PANEL-LINING
Before we start with everything I just want to say why I wrote this article and what about panel-lining actually is about. Next picture speaks for itself xD
PROCESS OF APPLIYING
I whote here my personal thoughts about this awersome product, not the best way how to apply this colour, but my way xD Colour came in 40ml bottle, which is actually very nice and overall look is pretty decend. What is importand for me is colour shade in the front and capacity (in this case 40ml).
Protuct contains with nice tiny screwable lid for application of colour directly on model.
0. BEFORE EVERYTHING
Before aplying process we must made one important think - planning. Planning is very important before every little process in Gunpla guilding, and with panellining we have the same think.
A. Check lines for panelining after aplying colour and think about opportunities.
B. Decide which panel-line colour you can use for what colour of plastic.
C. Disassembly all parts of model, then we can applly colour much easier.
D. Prepare your thinner and cotton sticks, or any type of sticks which you like to use.
C. Disassembly all parts of model, then we can applly colour much easier.
D. Prepare your thinner and cotton sticks, or any type of sticks which you like to use.
1. SHAKE WELL
Before application of this colour, we must shake bottle for a while until all parts of this Enamel-based colour combined together. In first picture from the left under is easy to see that colour and water are separated and we must shake them together xD, recomended time is 2-3 min. When we look at the bottom part of the bottle we can see how well is colour mixed together (first picture from the right).
2. COLOUR APPLYING
Actually we can regulate amount of colour on the brush tip by lightly join tip on neck of the bottle. In most situation I needed only small amount of paint on brush tip. And just apply the colour on panels a.k.a. scratches on your model. You can regulate amount of colour in scratches by time connection of tip with model. Here is the best way, which colours are the best to apply on which plastic surface, off course you always can apply your own shades of colours.
GRAY ACCENT COLOUR on white or light grey Gundam pieces
BLACK ACCENT COLOUR on blue or dark grey Gundam pieces
BROWN ACCENT COLOUR on warm colours like red or yellow
3. DRYING
Its important to do nothing after applying Accent colour xD I mean after applying colour on your model, colour leaves ungly spots (picture under) and various kinds of smudges. Leave it be and give colour some time for drying, something about 10 minutes will be enough i think xD This colour dry out pretty fast!
4. EXCESS REMOVING
Now we must completely remove all excess what we have ( smugles, ungly spots, colour excess etc. ). On the bottle we have information that the best way how to do this is with Tamiya X-20 Thinner, but I use nail polish remover from my fiancee, actually it was idea of her xD Works pretty well and colour excess go away very nice. For excess removing I use regular cotton sticks xD
5. ADMIRING
This process of panel-lining made a huge different at your models. Lines made nice colour separation, separation of plastic pieces, highlight and makes higher overall value of your Gundams. When I showed panel-lined foot of my RG Zaku II to my fiancee, she sad just wow, such a difference xD
PROS AND CONS
I hightly recomended this Tamiya Panel Line Accent Colours to everyone, such a great product readdy for use right after unboxing xD Final results are impressive and give us much better final look to our Gundams. Honestly I could not find cons for this product xD
+ Colours are already mixed together and are readdy for applying
+ Easy application
+ Included brush tip
+ Easy application and clean work process
+ Small and compact size of bottle for better storage
+ Quick drying time
+ The results are really impressive
+ Small and compact size of bottle for better storage
+ Quick drying time
+ The results are really impressive
- We can choose only from four colours (grey, brown, dark brown and black)
- Highter price tag for me, something around 8 Eur (Amazon.de, Germany), rarely on stock.
- Highter price tag for me, something around 8 Eur (Amazon.de, Germany), rarely on stock.
AFTER MY FIRST PANEL-LINING
As my first model for Panel-lining I picked my RG Zaku II, also my first RG ever. I decide to use dark-brown Panel Line accent colour on mostly red parts. I also used gray colour for inner shoulder shield. Whole process took me something about 5 - 6 hours, we can say whole day. Process is going kinda slowly and be prepared for some detail work. But after all that, when we snap all parts together, we can say just wow. The result really worth it, just check final pictures xD Final model is not similar to the previous, difference is huge. Hightly recomended this process and even this product!
After I made Panel-lining on my another kits I figured out that nail polish remover from my Fiancee is not enough and work with him is very time consuming and he does not remove all excess after panel-lining. After some searching on web I order Humbrol Enamel Thinner. I must say that was my biggest mistake. He remove excess instantly and perfectly without any troubles, but in the areas which he was applied he left behind white ungly spots.
He react with plastic in some way and create this ungly spots. After that this spots are really hard to remove, I mean this spots are on the plastic and can be removed with nail or shuffle, really hard times. But even after that from some angles spots are visible. I asked guys on Facebook group : Gunpla Builders for some help. They sad that I must apply top coat before panel-lining or try lighter fluid : ZIPPO. So, I ordered one and I will try that on my next build.
I wans hightly impressed after I trying lighter fluid ZIPPO as a excess remover after Panel-Lining with Tamiya Panel Line Accent Colour with Enamel base. Lighter fluid remove excess instantly and completelly without any stains or ungly spots. I hightly recommended this product for this purpose. Just keep in mind that its necessary to close the lid every time to enable fluid to do not volatilise xD
I wans hightly impressed after I trying lighter fluid ZIPPO as a excess remover after Panel-Lining with Tamiya Panel Line Accent Colour with Enamel base. Lighter fluid remove excess instantly and completelly without any stains or ungly spots. I hightly recommended this product for this purpose. Just keep in mind that its necessary to close the lid every time to enable fluid to do not volatilise xD
do i apply a clear coat before or after using this? i saw that when drying it can crack plastic or scratch it
ReplyDeleteHi Vinie, Tamiya Aceent colors are Enamel based. Enamel colors are pretty much more aggresive to plastic when You compare them with another colors. So always think about fact that Less is More xD, Clear coat before will help You, but there are a option then even when You apply Clear coat your part can crack. You cant be sure xD You must be careful with enamels. Hope this helped You xD
DeleteSorry if my English is not correct.
Delete* First: If you are going to use this product, please use the Enamel Paint X-20 Thinner (Tamiya) to dilute paints / eliminate excesses. DO NOT use things that are not specially prepared for plastic models, much less different brands. That's why your model is ruined.
* Second: mentalize yourself in the word excess.
* Third: another way to apply Panel Line much less aggressive, would be to use acrylic paints FOR PLASTIC! remember that! Choose paintings that are made specifically for plastic models. You can dilute it with Enamel Paint X-20 Thinner or a small portion of water and with the help of a very thin brush work the panel. This method is perfect because when you do the work on the plastic or the painted parts, the excess would be removed with a cotton swab with water and would not have effects on the surface or paint. The advantage is that you can use the color you want or the desired color mix and it is not aggressive to the plastic.