What am I doing wrong? - Panel line wash

Andres, I usually use the method that you speak of, I call it a pre wash. Run an enamel wash down into panel lines before you paint to ensure that the panel lines are in pristine condition to receive a wash without paint and clear coat filling them up. After paint, but before clear coat, go back with a needle chuck, and pull the paint off the panel lines and you'll have smooth and subtle panel lines that are even, and just right. I find that sometimes panel washes come out too stark in some places, and barely noticeable in other places... Also caused by paint and other layers building up in certain places more than others. As far as post washes, if I use them, I use oil washes, as they're a lot more durable, and can be wiped away with a dry paper towel without pulling anything else out, and sometimes the residuals leave a very nice outcome for a weathering effect.

If the base coat is acrylic, then the solvent used in the wash could attack and dissolve it.  You might want to apply a sealing coat, before applying the wash.

Brandon, mix the black with a touch of the brown (optional) and use it in your next cockpit.  You won't be disappointed.  Fantastic stuff....

Joe

Andrew,

I thought about it for a minute, but I am really too chicken to give that a go. Especially since it's decaled and some of those sit in the panel lines. I am just going to use pastels to add exhaust and a few other details and call it good. It's only my third kit since returning to the hobby, so I can chalk it up to a learning experience. I'm working on a Gladiator and a HA-1112 Buchon right now, and I am going to airbrush primer on these ones and see if I can remedy the issue.

-BD-

Can you scribe any of those lines back in at this point?  Then your wash may catch.  I was recently watching a video where the fellow painted back first, then painted and shaded, then finally scribed through his paint to reveal the black in the recesses.   A little too chancey for me, I was amazed at the result, though.  I don't know that I'd have the cahonas to try that.

Thank you all for the responses! Lots of great info here.

I think I sabotaged myself a little by using too heavy a coat of the Tamiya rattlecan primer. The model I'm working on is the first I have fully painted with an airbrush, so I'll make sure I prime with one in the future since I always seem to be a little heavy with the cans.

I tried using some of the techniques listed above on the underside of the plane and they definitely helped a lot, but I found that the lines were just not defined enough to take it. Maybe I'll give it one more go and see what happens. I have about 1/5 of them looking perfect, but that leaves 80 percent looking bad, haha.

I also think it's time to order some flory just so I can try the different ones. Great tip on The Detailer for radial engines, though. I have a Sea Gladiator that I am just working on the engine on, so I'll give that a try.

Thanks again,

-BD-

I was going to say what Joe (Lawdog) said, but I'm late.

With Flory for panel lines, I do as Andrew, wet a folded paper towel with my tongue. Ick.

I'd say try Flory, think you'll like it. As an added benefit, it drys fast so you can get right on the job. Or, you can leave it on forever before you wipe it down.

Good luck!

I use The Detailer wash. I let it sit for about 20 minutes then wipe across the panel lines LIGHTLY with a dry Q-tip.  Sometimes I have to do it 2x, but it works OK.  In cockpits, I put it on and do the same wiping with a dry Q-tip where I don't want the wash as heavy.

Jim 

I sometimes use my finger as the skin pushes the wash into the lines without absorbing any, then I leave whatever is left over and dab it with a dry cloth to absorb the remaining surplus wash. Or I also do what was said above.

The product is best for "washing" cockpits, gear bays......ie something you want to leave in there.  I wouldn't recommend it for panel lines.  Leave it sit in there and it pretty much does all the work.  Its Acrylic based so its easiest to work with while still wet.  All you need is a dap paint brush to remove access.  I wouldn't recommend waiting a half hour.  I swear by the stuff and use it exclusively for my washes.  It woks great on  radial engines to. 

For panel lines, The Flory wash is the way to go. 

Joe

I haven't used the product you refer to, but I've had  the same issue with home-made washes (water, dish soap and acrylic paint).

Sometimes using a completely dry q-tip works best.  Picked that tip from FSM magazine a few months back.

Good luck!

If the Detailer is anything like Flory, and I think it is, I would paint it on, give it a half hour to dry, and as wing_nut says, wipe across the lines with an almost dry paper towel.  Personally, I lick the towel, wipe it over the back of my hand once or twice, and then wipe.  If all of your paint layers went in heavy, you may have filled the lines inadvertently.  Which primer are you using?  Are you using a spray can or an airbrush?  I find I never have an issue airbrushing very light passes of AK Interacive's white primer. Mind you, when I prime, I aim to still see the styrene / resin colour showing through, rather than trying to turn everything primer colour.  I figure the primer is only there to give later layers of paint something to bite on to.  Using light pressure at removing the wash and working it gradually, rather than trying to get the excess off in one pass may help as well.  Just my thoughts.

Can't disagree with what's been said above. I also use paper towels but i get them barely damp. So much so they are almost dry.  Then folding it over enough times to get the surface to be on the hard/taught side.  That help keeps the pad going over the top of the panel lines and not getting done into it.

Never used this product; however, by your description it would seem it can be wiped off when dry so the trick must be to not wipe to hard. I use the 'sludge wash' and it sounds similar to what you are doing. The trick is to buff it off with light pressure. Also wipe across the panel line (if the panel line runs north to south, you wipe east to west). This will prevent the cloth, q-tip, or whatever you are using from penetrating down into the recessed line and removing the wash that is down in the panel line. Also, some panel lines are deeper and more well defined than others and those will be easiest to work with. Additionally, heavy coasts of paint or gloss finish will fill in the panel lines and this will make things more difficult. HTH