I am having trouble figuring out the best way to highlight panels on my models. I have tried to preshade them with paint and even fine tip sharpies, but then they just go away when I Put the next coat on. Then I have tried to shade them after the base layers and they seem to dark or run to where I dont want them. Any suggestions?
Hi, the trick that i always do is 1stly highlight the panel lines with flat black. Dont worry if you dont get exactly on the lines as all you want to do is, sort of remind the viewer that theyre there. Heres a plane im doing currently that shows…ish,
The key to having the preshade work is to spray the covering coat very thinly, misting it on so to speak. In order to do this, ensure your paint is thinned a little more than usuall. And always spray a coat and then check, spray then check. Dont get too carried away or all your work dissapears, Heres mine after the top coat,
to make the preshade stand out a little more, i then added a drop of white to the paint cup and then sprayed the centres of the separate panels,
Hope that helped. Any questions, dont hesitate to ask.
…Guy
Most modelers use a panel line wash to accent the detail. Go here; www.aircraftesourcecenter.com
Click on “tools and tips” & scroll down to “panel lines”
everything you need to know is there.
Jerry
I’ve tried many methods, why I use 1 method on one project and something else on another I don’t know. If you are pre-shading, what I have done is spray the basecoat then "over"weathered a bit with a micron brand felt tip pen( the ink stays black, I’ve tried other cheaper felt tips- the ink turns green or blueish over time). Anyway, then for your topcoat, make your paint quite thin and your weathering/shading will be toned down and not lost.
Another method I’ve used is to paint the colors straight(without lightening, that will be done later). Then I use pastel powder and “wash” the panel lines and very lightly on the rivet lines. then drybrush the original color on top of that. It "dirties things up real nice, but looks akin to poo. Then I drybrush again with lighter shades of main color, that tones down the “dirt” and you get a real nice weathered look. A coat of testors dullcoat evens everthing out. I used this method on a 1/32 P-40. It was my first attemt at it and it came out great. Again, that second drybrushing session is critical to make it great.
Here is the pastel “wash”(I rub the pastel stick on a piece of sandpaper for a “palette”, and just “paint” it on)
This is after the drybrushingS. And down below, the final. Again with pastels for exaust and heavy traffic areas on the wings.
You can see my pastel palette in the low-right corner, it gets a lot of use, never wears out.
The method by LUFTY is the way I would go if I had a good airbrush. I have a $15 cheapo from wal-mart.
Thanks for all the help! Great looking plane there fermis, I am going to give the pastels a try. I have also heard of people using charcoal sticks of different colors. Has any one done that?
Pre-shading works best, in my experince, with single-colour paint schemes (or, at least, single-colour undersurfaces and single-colour uppersurfaces):
I prefer an oil wash in the panel lines:
or highlighting the centres of panels with lighter versions of the base colour:
And occasionally, you can use both:
Sometimes, using pastels brushed backwards from panel lines can be effective:
and on larger models, spraying different panels in slighlty diferent shades can work:
Thing is, different methods work in different situations. You have to experiment, and fidn what works for you, and what you’re comfortable with. Don’t be afraid to experiment.:
but just don’t over-do it:
[#oops]
With weathering, almost always, less is more!
Cheers,
Chris.
Hey fermis I know that airbrush, I tried using one and didnt like it much. Then I got hold of a double action brush from Harbor Freight for 20 bucks, and am very happy with it. If you have a Harbor Freight near you you should check it out. I can paint a 3/32 wide pattern up to almost 3/4 inch. Its their deluxe model, but be careful they also have one like the wally world model stay away from that one as its junk, and another like the old Binks airbrush that is single action, stay away from that one also.
Randy
Sorry if I am off topic here
Randy I have the same one as you. Looks like knockoff of the Badger 360 or 155. Its not bad. Til I can afford an Iwata.
I just use charcoal or oil pastel and accent the raised lines with a red sable “0” brush… The recessed ones get a wash. The raised lines on this Tigercat are with black oil pastel where they’re dark, a dark grey artist’s pastel powder where the lines are lighter… The effect is pretty good in person, my camera can’t get the subtlties.
Top surfaces get a bit more treatment than the sides, but overall, I do panel lines by KISS-method. (Keep It Subtle, Stupid)
Overall, I use the pastels about for 80% of the lines on a particular aircraft, since the effect is reversable if it looks ate up…
Here’s m’ Monogram F4F with the pastels done on the panel lines.
