Acrysion - matná červená

A red that does not shine

A flat surface changes the perception of a color considerably more than one would expect. The same red reads as more subdued, darker and above all more convincing in a flat form, because real paintwork on machines in service loses its gloss quickly. This shade is therefore in place everywhere a glossy red would read as a toy.

Flat surfaces do have their rules, though. Fingerprints are hard to remove from them, they take masking tape less well and a decal silvers on them without a gloss interlayer. The proven procedure is therefore the reverse one: lay the decals onto gloss and apply the flat coat only at the very end.

When to reach for the flat version

• cockpit interiors, where a reflection would spoil the view of the detail
• warning areas on military and rescue hardware
• fire extinguishers, ammunition crates and small items of gear
• surfaces being prepared for further weathering and dusting

The gloss level is printed on the label to the left of the name of the shade, so you can easily check when filling out your palette whether you are buying the flat, semi-gloss or gloss form. The formula stays the same in all the variants, only the way the surface reflects light changes.

A flat coat is also a rewarding base for dry pigments and color pastes. The rougher surface holds them in place, whereas they slide off gloss. Where the model is meant to be dusty or muddy it therefore pays to leave the surfaces flat and to bring the gloss back only to selected places that the crew often touched or that were washed down.