All that panel line shading stuff

[cirikili]

......been hearing and reading about all the new techniques for high lighting panel lines........referred to as pre-shading ( i guess) or post-shading.........
on this 48th Eduard Aircobra, i've used Scotch Brite medium coarse with 70% isopropyl alcohol to both clean residue mold release and take the shine off the plastic for paint prep.........
then with a medium Microbrush i've applied an Acrylic dark grey wash................1% Tamiya, Polly-S, Xtracrylix, MM Acryl, (anyone of which will work) paint/85% water/14% thinner (approximately)

wait 'til it dries ( 1/2 hour) and slightly dampen a soft cloth or tissue and wipe off (in the direction of airflow).............

the wash will stain the raised surfaces and remain in the recesses............the staining dulls the paint surface and enhances paint adhesion.......................while the recesses have that pre-wash, if you like, to create just a hint of panel line......especially effective if you're airbrushing using minimal paint application..........
works like a charm & lasts a long time....

[Lonewolf]

I have tried all sorts and would get good results bar one thing. When I wipe off, the colour comes out of the panel lines too! How do you combat that?

Wolfie.

[cirikili]

Wolfie.........

i've not a clue..............LMAO..........most of my successes are strictly by luck.........

with this stuff i'm using now (and i don't remember the 'zact formula although it IS acrylic) i just let it really dry.......if it takes a half hour or hour.......so be it.........
i think in general, whatever wash you use, let it dry......if you're removing it too soon, it's probably still wet and will soak up in whatever you're using to remove the excess...........
the trick is to have your wash thin enough, applied to a gloss surface (capillary action) letting it dry enough so when you remove the excess, your removeing material can't access the recesses........nor remove what's in there.
like i said with this experiment i'm trying .......the plastic is not yet painted and after scrubbing with the scotch brite and alcohol.......the only area left glossy should be the recesses.......

in a word.........let your wash dry thoroughly before cleaning up the excess.......

[Paul Senter]

Wolfie

In return for your valuable advice on figure painting, I offer the following:

I had the same problem - lots of patient work oblierated by a single swipe of the cloth. I found the best way around this was to let the wash dry fully, Im talking 3 or 4 days. I then use either a cotton bud or for larger areas a cotton wool ball - the pads 'er indoors' uses to remove nail polish are also good very lighly dipped in thinner and then squeezed out so that you have the barest amount of cleaning agent on the swab and instead of swiping in the direction of the airflow I swab at right angles to the panel line so that you are always going across the line and not along it.

If you want you can then use a dry bud/cotton ball to clean up in the direction of the airflow - this will remove the barest amount of residue leaving your panel lines intact.

Paul