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Wash Help!

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  • Member since
    November 2005
Wash Help!
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 15, 2004 7:24 PM
Hello all!!

I have a little problem that I am sure has been dealt with before. But as I am new to the forum here, I thought I would ask anyway!

I have been trying to make my panely lines stand out for more time than i would care to admit. One method I have OFTEN read about is to use a wash to get the paint into the panel lines. Now everytime I see this done, I see a picture of the method having the paint wash freshly applied. I have been told to just use the wash as a paint, and just run the brush down the panel line. The problem I have is that my models come out looking like that in the pictures, with a lot of wash running on either side of the panel line and in the panel line! I have read that what needs to be done is to take a clean cloth or a Q tip and rub off the excess paint.

Now for THE PROBLEM!!! If I wait to long the wash dries and the panel that I was wanting to just show the line of, looks like a smug covered piece of junk! If I try to take the excess paint off while it is wet, I generally have the problem of taking ALL the paint off leaving me in the same place I started (with a flat looking piece of plastic!)

How do I do this method to make just the panel line stand out without taking all the paint off or having to repaint the model? How long should I wait before trying to remove the excess? How do I remove the excess without losing everything? Do I have to scribe the panel lines deeper just to get the paint into them well enought to do it?

Also, what kind of wash thickness should I have. I have been thinning it from really thick paint, to just about a whole milk consistency, to just about a skim milk consistency, to almost looking like weak gatorade!

I haven't been able to get this panel line stuf down and I am tired of making airplanes that look "flat."

Thank you to all that can help ease my suffering!!!

Sincerely,

Reggie
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: USA
Posted by MusicCity on Monday, November 15, 2004 9:42 PM
First, to get a good panel line wash the finish has to be SMOOTH. Not necessarily glossy, but the closer to glossy the better. A flat finish is out. The wash will get down in the texture and you'll never be able to get it off.

Next, use something that you can get off. I normally paint with acrylics and put a coat of Future over the paint before washing. For the wash itself I use either artist's acrylics or artist's water colors (these are not the chalky kid stuff). Mix them with water so they look about like coffee. Add a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent. This reduces the surface tension so that the wash will flow.

Get a tiny paint brush. I like a "Liner Brush" that has long thin bristles. Dip it in the wash and then just touch down in the panel line. If you have enough soap the wash will flow right along the panel line.

To get the excess off I use the "Swanny Method". Cut some small pieces of paper towel, and fold them into tiny triangles (cut about a 1" square piece and fold it about 4 times corner to corner). You can hold it with locking tweezers. Moisten the towel with a drop of water and wipe the excess off ACROSS the panel line, NOT along it. Acrylic and water color washes dry very quickly, so you need to be wiping it off a couple of minutes after you put it on.

A lot of people prefer enamel or oil washes. IMO the most important thing is to find something that you like and that works for you. This is what works for me. If you prefer enamels or oils, then by all means gof with them.

Edit ... This is the brush I use -- It is a Loew-Cornell 10/0 Liner Brush and it works very well. The bristles are about 1/2" long.
Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page
  • Member since
    December 2003
Posted by cbreeze on Monday, November 15, 2004 9:47 PM
I feel your pain. I am no expert but if you used a gloss coat prior to the wash, you should be able to clean up all the excess "sludge." As far as the panel lines go, I had a similar problem with faint panel lines. I found that by wiping perpendicular or across the panel line you leave the "sludge" or wash in the line. Wiping with the line can remove the wash in the line.

Hope this helps!!!!!!!
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: United Kingdom / Belgium
Posted by djmodels1999 on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 2:06 AM
Here's my way of doing things...

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=29179

Nothing wrong in using Craig/Swanny technique though. It's whatever you feel comfy with.
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: USA
Posted by MusicCity on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 6:59 AM
QUOTE: Here's my way of doing things...

And a very good way it is, to. It's what helped me with a lot of my wash problems (although actually I think it was the original document), and I'd like to take this opportunity to say "Thanks!" for writing it.
Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 10:43 AM
Thanks all for the help, let's see if I can do it now!!!

Reggie
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 18, 2004 7:33 AM
one thing i have learned(from here!) that helps with washes is to use different paint types. eg, if ur final coat is acrylic, use an enamel wash, so the enamel solvents u use to clean the excess off wont damage the acrylic paints, and vice versa....
u could also try using pens and pencils. i have a drwing pen that has a 0.2mm tip, which is good for some car panel lines. also u could try a mechanical pencil (ihave a 0.3mm)....the pencil is good coz u can sharpen the tip to get in tight lines....the only prob is, on some kits (i do cars) the panel lines are to thin for the pen or pencil and u have a mess on the sides of the lines....
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