Mattel uses PMS Cool Gray 2C instead of White--"White looks unfinished"

[Kid Canada]

I agree with others, it is nice to see a REAL answer with some meat on the bone for a change.

I have always liked a nice, crisp white on figures similar to Frosta and Uncle Sam. That type of gray does have it's uses but not here. It's these kind of odd decisions by Mattel's inhouse design team that can turn a great 4H Castle Grayskull sculpt into something else.

[Berserker79]

Zodak's white gloves looked cool on him...

They simple screw up this figure and again it's a fan fave, like Mekaneck, Stinkor, Rattlor, Spikor & Dragon Blaster Skeletor...

Guess Mattel has to learn again, how to produce action figures correctly...

[jibernish]

Zodak's white gloves looked cool on him...

They simple screw up this figure and again it's a fan fave, like Mekaneck, Stinkor, Rattlor, Spikor & Dragon Blaster Skeletor...

Guess Mattel has to learn again, how to produce action figures correctly...

Learn? There's nothing for them to learn because they would first have to admit they've made a mistake or poor judgment call. As far as they're concerned, they are doing a bang up job. They must think very little of us.

[Mern-Ra]

Well, it's good to freaking finally have an answer on this, but yeah, actual white would be just fine...at least it would be WAY better than the gray.

[Penny Dreadful]

But I'm pretty sure they used actual white on BP She-Ra and Swift Wind, and they looked great. Even the white-ish of ToD Sorceress looks fine. Why not just stick with that? Even if they can't afford shading, I'd rather they stick with white when things are supposed to be that color. The gray on Frosta looks strange.

[Darkspecter]

I appreciate the answer, but I think it's silly. Bubble Power She-Ra and Swiftwind look amazing with true, REAL white and have been largely praised because of it. Customers have been BEGGING Mattel to use real white since She-Ra 1.0...and now customers from Mattel's other lines (like DCUC) are also begging them to use white. If the customers WANT the figures to be true white, and not gray, why are they not giving the customers what they want? I just don't understand. Hasbro does white all the time. If they made a gray Princess Leia like our gray Frosta, the internet would burn down.

[Tallstar]

PMS Cool Gray 2C?

[JimPansen]

I doubt we'd want off-white used with a figure like Frosta. Off-white in the paint pigment sense tends to be a slight warm gray or slight yellowish white. An off white Pantone like 454 or 7499 are still warm values. That would clash with a blue/cool themed character like Frosta.

True that!

[midor]

I doubt we'd want off-white used with a figure like Frosta. Off-white in the paint pigment sense tends to be a slight warm gray or slight yellowish white. An off white Pantone like 454 or 7499 are still warm values. That would clash with a blue/cool themed character like Frosta.

Perhaps Pantone 5595? But, I think anything will still give the perception of gray.

I didn't even know Uncle Sam figure was using grey/gray instead of white. Grant it I'm borderline on the figure and haven't really looked at the figure closely.

While we are on the topic of grey/gray vs. white, have you seen the White Flash figure? it's grey/gray. I don't remember off hand which wave it was in.

I always assumed/figured that grey/gray was used so that any dirt or smudge marks would be less likey to show up. And who wants a figure with smudge and dirt marks on it? Especially if it has a bunch of white on it.

What would I want? White
What makes sense to me? White
What do i they should use? white

I may not know how many different shades of white out there but I would think someone would try out 6 or so different shades of white on the figure to see which one works the best and looks the best.

[Haephestus]

Wow. A real answer! That's amazing.

It's a shame that it's such a "bad" answer and that it doesn't make much sense. Why do some figures have "bright white" (like BP She-Ra) and other use the "cool gray"? IF Mattel were making hyper-realistic figures based on living actors like NECA and McFarlane, then I could understanding them wanting to keep away from a "toy like" appearance. But Mattel are making TOYS! Not slightly articulated statues.

I hope we don't see any more "cool gray" in MOTUC where a "bright white" should be used instead. It's such a shame that Frosta suffered from the "cool gray" design decision. A "pale blue" or "pearlescent white" would have been preferable if they couldn't do a "bright white".

[phantom1592]

Anyone got both Adora and Frosta for a comparison? I was kind of surprised when I had her out the other day how 'gray' she suddenly looked. I never really noticed before.

Looks like they've been doing 'Gray = white' from the beginning.

She-ra v.1
Adora,
Zodac vs. GL 2pack....

Frosta isn't THAT big a difference... Though frankly I think they should have done the 'pearly' white they used on sorceress' highlights... that would have looked more 'frosty'.

[Jun-Yor]

It was I who asked the question. I am so impressed they answered as forthcoming as they did!

I don't agree, but I value an honest reply that makes sense. They didn't sidestep in an attempt to placate. I LOVE THAT!

- - - Updated - - -

I'd prefer they stick with the gray they've been using. True white would just be too beight and cheap looking.

The guy who ask ed the question though that is actually offended by a red white and gray Uncle Sam...hilariously awesome.

I disagree with you on all counts. White for accuracy isn't being "cheap". Temple of Darkness Sorceress is proof of that.

And the flag is very important to a lot of people. And the colors are not as you described them above, on the flag NOR on Uncle Sam. There is nothing hilarious about what it represents for us. It's why we can vote. It's why we can choose how to live our lives. And if you live here, it's why you can call my offense "Hilariously awesome". :-) Please don't take that for granted.

But yeah...white. LOL

- - - Updated - - -

It's such a shame that Frosta suffered from the "cool gray" design decision. A "pale blue" or "pearlescent white" would have been preferable if they couldn't do a "bright white".

Frosta used "concrete gray". She is as gray as Vykron....obviously intentional to match her weapons, as opposed to the other way around. If I wish to speculate further, they didn't want to touch Netossa after they said her aps are final, and Frosta was being worked out. Since people wanted Netossa to look less like Frosta, they changed Frosta's colors at the character's expense.

[JVS3]

I don't agree, but I value an honest reply that makes sense. They didn't sidestep in an attempt to placate. I LOVE THAT!

I definitely agree. No doubt there will always be a handful of people who will use answers like this as fuel for their fire. But, personally, I appreciate an honest answer like this. I just hope they look at what people say in return and re-evaluate their position hence why I always encourage constructive, polite feedback. Hopefully it hits home, as the negative, aggressive stuff when applied to a toy line often does more harm than good.

[Jun-Yor]

PMS Cool Gray 2C?

http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/...ness/ODqxH.gif

LMAO!!! Just...perfect.

[Balthus Dire]

Ya know, sometimes I just look at the white coloured characters in my collection and say: "Gee whiz, I wish those were gray instead."



disclaimer: that's never happened.

[Jun-Yor]

Ya know, sometimes I just look at the white coloured characters in my collection and say: "Gee whiz, I wish those were gray instead."



disclaimer: that's never happened.

I need my faceless, bumbling, floating Trollan wizards, green tigers, skull-faces warlords, and giant dragons to look as non-fantasy as humanly possible. They have to be real enough to walk in a Starbucks before morning rush-hour.

[Nekk-ra]

All the Frosta's I've seen that fellow Orgers have repainted white don't look toy-like; they look vibrant.

I think they use the gray because they think it will prevent yellowing, but without some sort of white paint shading/overspray it just doesn't look right on characters you know have white decor.

[Clawful Ofit]

This is your white folks! Pretty cool gray, huh?

Zing

[JafariStew]

I appreciate the answer but I am not a fan of "PMS Cool Gray 2C."

My new car is color "bright white", & it looks awesome.

[scott metzger]

Even if they can't afford shading, I'd rather they stick with white when things are supposed to be that color. The gray on Frosta looks strange.

And that's the real reason; shading is a second paint application, and that increases cost. Making it gray to begin with saves on the second paint app, and THAT is why the gray tones are used. The white only looks "unfinished" if there is no shading.

Another cost cutting decision disguising itself as a "design choice."

[Neil]

So should I complain to Hasbro for putting out unfinished Stormtroopers for the last 17 years?

I appreciate the answer, but this is a very silly design choice to make.

[Sword2Blanket]

I'm not an artist or a toy customizer, so I'm having trouble even trying to fathom this logic that gray is a more realistic, sophisticated white than actual white. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

[RocketPunch]

And that's the real reason; shading is a second paint application, and that increases cost. Making it gray to begin with saves on the second paint app, and THAT is why the gray tones are used. The white only looks "unfinished" if there is no shading.

Another cost cutting decision disguising itself as a "design choice."

I can understand why toy companies do this, but it's still unacceptable. It might look ok on an individual figure, but not as part of a collection. A good example of this is Mattel's Joker & Harley Quinn 2-pack. On his own the Joker's skin looks white, but as soon as you place him next to Harley with her pure white face, his skin suddenly stands out as a dingy grey. And the same is true of She-Ra & Frosta.

I'd take the unshaded white every time over that awful grey.

[Replikor]

the sudden change in so many of mattels design choices makes me wonder if we have a new exec somewhere in the chain of command over that lookin to kiss someones butt by cutting corners an usin crappy lookin cheaper stuff just to get himself a bonus... BLECH... makes me sick just to think it...

[Eterniandreams]

But I'm pretty sure they used actual white on BP She-Ra and Swift Wind, and they looked great. Even the white-ish of ToD Sorceress looks fine. Why not just stick with that? Even if they can't afford shading, I'd rather they stick with white when things are supposed to be that color. The gray on Frosta looks strange.

Agreed with the above..