weathering panel lines with pencil

I've heard of a lot of people doing it. I think most of them use a .3mm drafting pencil as opposed to a regular wooden pencil. That keeps the line width consistant.

For straight lines you can cut a strip of sheet styrene and use for a straightedge. Wrap it around what are drawing where possible and tape it down so it won't slip. Alternatively, put some double-stick tape on the back (once it is stuck to the piece of styrene, stick it to your clothes and pull it loose a couple of times to get rid of most of the tack so it won't hurt your paint).

Its a simple and quick way of weathering panel lines though i usually use it more on dark paint than light paint . I read in one issue of FSM about using Dynamo tape in making guides for the panel lines when scribing I guess it will work too with penciling the panel lines.

I have used this on a 1/16th tamiya King Tiger and it really is effective for areas of wear sucha s pannel edges lifting eyes etc. If you use a soft pencil you can rub it out too or blend it in.

try using sections of rubber vac-cleaner belt. you can cut to whatever width or length that works for the job. Gary

thanks for all your input!

CState -

For Panel lines, I just use a sharp #2 pencil and then weather the panels with pastel dust.



Here's a pic I posted previously of the technique on a 1/72 Hornet. Pretty easy.

If you're careful, you shouldn't come out of the recesses to often, and if you do, just erase it, or if you lined it up right, it can look like part of the weathering. BTW - I do this on the initial flat coat, before the gloss coat for decaling. The gloss coat and final flat helps get rid of any shine the pencil lead might leave.

Archer out.

I've done the pencil trick before with a mechanical pencil and with a Micron pencil. Yes, it is hard to keep in the groove but I think the end results are too stark. If you jump out of the groove use the eraser to fix your faux pas. I much prefer to use the sludge washes because I can kill two birds with one stone; I get the panel lines accented and get some weathering effect at the same time.

if you are carefull and don't work on a gloss surface the pencil won't slip out of the panel lines.
Giulio