Pre-shading

[Simon Norton1707820138]

I use an ultrafine artist's pen with permanent India ink to mark panel lines and find this gives good results. I find waterbased inks tend to smudge  or disappear when you airbrush or spray acrylic over them. A cotton bud dipped in methyated spirit can be used to rub out any mistakes.

[Michael Meister1707820176]

You can get washes that you apply after painting and then wipe off which leave a nice look and accent panel lines. Also the method mentioned above, I have also used grey lead pencil after painting and then used an eraser to rub it out which leaves a subtle highlight. 

Another way is to just paint the whole model first in black or dark grey and then paint over it with your selected colours the darker undercoat will show through to differing degrees.

[Kenneth ONeill]

I've never been convinced by "pre-shading all panel lines" because aircraft are basically very smooth things; just shading access panels (include crew (and passenger/freight when applicable) doors) makes more sense because these aren't stoppered smooth.

When I've done this, I've normally post-shaded with a black 0.5mm or 1mm spirit marker.

[snibble]

I have been thinking for some time that pre shading is very easily overdone. I overspray it until it almost vanishes leaving an almost subliminal effect. Some models I see are literally ruined by a myriad of black lines scribbled across the surface and left visible from the other side of the room. An example would be the latest issue of workbence where a 1/24 mossie is shaded just how I like it giving a good scale effect, the typhoon on the other hand looks like it has been vandalised by a disgruntled erk with a bucket of soot. Look at the starboard cannon bay panels. This is not to say it is not an excellent model, but that is what it looks like, a model. Find me a picture of a real typhoon looking like that. 

[Ratch]

Dear All,

I'm quite comfortable with my airbrush and can spray lines around 1mm but my arm is not as solid as it used to be for 72nd scale stuff so have wondered about another possible method to pre-shade panel lines.

I've bought a couple of artist pens that use water based black ink and can do lines of less than 1mm so thought this might be a better/alternative option but wondered if anyone else has also gone this route and what the results were. To my mind given my failing faculties they seem to offer a good alternative given that they are water based and any errors can be quickly removed.

KInd Regards

Colin.