modelers may prefer a satin finish.  (Floquil Engine Black is a good choice, as it has a satin finish.  Humbrol users might try #85 Satin Coal Black.)  If this is your choice, remember that the funnel interiors and tops must be finished flat (soot wasn’t shiny). 

The flat roof surrounding the base of the funnels is part of the funnel casing.  This color is covered in the roof section.

Although black is about as basic a color as you can get, it should be toned down to give a better scale effect.

Much of the deck hardware, including the bollards, fairlead rollers, all parts of the steam winches, and the drums on the electric winches was also black (or, to use the builder's term, "blackened").   This shade of black differed from the hull in that it was much more of a graphite color. 

Hull color:

The hull stripe on White Star ships was a color called Yellow Chromate.  Considering the muted colors of the time, it was a surprisingly intense shade of deep yellow, tending a shade toward orange.  One of the best color references available is actually the stripe decals that come with the 1:350 MiniCraft kit.  They are considered to be very accurate in color and can be relied upon as a correct color sample for any paint matching.   It's also important to note that the hull stripe tapered (narrowed) as it reached the bow.  This is also accurately reflected in the MiniCraft decals.

The modeler’s big decision here is not what color to use, but whether or not to paint it.  For 1:350 modelers, another choice beyond the stripe decals in the kit is dry transfers.  The stripe decals, if used, should be applied over gloss paint. This means that the modeler needs to mask and spray a coat of gloss finish over the hull paint and apply the decals when dry. (Gloss finish is available in hobby shops that carry a good paint selection.) The use of MicroSoft and MicroSol is also essential to ensure that the hull stripe conforms to the hull plating and rivets. When the decals are dry, the same area previously masked should be re-sprayed with a lusterless flat finish to remove the gloss, and to protect the decals from cracking with age.

A second choice is dry transfers. See the following link:  http://titanic-model.com/howto/stripe/stripe.htm

Painting the stripe should only be attempted by experienced modelers. The scale width is very, very narrow and a challenge even to someone skilled with an airbrush. For those confident enough to attempt it, Scotch plastic tape (available in 1/8" and ¼" widths) is a excellent striping tape to use that conforms very well to the hull plating and rivet detail without harming the paint. The hull stripe was 10 ½" actual width, which translates to only .76 mm .030" in 1:350 scale. For reference, in 1:350 scale this is approximately the width of a #68 a drill bit. The decals that come with the deluxe MiniCraft kit are accurate width and can readily be used as a guide.

The base color under the stripe is important. Decals or dry transfers should be applied to the black hull color. (You should plan to paint the black color as high as the top of the stripe.) If using paint, the stripe color shows best over white. (Plan to paint the black only as high as the bottom of the stripe.)

The color used for the hull stripe - more properly referred to as a "sheer stripe" - was also the same as the color used for the lettering of the ship’s name and home port.

Like black, white is about as basic as you can get.  However, a better visual effect can be achieved by using a white that's not a pure white.  A brilliant white looks artificial and scale effect is definitely important here.  Fortunately, the Floquil brand is ready-to-use for those modelers who don't want to bother tinting.  For those who want to achieve an even more superior scale effect, it can be tinted by adding 2 full eyedroppers of Floquil grey primer to a full bottle of paint.

The color below is for the lifeboat interiors:

In 2004, new historical information came to light that changed this color. Previously, the recommended color was a terra cotta red with a hint of orange, as shown in James Cameron’s movie. This is now known to be incorrect. The lower well deck colors should be the same color as the masts. 

This color was also used on other areas within the well decks. It was also used on the lower well deck crane bases and well deck hatch bases.

The color of the mast stays is covered in its own section.
 

As small as these objects are, some can detract from the realism of your model if not painted appropriately.  The hydrants, for example, shouldn't stand out like polished jewels on your model.   Muting them with a little black is recommended.  The capstan covers should be muted too - they were most likely bronze, which had a duller shine than brass.  Use brass paint and dull it down:  Humbrol users can try gunmetal very sparingly; for ModelMaster or Testors users Jet Exhaust works very well.

Some of the deckhouse roofs were planked, like the main decks, although with narrower planks.  These should be finished the same was as the deck planking.  The rain gutters along their edges should be painted black.  See the photo at near right.

It may be hard to do to a beautiful model, but for absolute accuracy a model of Titanic should have some rust added.  The ship did have some visible light rust running down the side of the hull a few feet from the expansion joints, the bollards and anchors. This was less noticeable on the port side, which was touched up just before sailing day at Southampton.  Applying rust calls for a technique called drybrushing, not covered here. (For good illustrations of the rust, see Ken Marschall's paintings in Art of Titanic.)

If your intention is to have a more perfect "builder's model", of course, you needn't worry about rust.

The sides of the Grand Staircase Skylights were painted light grey, inside and out.  (See the roof section for this color).    Mounted against the forward GSC skylight was a box-like structure that was painted dark grey, the same as the funnel casings on the roofs.    The tops of the skylights (carrying the glass) were white, the same as the superstructure.  

 

The stays for the masts and funnels were galvanized steel and had a shiny silver-grey color.  The best way to replicate these is to use thread of the appropriate size and color, as this will give a superior appearance to anything painted.  See the Stays and Rigging reference table more info and the correct size to use. 

For photographs, illustrations and additional detailed information about White Star Buff, see the page "Weighing the Evidence of White Star Buff"

The following color was matched as closely as possible to the color of the funnels the paintings on pages
  54, 60-61, and 67 of Art of Titanic, those illustrations having been recommended by artist Ken Marschall
as  the most accurate depictions and reproductions currently in print of White Star Buff.

There were two types of winches on Titanic, steam and electric.  All the winches on except the ones on the Forecastle Deck were electric.  These were painted a color called Green Chromate, except for the drums which were painted black.   The cargo winches on the Forecastle Deck were steam winches, and were all black.

The black for the winches can be the same as the black deck fittings.   The green for the electric winches (except the drums) is shown below.