color codes for silver vs metal ?

[Joshua Delahunty]

at http://www.ldraw.org/cgi-bin/ptdetail.cg...144485.dat , Magnus wrote:

There is no doubt that this must be the right color here.
I have put together this picture, which shows good examples
of the different silver colors.



This picture has been confirmed by both
Scott Wardlow, manager of ldconfig.ldr and
Philippe Hurbain, creator of visualldconfig.mpd.

LDraw Pearl Colors
Should be used for parts made in a "metal-looking", sometimes "softer", plastic.
LDraw Metallic Colors
Should be used for painted/printed parts.

I apologize if I have contributed to this confusion.

OK, I have more time this time to comment on this...

The first part in this chart (listed with LDRAW color 80) is
59898 Drum lacquered tournament helmet
It has only ever come in color 298 Cool Silver, Drum Lacq
That was a very good example element.

The second element (by LDRAW color 135) is
57575 Mask 2 2007
It has come in colors 26 Black and 131 Silver
It's not a good example of color 179 Flip/Flop Silver (Silver Flip/Flop) [depending on the chart, the name TLG uses is slightly different]. TLG color 179 is rare, it's only been used on a very small number of parts: 6 early Bionicle masks

The third element (by LDRAW color 179) is
93594 Rim no. 2 ø11, 176x6.2
and it comes in color 315 (see below)

Now we get to the TLG colors not in this list:

296 Cool Silver can be thought of as an earlier 131 Silver. Parts were often released in both, but 296 had much shorter runs (so I think 131 supplanted it). One good example of a part that came in both 296 and 131 is 46453 Rectangular air inlet.
http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/46453

301 Metalized Silver
Only two parts came in this color, and they aren't actual LEGO elements (they are clickets jewelry parts)

304 Cool Silver, Diffuse
This is one of the colors with a "splattered" silver over a base (black, I believe). Not really useable in LDRAW apps yet.

315 Silver Metallic
The newest silver. Lots of elements ome in this color now, from 2009 onwards. Castle accessories in abundance. In addition to the image in the chart, another good example of this part is
62691 Mini figure arm w/cored knob
from the minifigures series (and, earlier, the Agents sets).
http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=62691
315 Silver metallic is the more common arm in that entry. The "Space Villian" figure has the same arm in Titanium Metallic, he's the only one so far with that color.

-- joshua

EDIT: added parenthetical guess about the "unknown" part being TLG color 131
EDIT: added information about the third image in the chart