The Little World

You win.

If the enemy can see it – you lose. Basic rule of camouflage. And it is also a principle to remember when building a scale model for display – especially for public exhibition. If you want ’em to look, attract their eye.

This is a challenge for the modeller who is depicting a deliberately camouflaged item – and should they extend themselves to a diorama they can find themselves burying their finest work in their finest work. The ultimate would be putting it on the table and having the judges unable to find it for the competition…

Joking aside, good camo is good modelling, but needs to be conrasted to get the attention it deserves.

The hot rodder, car builder, large-scale model trucker, or Sci–Fi enthusiast can do it differently. Lights, cameras, and action – robust colours and LED’s – florid decals help as well.

Note that commemorative schemes for railway locomotives are sometimes seen on the regular rails hauling passengers and freight, but commemorative paint jobs on fighter aircraft tend to get painted over when the balloon goes up.

Note: I entirely suspend this post in the case of Gundam and pirate ships. They are a world unto themselves.