Designing for a re-paint.

[Oakie]

I am having my boat re-painted next year and need to experiment with colours first on paper or PC. I can't find any previous post on this, so I am asking for advice as to the best way of achieving a successful outcome that I can show my boat painter. All contributions gratefully received. Thanks in anticipation.

[Woodstock]

When we had ours painted- the painter had loads of photos of boats he had painted and colour charts and we spent a good few hours with him, discussing finishes, different options, textures for the roof, how to maintain, what colours fade quickest, signwriting etc. It was a great help and he gave us loads of advice. I also played with different fonts for the signwriting and looked at loads of boat photos on the internet.

[Machpoint005]

^ +1

 

The best way is to talk it through with the painter. That way you end up with what you want, not somebody else's idea of what works. That's what we did last year and the results were highly satisfactory.

 

Having said that, my preferred approach to colour schemes is definitely 'less is more'. There are a lot of boats out there looking like a pig's breakfast (IMHO).

[Bettie Boo]

there's some good ideas on this thread I especially like Deans contribution http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=72528&hl=

Edited December 22, 2014 by Bettie Boo

[colinwilks]

Hi Ray

We had Tramper painted by Tina Paramore at Stone. She uses Craftmaster paint and I see on their website that they will send you samples of colours you're interested in. I'd avoid large areas of red though. It fades dramatically.

Regards

Colin

[Slim]

Some years ago i did come across a site where you could 'paint' a NB with different colours. Sorry, but I can't add any more. Maybe someone else with a better memory will come along

 

 

 

Frank

[churchward]

I agree with all the above but another way if you have access to a digital camera and some photo editing software is to take some photos and edit them with some new paint schemes.

 

It will take some photos that are as flat side on as possible and if possible a flat diffused light (a light cloudy sky will help with this) with no shadows. You can also take close up photos of any areas you want some special detail.

[Leo No2]

Ray - talk to Rodney (Byfleet Boat Club) - he's had numerous boats painted over the years and was very helpful in getting me to leave mine alone when having it repainted. Dave Moore (of this parish) is very helpful.

[mark99]

I am having my boat re-painted next year and need to experiment with colours first on paper or PC. I can't find any previous post on this, so I am asking for advice as to the best way of achieving a successful outcome that I can show my boat painter. All contributions gratefully received. Thanks in anticipation.

 

First of all I would read up (search this forum) on micro blister of paint then discuss with your paint company how they are going to assure you you won't end up suffering from this malaise.

[Murflynn]

If you use MSExcel Drawing function you can easily draw a narrowboat in elevation and then colour it in, with glazed portholes and windows. Then make up your signwriting using MSWord special effects and import into Excel.

 

Excel drawing is great fun and I use it for several hours a week on various amateur design projects.

 

If you are interested i can send you a drawing on an Excel file which you can pick apart to see how it works.

[MtB]

And have a look through boats for sale on brokers' sites, for lots of photos of colour schemes for ideas.

 

MtB

[KenK]

 

First of all I would read up (search this forum) on micro blister of paint then discuss with your paint company how they are going to assure you you won't end up suffering from this malaise.

We have exactly this problem on our boat which was repainted about 18 months ago. The marina where the boat was painted ask Phil Speight to come and have a look. His opinion was that when it was cleaned off, after being taken back to bare metal, the painter used solvent based cloths and then the primer was applied before the solvent had a chance to completely evaporate. Thus when the boat warmed up the solvent trapped under the paint expands and forms the micro blisters.

Still not a problem as the marina are going to completely repaint the boat free of charge and just to put the icing on the cake they are going to black it as well as compensation. Things can obviously go wrong and people make mistakes but in this case all credit with the response to the issues.

 

Ken

[cuthound]

That is excellent customer service. Which marina is it Ken?

[KenK]

That is excellent customer service. Which marina is it Ken?

Aston Marina on the T&M at Stone. It is also an excellent marina in all other respects.

 

Ken

[Neil2]

If you use MSExcel Drawing function you can easily draw a narrowboat in elevation and then colour it in, with glazed portholes and windows. Then make up your signwriting using MSWord special effects and import into Excel.

 

Excel drawing is great fun and I use it for several hours a week on various amateur design projects.

 

If you are interested i can send you a drawing on an Excel file which you can pick apart to see how it works.

That's a good idea but the problem is you hardly ever look at a narrowboat side on. What you really need is some sort of fancy 3D design package where you can see how different colour schemes look from the "normal" angles. Even then you can't really take into account perspective.

 

I was looking at a blog the other day where there was a picture of the boat as it had been designed to look from the side. It looked nothing at all like the actual boat. Narrowboats being long and thin are victims of perspective in a big way.

 

You need to go out and find boats you like the look of then take pictures.

[J R]

Its worth noting that when the final coat is painted it will take time to cure, depending on ambiant temperature. It will 'mellow' over a period (of sometimes months) to the final actual colour. This is based on experience with International paint. Look at lots of boats, and see what floats yours colour scheme wise.

[Oakie]

Many thanks to everyone for all your ideas. Plenty of ammunition there to be going on with. I already have a collection of photos of signwriting to start with.

 

Ray

[Maffi]

If you use MSExcel Drawing function you can easily draw a narrowboat in elevation and then colour it in, with glazed portholes and windows. Then make up your signwriting using MSWord special effects and import into Excel.

 

Excel drawing is great fun and I use it for several hours a week on various amateur design projects.

 

If you are interested i can send you a drawing on an Excel file which you can pick apart to see how it works.

You might find Visiotech a lot easier. Its part of the MS suite.

[Québec]

I used MS PowerPoint to design ours.

I can't find the 'serious' one I did, which is what our boat looks like, but way back there was a 're-painting' thread about 'crazy' designs, and I used the same programme to make these light hearted suggestions.

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27543&p=471463

Essentially, took the outline of a boat, and once I'd filled it in with shapes in the right places, I could colour the shapes any way I wanted.

(Will try and find, and post, the 'serious' one)

 

ETA Found it:

 

Edited December 26, 2014 by Québec