1968
AMC AMX
Use the photographs to explore materials and details. Equipment and restored finishes can differ from the version in your book.
Colours used
in this example.
A practical palette for the indicative finished example. Build colour gradually and keep the small details clear.
Suggested pencil shades, not exact factory paint matches. Test colours on your paper before building richer layers.
Build two or three light layers along the panels. Leave a narrow paper highlight beside the strongest body crease.
Keep the cabin slightly darker than the glass. Follow the seat divisions without filling every seam with black.
Keep the brightest strips white. Put a narrow cool grey band beside them to suggest reflected light.
Layer charcoal gently around the sidewalls. Preserve lettering and any whitewall areas before deepening the rubber.
Use light, open pencil strokes. Keep this area softer than the car and preserve clear edges around the mechanical detail.
Use light, open pencil strokes. Keep this area softer than the car and preserve clear edges around the mechanical detail.
Look a little closer.
Explore the details from different angles.
Reference photograph 1
White two-seater with red centre stripes. The short roof and compact rear section are clear in this front-side view. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: CZmarlin - Christopher Ziemnowicz, releases all rights but a photo credit would be appreciated if this image is used anywhere other than Wikipedia. Please leave a note at Wikipedia here. Thank you! · Source · Public domainReference photograph 2
Red two-seater with the bonnet raised. The engine bay and bright front bumper are visible. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: Michael Barera · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Reference photograph 3
Burgundy two-seater viewed directly from the front. White centre stripes divide the bonnet above the dark grille. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: CZmarlin - Christopher Ziemnowicz would appreciate a photo credit if this image is used anywhere other than Wikipedia. Please leave a note at Wikipedia here. Thank you! · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Reference photograph 4
Red two-seater viewed from the rear corner. Dark centre stripes continue down the short rear deck. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: CZmarlin - Christopher Ziemnowicz - a photo credit is required if this image is used anywhere other than Wikipedia. · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Reference photograph 5
White two-seater with dark stripes. The side view shows the compact wheelbase and sloping rear window. Image resized and converted to WebP.
Photo: MercurySable99 · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0Period finishes and details
The 1968 AMX colour and trim table gives Matador Red with white striping and Frost White with black. It also lists metallic alternatives such as Turbo Silver. These combinations provide more dependable guidance than borrowing the later Big Bad paint treatment. Keep the finish tied to the 1968 two-seat AMX and check an original photograph for the exact stripe edges. The source is a marque specialist’s transcription rather than an independently inspected factory colour card.
- Matador RedBodywork option with white stripes
- Frost WhiteBodywork option with black stripes
- Turbo SilverBodywork option with black stripes
Screen swatches are a colouring guide rather than exact paint matches.
Match stripe colour to the documented body-colour pairing. Do not present a later Big Bad scheme as a standard 1968 finish.
In the photographs
The photographs show individual cars in their present condition. Their paint, wheels and trim can reflect restoration or later choices. Use the dated finish references above when aiming for a period scheme.
In the coloured example
The pencil example uses silver-grey. It is a creative interpretation, not an exact paint-code match. Use the photographed trim for material cues while keeping the outlines and composition of your book page.
Make the details count.
Plan the AMX’s short two-seat cabin before adding strong colour. Work from a light first layer so that the panel boundaries remain clear.
Finish the two headlamps and horizontal grille with a sharp pencil. Preserve small white highlights so these details stay separate from the surrounding paint.
Keep the modernist 1960s petrol station canopy with a simple geometric roof in quieter tones. A lighter background gives the car’s silhouette room to stand out.
Follow your curiosity.
Model history and further reading.