Panel lining Pencils, pens, markers?

[skull_leader]

I would like to know if any of you use writing insturments like markers or ink pens

for panel lining ?

Ink is permenate but can smear if you fall out of the line

I recently got a 0.25mm Marker it was delicate I ended up breaking it and returned it for another one

I pressed a bit hard and tryed moving it like a roller ball point pen

I did a 1/144 gundam a month ago

Used brush painted the line then with thinner & flat straight

cotton paper I scraped of ecesse paint

It turned out okay the thinner took shineyness away from some parts

I used the the marker for the arms legs feet but the mouth mask has three lines

above the trademark goetee used paint/ thinner techniqe

I was looking at a japanese Pentel engineering pencil with a 0.30mm point /needle point

finding lead refills is going to be hard

[cowie165]

I would recommend an acrylic wash over any pencil method. It is sooooo much easier to do a good job.

What type of thinner did you use on the 1/144 Gundam? You can always use artist's water based paints to create a wash that wipes away with a damp rag - guaranteed not to damage the original finish.

[Graham]

So how does one do "a wash" then? Heard the term used many times but not sure exactly how it's done.

I definitely want to panel line the 1/72 VF-25F when I get it.

I've tried Gundam markers in the past for panel lining, but the results were pretty disappointing.

I know some people hear recommend pencils, but I really don't like how it looks either.

Graham

[Javabean]

There are various methods of doing "wash" for different purposes. I will try explain this old methods of using artist oil paints for plastic modelling. "Washing" wud means cover the model with heavily diluted oil paint which I did for my TF MP-03 Starscream.

First of all, paint your model with acrylic based paints & cover with a coat of clear matt finish. Once done, I use "Raw Umber" artist oil paints diluted with lotsa enamel thinners. This will give a filthy brown colour suitable for most aircrafts. (Reason to use enamel thinner so that it will not "melt or dissolve" away your acrylic base paint) Apply the mixtures with a pointed brush along the engraved panel lines. Wait for few minutes to dry. Then use a clean cloth, moist with bit of enamel thinners to wipe over the surfaces. As you are doing so, the cloth will leave a thin layer of the oil onto the surface, as well as build-up of paint on panel lines & any raised details for that "weathered look". This should be very subtle & not too heavy effects. Lastly, spray a coat of clear finish (either matt or gloss) to protect the surface.

Some modelling magazines (such as fine scale modellers & Verlinden Way)) will explain this technique in great details if you find them. There may be other new methods now of doing panel lines, perhaps our forum guys in model kits dept can tell us more, i wud love to learn them too.

Edited September 21, 2008 by Javabean

[MechTech]

This topic keeps popping up (with good reason). Do a search because there have been about three threads on it so far. Here's one: http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?show...p;hl=paint+wash

Basically you use an oil based enamel as your base color and then use water based paints for the wash. This is the easiest way to go, but there are many others. With a "wash," you wash a watered down darker color (not always black) into the panel lines. Sometimes a darker version of your base color is perfect. Then you wipe off what's outside the panel lines. I HIGHLY recommend you practice on another model FIRST - just in case. The results are worth the effort! - MT

[Graham]

Not planning on painting the model, but do want it panel lined. So would this wash method still work?

Graham

[David Hingtgen]

Being unpainted would mean you could use whatever wash you'd like without worrying about "interaction". The point of having the base paint and wash being 2 different types of paint are so that when you use the thinner to remove excess wash, the wash's thinner won't affect/remove the base paint. And/or so the wash doesn't stick to the base paint TOO well. Being bare slick plastic, the wash may actually come off too easy.

wm cheng uses oil-paint wash over acrylic base coats. He's talked about his technique a few times: http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?act=...&pid=499682 and http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?show...mp;#entry344257

It's been discussed a few times in the main 1/72 VF-25 thread, but miriya and I plan to try/use this stuff: http://www.promodeller.com/promodellers-weathering-wash/

[miriya]

I got the wash in the mail and am going to test it out on my bandai Glaug this week so as to get a feeling for it before doing it to the messiah. Gonna, paint it on, wait 20 minutes, rub it off (leaving only in the lines) and then clear coats on top to seal it in, all on the sprues. Then I am going to clip the bits off the sprues, sand down the sprue bits, and assemble. I will try to take some pics along the way to post.

Thanks David for the heads up on this.

[Penguin]

Hey, skull_leader.

If you really want to use markers or pencils, try this thread too. http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=24994

[skull_leader]

A crappy little $5 RX-78-2 Gundam HG

I used a Acrylic grey paint on a non painted surface on the arms lines and shogun mouth

I wipped with A minneral spirits thinner a few lines did not have uniform thickness still looked good

it worked very good on deep vents and weird shapes

the wiping removed some gloss shine from the parts

the marker filled the valley perfectly

So I should use a water paint and water it down

I have no idea what I'm doing

I was planing on using Duplicolor spraypaint for my valk 1/100

pannel line it with a paint but I sensed that somthing was wrong when the surface color was coming off

pencil seems fool proof like the marker

[Graham]

If I use a Gundam marker to panel line an unpainted VF-25 kit, what should I use to wipe off the excess ink? Water? Mr. Thinner? If the latter, should it be diluted? If yes, what ratio?

And do I use tissue, a soft cloth, q-tips, cotton balls? help!

Graham

[David Hingtgen]

I've always been fond of spit on a t-shirt to remove ink and paint.

As for actual Gundam markers---I've found they tend to be pretty fast-drying and color-fast, much more so than the "what most Americans use and call Gundam markers but aren't really" Sakura Micron Pigma pens. I know the spit and t-shirt method works, but it's more difficult with an actual Gundam marker than my much more commonly used Micron Pigma pens. You've got about 5 secs drying time before it starts getting more difficult to remove. That said, Gundam markers can be found in dark grey, which looks that much better on white than pure black.

[Vifam7]

If I use a Gundam marker to panel line an unpainted VF-25 kit, what should I use to wipe off the excess ink? Water? Mr. Thinner? If the latter, should it be diluted? If yes, what ratio?

And do I use tissue, a soft cloth, q-tips, cotton balls? help!

Graham

Depends on which Gundam marker I use.

If I use the one with the soft felt tip, all I need is a q-tip and a bit of water to make the q-tip damp. The paint in the felt tip one is acrylic based so it comes out easy with water.

If I use the one with the hard tip, then I use my thumb, a plastic eraser, Gundam marker eraser pen, or a q-tip slightly damp with Tamiya X-20A thinner depending on how much excess I need to get off. I think the paint in the hard tip one is laquer based so it dries slowly and thus able to be rubbed out.

Edited September 23, 2008 by Vifam7

[David Hingtgen]

Gundam marker eraser pen? That's a new one to me. Does it live up to its name and it works awesomely, or is just like alcohol in a pen?

[Vifam7]

Gundam marker eraser pen? That's a new one to me. Does it live up to its name and it works awesomely, or is just like alcohol in a pen?

Pretty much thinner in a pen. Works fantastically on Gundam marker paint. I think the thinner in it is formulated specifically for Gundam marker paint.

Edited September 23, 2008 by Vifam7

[David Hingtgen]

Gundam marker paint as in the big chisel tip markers? Does it work well for the panel-lining pens?

[Vifam7]

Gundam marker paint as in the big chisel tip markers?

Yes.

Does it work well for the panel-lining pens?

Yes.

[skull_leader]

Thanks alot for the info

I will be puting togther a 1/100 Bandai Roy's VF-1J ,Transformable

I know to most of you its a piece of crap

inferior to your Hasegawa $80.00 or $200.00 Resin kits

But it is my first Macross kit/ semi complex plane

I have a custom paint job in mind its not going to be white

will try the acrylic base with a grey emanel with emnale thinner to wash it

and the Mech pencil I just got is .30mm Pentel it is the smallest I could find

and

Markers & pens come in a 0.25mm is the smallest

I will test the wash method and pencil and markers for the big lines on my upcoming build

should be finished in by thanksgiving

[cowie165]

1/100 Bandai isn't crap! They are fun and make for a nice finished model. You might consider making it a fixed pose though, as the joints aren't exactly Yamato-style. A year or two ago I finished one as a Millia gerwalk. I highly recommend gluing some weight (fishing sinkers or nuts) into the leg section. It'll help it balance when standing and will make it feel less like a toy.

1/100 FTW!

[Vince]

inferior to your Hasegawa $80.00 or $200.00 Resin kits

Dude where you get your stuffs? Hasegawa vf-1 fighter should not cost more then $30, $20 at a few sites.

Have fun!