F#&!#* Panel Lines!

shark - the only thing I can imagine is that you used too much thinner when you went to remove the wash. Every model I have posted here had the panel lines done as I described. Its always a good idea to to try it out first on something that you don't care about. I feel terrible if the method I gave you did the damage. That's never happened to me, and its the only method I use. My apologies again if you think it was my fault. Pix.

When I do a wash I use something a bit less harsh on top; if the bottom is an enamel, I would use acrylic so as not to damage the bottom paint just in case I don't like the way it looks; I've also used my kids' watercolors or pastel dust with a stubby brush. Good luck with the fix, hope it comes out well.

Hey shark,
So I hear your having a problem w/ highlighting your panel lines[:0].
Maybe this could help ya out a bit.!! This is how I bring out my panel lines w/ a method called "Smudge wash". Paul Boyer explained this method in an FSM issue a few mopnths ago.
1. Make sure your a/c has a gloss coating on her inorder for this method to work. You can go ahead and put you decals on before you apply the wash. Basically you kill two birds w/ one stone. (No birds injured in the typing of this post)
Putting on the gloss cost also helps to protect the under lying colour so the wash method wont harm the painted surface.
2. I use a mixture of water based paint thinned w/ distilled water(you can also add a lil dish detergent). I prefer to use "scale black" when I go to high light.
3. Using a fine artist brush, start applying the wash over the panels and other surface detail that you see fit(including landing gear)
4. Let the wash dry for about 5 minutes or so then go back over the affected areas w/ a soft moist cloth or Q-Tip.
5. You can always reapply this method as many times as you would like or up until you get the look that you want.
6. Once all is said and done, spary a flat coat so it can protect the wash and the decals.
This sounds like theres a lot to do but it really aint nothing to lose sleep over. If I can do it, so can you my friend.
If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me at Falcon42177@yahoo.com or Falcon174th@aol.com
Flaps up, Mike

Hey Butz,

A couple of quick questions:

(1) Does the method you describe work for recessed areas like landing gear bays?

(2) If Future is my gloss coat, how do I flatten it after the wash?

Regards,

-Drew

Lufbery,
(hoping I am not stepping on any toes here)
(1)yes, it should work on recessed areas light wheel wheels. The was should set up int the recessess of the raisedd detail, and lightly swabbing with a damp QT shouldn't remove much of it.

(2) just about any type of dullcote would work - my preference is testors, but grunze, tamiya and so on - depending on your preference - would be effective as well

Hey Lufbery,
wibhi2 is correct(dont worry,nobody stepped on any toes here)
With this wash method, you can do about anything you want interms of highlighting.
I posted one of my built ups of a Me262(now on pg 3-5 ?) that I used this method on. Also come to think of it my test bed was on my Dewoitine D520 which I also posted pics of(I think pg 2 or 3)
I tend to go w/ using Polly Scale gloss and flat coats myself. The finish is absolutely awesome.
Flaps up, Mike

Cool. Thanks guys. :D

Regards,

-Drew

Hey Pix
I dont think it was your fault..it was my first time.. but i didnt use too much thinner...though when i sit back and look at it all...i think one problem was i put enamel on enamel the second thing could be...when i was airbrushing the future on, my propellant was a little low and it could have made uneven coats,..but it still shouldnt have removed the decals cause I applied a good coat with a q-tip over each one to make sure...but it wasnt your method you desribed.

Hey Butz
Thnx for the info....ill try it out...but like Pix said ill test it on an old junk model but i was wondering if acrylic paint is considered a good water based paint? also just to make sure...future can be used for the glosscoat right cause i usually use that for glosscoats and to seal the paint and decals.

But even though what happened was disasterous..luckly i still had the color paints i used on the fuselage...and was able to touch it up a little and reapply the black taken off the Iron cross on the side...but the little "3" and the white stripe on the side had to stay the way they are...Ill just say "battle damage"
I just hope my next attempt is more sucessful!!
Thnx guys

Ok I have a situation that will stump all of you. I have several models that are painted in acrylic FLAT. How would I do those panel lines. I am serious I really need help in this, as I have no access to gunze laquer. My models are mostly painted in flat tamiya acrylics. I am looking all over the net, i have never heard of a model made in acrylic flat with non markered panel lines, that is done right. I am very stingy about the flat acrylics because Sometimes i want that flat look, but there is no good way in hell to get good panel lines.

The preshading technique is the closest thing i've heard but havent tried it yet.

Hey shark,
I have done this method numours times w/out any problems whats so ever.
Acrylic paint wont do damage as enamels will. I use acrylic(water based) to do my washes.

Dave,
Just check out my post to shark, its on a wash that pertains to doing the panel lines.
Any questions please feel free to ask away my friend.
Flaps up, Mike

i've recently heard that using oil paints and ordorless mineral oil will do the trick for washing. You guys ever heard of this?

heres the link
http://www.scaleworkshop.com/workshop/video9bg_1.htm

Hey Dave,
I myself have never done a wash w/ oils before. I would be safe to say use the water based paint(acrylic) for your washes.
If I ever ran into a situation it was easiliy cleaned up w/out any worries my friend but then again that is just my two cent$.
Flaps up, Mike

I agree with Butz as I have used this method for quite a while and it works well. It only works on a gloss surface however. If you try it on a flat surface you will have an immediate disaster. One thing to be careful of is the drying time for the wash before you wipe. Experiment on a scrap piece first as your choice of wash base may require less time to dry. Some acrylics dry really fast and get stubborn when you try to wipe them off. I use Vallejo acrylics for most of my washes and 5 minutes would be too long for me. I wash small areas at a time then watch until the wash loses it's wet look and then immediately wipe.

Rick

Hey rjkplastic,
For me I use Polly Scale when it comes to doing washes. I give it a bout the same time frame as you do 5 min or so.
To me this wash is an easy and sorta fast way to bring out the detail in your models.
I agree too to what you said about putting this method on a gloss finish first.
Just for the heck of it I took an old wing and tried it and boy did it look nasty.
I tried everything and nothing seemed to work so sratch one test wing out.
Flaps up, Mike

i know this post is old but i finally figured it out. Tamiya enamel.. does not eat through acrylics. Just wash an acrylic painted model, glossy or dull even, and the enamel thinner will not eat through the dry acrylic. Although i've experienced that you shouldnt let the enamel dry too much on dull coats or it leaves a grey mark where you touched the panel, very faint though.

Something like this can be used to even represent weathering since dry brushing with the enamel will not harm the paint.

Now the hard part is figuring out how to draw in unscribed panel lines.

I used an oil wash for the first time on my last project, also a 109. I thinned it with Ronsonol lighter fluid (saw this in FSM) and it worked great. The mixture would almost run a panel line down the entire wing. The good thing about oils is that they take a while to dry and (while it's still wet) you can wipe excess off without any thinner. I really slathered this stuff in the wheelwells and it never attacked the underlying paint or Future.

-fish