UA609 - U-Bootwaffe Blaugrau 58-1

Blaugrau 58-1, the cool variant of the submarine gray

A blue-gray differs from a pure gray so slightly that side by side on a color chart the two look almost the same; on a submarine hull tens of centimeters long in scale, however, the difference is apparent at once. Blaugrau 58-1 is a Lifecolor acrylic shade from the submarine palette, and its blue cast forms the cooler position beside the basic grays.

What the shade does in a scheme

Fine gradation is typical of submarine finishes. It is not a camouflage composed of contrasting fields, but a system of tones barely noticeably apart that together disrupt the reading of shape. A cooler blue-gray in such a system works with the perception of distance: cool tones recede visually, warmer ones come closer. On a large smooth area without divisions this is one of the few means of giving a surface depth without reaching for pronounced contrast.

Usage tips

• combine it with the basic gray rather than setting it against a markedly dark tone
• leave the boundary soft where the area is only meant to breathe
• for a sharp division of fields use masking tape according to the documentation of the vessel
• build the area up in thin steps, so that the blue cast does not prevail
• judge the finished surface from a distance; up close the shift of tone is all but invisible

Who the color is for

For modelers of submarines and ships who work with fine differences of tone, and for everyone who needs a gray with a cool blue undertone in their palette.