# How to highlight raised panel lines



## mgh

I got some excellent advice on dry brushing, which lead me to ask for some more advice 

I have read several articles about highlighting panel lines on model aircraft, but everyone of them have been on recessed panel lines, and most say their methods will not work, or will not work well, with raised lines. With the exception of 1 or 2, my models are less expensive and have raised lines. I have no desire to scribe every line. What are some techniques for highlighting raised panel lines? 

Thanks in advance.


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## djnick66

I suppose it depensd on what look you want. Real plans generally dont have black or white lines drawn all over them but thats a common model trend. Drybrushing raised detail is about it. By and large I do not highlight or ink in panel lines on planes, at least in the 1/72 stuff I do. I will pick out engraved detail like control surfaces, doors, etc. These are rarely raised in kits nowdays.

Depending on where the detail is on the model and you may try hitting the top of the detail wtih a Prismacolor pencil also. I use siler pencil to do chips scuffs and to make raised rivets and bolt heads look worn. A wash will help pick out raised detail too. I use light colored washes on a lot of raised detail to make it look like dust or saind that has built up around the raised detail, although you could use a dark wash.

This B-24 wing (in progress) has an artists oil wash










Not much was done on the raised detail here











The panels on my Mustang were done by hand painting thin paint (thicker than most washes) down the few raised lines then drybrushing over them.










A somewhat similar approach was taken here on the Focke Wulf 190.










Mostly the look to be subtle. 

Even on larger planes like the Lancaster I chose not to accent any raised panels or rivets and added just the exaust burns


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## irishtrek

The only method that I can think of that may work is before you paint your model with the base coat paint the panel lines a different color and then paint using the base color you've chosen and after it has dried very, very lightly sand away the paint on the panel lines being very, very careful not to sand away any of the base color. Hope that helps!!


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## MightyMax

Flat coat the model if it is not already done in flats. Then depending on how pronounced
you want them. Use a pencil or a colored pencil if you want less contrast and carefully go back and forth over the lines. You must be careful. Any errant marks may be erased with a soft vinyl/rubber drafting eraser but may depend on brand of paint you used. I know I have erases pencil marks off of old PollyS finishes.

Next method is you may try a little pastel chalk powder but the effect can be quickly overdone. Also if you use pastel chalk realise that as soon as you gloss or flat coat over it it will get darker. So less is more....

Good Luck!

Max Bryant


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## mgh

MightyMax said:


> Next method is you may try a little pastel chalk powder but the effect can be quickly overdone. Also if you use pastel chalk realise that as soon as you gloss or flat coat over it it will get darker. So less is more....
> 
> Good Luck!
> 
> Max Bryant


Can you tell me how you go about accenting with the chalks? I have seen people brush chalk out to give an effect like smoke stain etc., but not for accent.

Thanks for the help.


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## btbrush

There was a old article in Fine Scale where the guy was doing Rev-Mon's A/B-26 ( I designed it). He base-coated it with silver then painted black over that and used a sanding sponge to sand away the black and highlight the raised detail. If you overdo it, as he did, just repaint the black and sand again.


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## mgh

I have a couple models I will experiment with. I will try the sanding on one of them. Would like to try using chalk also, but not sure how to go about that. Maybe just brush the chalk up against the detail to give the appearance of a shadow?

Thanks for the suggestion.


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## SteveR

mgh said:


> Maybe just brush the chalk up against the detail to give the appearance of a shadow?


I think you'd brush a lighter chalk over the detail so a bit of it rubs off on the detail -- for a highlight, not a shadow.


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## AJ-1701

mgh said:


> Can you tell me how you go about accenting with the chalks? I have seen people brush chalk out to give an effect like smoke stain etc., but not for accent.
> 
> Thanks for the help.





SteveR said:


> I think you'd brush a lighter chalk over the detail so a bit of it rubs off on the detail -- for a highlight, not a shadow.


Yeah SteveR has pretty much nailed it. The trick though is not remove the lighter dust during the handling process :freak: For my 1/24th spit I used a mid to dark brown wash in the panel lines instead of the darker base colours.

The trick is to have a good gloss down first so the wash flows more freely and I really just let my washes flow and settle, helps things look less like they were "drawn in" 
I use chalk pastels for powder burns, some extra depth in the panel lines as well as for dirt/mud and exhaust/carbon stains. However for me nothing really adds that extra touch than "tipping" the edges, bolt heads, latches etc with some silver or other metalic same as djnick66 though I use an o or oo brush rather than a pen/pencil. 

I did use the white and light grey chalks on my 1/48 resin Eagle 1 transport but I found working the chalk from light to dark up to the raised parts worked better for me. Though a really good quality soft round brush with drier than the normal dry paint on it for gentle dry brushing to pick out the required high points is worh the patience and practise. Be warned though it can highlight that one seam/join that was a bear to hide :tongue: but as max says less is more.

Cheers,

Alec.


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## mgh

AJ-1701 -- how did you get the nice effect of grim flowing back as in your Photobucket pictures 27 & 28 of the Spitfire? I really like that grimy look on pic #27 just inside and rear of the wheel wells.

Thanks


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## AJ-1701

mgh said:


> AJ-1701 -- how did you get the nice effect of grim flowing back as in your Photobucket pictures 27 & 28 of the Spitfire? I really like that grimy look on pic #27 just inside and rear of the wheel wells.
> 
> Thanks


Thanks mgh.

I used the games workshop washes. They thin out nicely with a little water and or alchohol and will shoot striaght of my air brush undiluted. For the oil stains I used a mix of the browns and black thinned a little and then applied that using a fine brush over a thin coat of future so they flowed and worked better. For the panel lines under the engine I draged out the wash with a cotton bud/que tip just a little. I also went over some panel lines with the browns after the black had dried just to add a bit of depth. In pic 28 I just dampened the brush with the wash mix and softly dragged it from front to back a few times finishing each pass with a slight flick. Another trick is to hold the air brush back a bit when you make the final pass so the paint dusts up a bit so it looks like it was painted in the field or open hanger, rather than a clean spray booth. I only use acrylics so I'm not sure how it would work with enamels or laquers, and the spitfire was a decent scale too which helped... That one needs some practice though with getting the mix of air & paint right.

Hope that helps :thumbsup:

Alec.


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## mgh

I tried a sludge wash with chalk/water/detergent, let it dry, and wiped off. Couldn't get any raised lines to hold. Recessed lines held up very nicely of course. Then tried dry chalk powder, with no effect at all.

I have read so many articles about weathering I probably have information over-load, but it all looks so simple in the pictures.

In short, my experiments resulted in zilch.

I will next try some weathering as described by AJ-1701, see if I can put something on with a very thin chalk/water mixture. I tried a little bit, but I could see every brush mark I made as I tried to feather the mix out. Was looking for a soft stain on the wings from the guns.

So far pretty discouraging results.

Thanks for all the help.


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## AJ-1701

Don't be to discouraged mate. Rarley does somthing just happen straight off the bat so jsut play around till you get a system that works for you.

As for mixing the chalk with water I had the similar issues. The problem with adding water to the chalk is you are getting a gritty, pigment based wash which is to restrictive for those finer seams and lines. 

The carbon scoring/burns for your gun ports I find is best done with a brush and dry chalk and build it up gradualy till you get the look you need. Remember that it will darken when you clear coat it. I use a fine sanding block to gently rub the artist chalk on and then pick that up with a dry brush and work it onto the piece. Even now I still find using a wash to deepen a seam or panel edge and then dry brushing over the panel in a lighter shade works the best for me.

Cheers,

Alec.


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## mgh

Thanks a lot!

I will give that a try with the chalk, and practice on my dry brushing.


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## Ace Airspeed

Here's a product I use extensively...............and it's very easy to use:

http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/feature.php?article-id=133


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