What's an easy way to do panel lines?

[Gundam]

I have a 1/60 Yamato and I want to fill in the panel lines with either black, or dark grey paint. Would I be able to just straight up spray the toy with gloss coat, use an acrylic wash, let it dry, then seal it up with a flat/dull coat?

[Jasonc]

That method works, but it does take some time. If you want an easy method, try using a .5mm mechanical pencil and do the panels like that. You have control of the darkness you want, and you can clean it up if you don't want them. It sounds "mickey mouse", but it can actually produce some great results if you take your time. You can even do some slight weathering with it, but that's another subject.

[RichterX]

What are does Gundam Markers I have been reading about on the forum to do the lining?

Any one knows?

[Jasonc]

The Gundam Markers are basically paint markers, but they have a slim one that is either black or grey for panel lines. I've tried one (grey), and they aren't that great. They do work, but I believe you can get the same results using pencil. If you want to dull coat it afterward, you can seal the lead in it. Funny thing though, is the lead will actually darken, but it looks good though. Check the customs thread in this room and see my VF-1D custom. The panels that I did do, I did in pencil. They came out alright.

[hirohawa]

The best method I have found is the Tamiya Smoke paint with a small amount of thinnner. It is semi clear and makes the panel lines look deeper than using opaque black or grey.

Use a brush and have a papertowel and Tamiya thinner hands for any runoff.

[EXO]

The best method I have found is the Tamiya Smoke paint with a small amount of thinnner. It is semi clear and makes the panel lines look deeper than using opaque black or grey.

Use a brush and have a papertowel and Tamiya thinner hands for any runoff.

Steve, do you have pics? Sounds interesting...

[hirohawa]

I will post pics this week if I can figure it out.

[VF19]

tried the pencil thing - it just requires a good eye. it works really well.

[BoBe-Patt]

I've been using the gundam marker with the 0.05 tip. I always wipe the excess markings with alcohol and tissue. I believe there's a finer tip than that, but I'm not sure.

[MZ3]

Just an idea, I've been using a dip pen(not sure if thats the correct term)

Thats the only good picture I could find of one, sorry for it being so big. I got a generic one for like $1.50 at Hobby Lobby. It came with pigmented acrylic ink, black. The tip of the pen fits really well into panel lines. I've been using it off and on since last summer on my Gundams. I've had no problems with it. It took a little practice, but what technique for panel lines doesn't. It cleans up with water, if you make a mistake you can wipe it away. If theres a bit to much after it's dried, it sand away very easily. I've tried the Gundam markers and used different washes and paints. But for a straight black panel line, I've found nothing better.

Edited May 20, 2004 by MZ3

[Mylene01]

Hehe, Looks like a fountian pen to me But that is the best to use! Well in my experience anyway.

[geecie30]

I just used the Pigma Micron with the smallest tip(005)(.45mm linewidth), it was easy to clean up any slip in panel lines by using alcohol and a swab .If you want thin lines,a "once-over", is enough but, on some of the wider lines, simply go over it again for a bolder touch,unless you like subtle .The ink lines are waterproof but, will easily come off later with rubbing acohol,where needed in undoing a line(let say you wanted to sell it without the lines/reversible).It was hot one day, when doing this for myself, so ,I was thinking "my worst enemy would be my hands getting clammy or sweating due to the heat ,possibly smudging a little bit". That cant happen, however.These pens are forgiving and user friendly.If you decided to give this a try,The panel lines are deep enough that you wont have to worry about smudging too much.Again, check it out periodically while applying the pen and get out the cotton swab with alcohol should you jump off the panel line notches ,as some lines aren't as deep as others,in places.I drink coffee alot ,so I was jittery while doing this project,I made a couple errors that the alcohol dipped swabs easily corrected. I know that everyone can do it unless you got (ALS) Lou Gehrig's Disease or parkinsons disorder. Iam all thumbs ,and my detail job looks perfect.The lines take 5 minutes to dry probably.

Edited June 8, 2004 by geecie30

[geecie30]

Here are a couple valks I've done this to

[Neova]

Geecie30,

Looks REALLY good. Anime line art look. I need to try this technique out.

Thanks for sharing.

[geecie30]

Thanks ,I give credit to area seven for the idea .Those pens are at every hobbystore.The yellow radar thing?on the backpack it permanent sharpie ink with 2 applications . I woudn't mind trying the indian ink mixed into alcohol/weathering effect some day .

[promethuem5]

on the subject of india ink and such for weathering...I do wargamming giant robot minis, namely Battletech, and all I gotta say is...future wash!! I have seen a few people here mention it before, but most of them were just using it for a gloss cote. A few drops of it in an ink wash however, adn you can really go to town, expecially with acryllic basecotes, which are a toughie to ink well. I am interested in the pencil technique as well,a dn am planing on trying it at some point.

[qbert1976]

I tried the pencil method and it worked really well as well. However I decided to start over again with using the black sharpie method and wipping clean with rubbing alcohol that I read somewhere. The problem I ran into was that the 91% isopropyl alcohol also removes the stock paint on my max Vf-1a. So I have white smudges on the black and blue markings in the chest areas. Do you guys know of an easy way to "touch up" the blue and black markings? thanks for all the advices....

[Neova]

Mask the stripes, spray paint the entire blue stripe, let dry (say 48 hours). Then mask off again and spray paint the black stripe. Semi-gloss finish for factory look.

Make sure to color test and match FIRST. That will get you the smoothest finish assuming you didn't rub too much paint off so you can see the layer beneath. If you did, remove as much paint as possible and cleanup the part so its smooth and clean. Then mask and paint.

DO NOT HAND PAINT unless you are really good at it. Spray can paint is better than hand painting with pratice.

Good luck

[geecie30]

I dont like using sharpies in the panel lines because it isnt true black it gives off a chromatic look under light the black in a sharpie also fades.sharpie ink is black but the undertones are green or red and reflect in a cheap rainbowish color in sunlight,which cheapens it.Now if the undertone was blue that wouldnt bother me but that doesnt happen.The ink in a sharpie also bleeds if water touches it and results in a stained plastic.

Edited June 30, 2004 by geecie30