The Easiest way to Mess up your Model

[Mitch]

I really dislike drawing panel lines. I spoke with a friend at FAC yesterday and he described it as the "Easiest way yo mess up your model"... but it is something I now find necessary to do. So here are a few tips that I have found out.

I am only representing the separation lines at this point for rudder, elevator, ailerons, flaps. I am also required to draw in the landing gear doors.

I have used different pens, but now found a Sharpie 'laundry marker' works well for me for these bold lines. I was using a ruler for long straight lines and made some templates for landing gear doors and drew around them...but my friend suggested make a reverse template. Place it where you need and draw INSIDE the template. There are 2 benefits to this.

1. You can hold the template in place (or tape it) and make the entire line without moving your hand and template.
2. You can see better what you are doing.

The only way to get better is practice, but to have a good method and tools are also important.

Since I make the same model over and over I keep one box of that model and keep all spare parts, decals, and templates in that box. I am starting to not use decals from kit but use them as the 'master' I make color photo copies and attach the copies. I find the paper stays on my models better and I can cover with more clear dope, dull coate, or gloss coate to get a uniform finish.

Hope these tips help... so from now on I will make 'reverse templates' and keep them for more planes to come.

Mitch

[elkhart]

Thanks for the tip! I'm getting close to detailing my current build and was wondering how to do the panel lines. Never heard of a "laundering" sharpie, where do you get them? I agree with the stock decals, I put them on then pulled them off the next day. I'm going to airbrush them on this model (Hurricane), but will try printing them on another build.

[Mitch]

Found the sharpies at Staples, a 2 pack for about $3.50. I have used other markers and a few rain drops on the model and my ink lines ran. The laundry marker should be color fast. Only comes in one size, good for wide marks.

I have made my own markings and layered on tissue paper. Made German cross and also used a circle cutter for Japanese Markings.

[davidchoate]

Top Flite makes an Panel Line Pen, but I have found the sharpies to be better for it. The Top Flite Pen is kind of hard, and pokes through tissue easily. going over panel lines twice never works out well, and thanks for the reverse template idea. I think it will be a real improvement for Me. And I found out that in Germany You are not allowed to display a Swastika on a scale model. I can understand why, but it makes the models not 100% Historically accurate.