Panel Lines Tutorial

[eldo60]

  On 1/23/2019 at 4:21 AM, 89AKurt said:

I did the #11 trick today, before painting primer.  

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i usually do panels with back of old #11 blade before primer also

a mechanical pencil with gray lead works good also

[OldNYJim]

  On 1/6/2023 at 1:04 PM, Tommy124 said:

Not sure if someone brought this up before... I used to have a challenge with creating panel lines where there were none, but should be. By coincidence, I found that there is a product called scribing tape. It has the right balance between being strong enough to guide the scribing tool steadily and being flexible enough to allow for an (intended) slight curve. Plus it has very good adhesion so it can be used a second time in most cases.

This is the stuff. It comes in several dimensions. Works great for me.

https://www.migjimenez.com/en/home/5845-scribing-tape-straight-edge-5mm-x-3m--8432074082460.html

 

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I never used that specific product, but plain old Dymo tape does great for that too:

https://www.amazon.com/DYMO-Plastic-Embossing-Labels-1741670/dp/B001XQ7ZP8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=NC76SN30WLAW&keywords=Dymo+Embossing+Tape+3%2F8"&qid=1676301769&sprefix=dymo+embossing+tape+3%2F8+%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-4

[W Humble]

Dymo tape works fine, but only for straight or slightly curved lines, oc.  I first saw the idea in Scale Model for putting Plimsoll lines on big ship models.  Don't know it it's still available, but 55 years ago, there was an embossing machine that used aluminum tape (we used it for names on our USFS hard-hats, fighting fire) that would provide a bulletproof edge for the scribing tool.  Scribing new lines: very satisfying, if they come out perfectly -- another step toward a superior build!

I noted those scribing guides in the M.M. catalog, but typically they don't bother to include a dimension/size reference, nor do most look particularly useful for say, a 1:25 car bod.  And spendy!  Anybody use those?  

[Ace-Garageguy]

Several Japanese manufacturers make metal scribing guides with various radius curves, circles, and other shapes.

Some are specialized for specific kits (but can be used on others of course), and some are generic.

Examples below.

They are used by securely taping them to the work piece, and gently following the desired shape with multiple passes of the appropriate scribing tool.

They're similar in appearance to the old-school draftsman's "eraser shields", which I've used for scribing as well.

Edited February 13, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[bytownshaker]

I was driving home and was following a black car and found that the trunk panels lines were darker than the paint My question is how can we represent this as you can't get darker than black.

[W Humble]

Sounds like a philosophical question to me!   Besides, I dunno' !  Created by shadow, oc.  Wick

[Big John]

An option to black wash in your panel lines would be to mix a much darker tone of your body color and apply that to your panel lines.  When you look at a 1:1 car you aren't seeing black, unless it is the rubber gasket, you are seeing the body color in shadow.

[Bainford]

  On 3/13/2023 at 10:20 PM, bytownshaker said:

I was driving home and was following a black car and found that the trunk panels lines were darker than the paint My question is how can we represent this as you can't get darker than black.

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Scribe deep and keep a sharp edge, and let the shadows do the work. I think keeping the groove thin and clean helps with the contrast between paint and shadow. Pretty much as it does on the 1:1. 

[bytownshaker]

Thanks guys for the ideas.

 

[iBorg]

Concerning the black car lines. The lines should be matte or flat and the trunk gloss. This will give the definition you desire.

[JET.]

After using many things to scribe lines, xacto blades, the Tamiya engraver tool ( which breaks so ridiculously easy.. ) 

I found this thing, and 0.2mm is the perfect size for model cars.
Hands down the Best hobby tool I bought.

https://flex-i-file.com/en-ca/products/holly-engraving-scribing-and-scraping-tools

 

[Dpate]

  On 8/11/2023 at 9:02 PM, JET. said:

After using many things to scribe lines, xacto blades, the Tamiya engraver tool ( which breaks so ridiculously easy.. ) 

I found this thing, and 0.2mm is the perfect size for model cars.
Hands down the Best hobby tool I bought.

https://flex-i-file.com/en-ca/products/holly-engraving-scribing-and-scraping-tools

 

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Never broke my 0.2 Tamiya engraving blade, but did manage to break the 0.1. Accidentally twisted it around a corner, and the tip snapped. Also yes 0.2 is the best size. 

[rattle can man]

I finally broke down and read this thread. I knew the No. 11 blade trick and applying wash before paint. What I still don't know is how to lay out new panel lines from scratch.

Straight is easy enough with tape. But how do you do curves? I saw a few posts about templates and tapes that can layout curves, but most of them aren't very positive.  How does one do tight radius curves, such as rounded door, hood, etc. corners? masking tape on a clean sheet of glass, find something with the right curve to trace, then cut the curve and apply the tape to the model?

Would using dividers/ drawing compass work for scribing lines parallel to window openings and door bottoms? I would think of the pencil end/ one end as a guide and the sharp point like a scribing tool.

[NOBLNG]

  On 8/24/2024 at 11:16 PM, rattle can man said:

Would using dividers/ drawing compass work for scribing lines parallel to window openings and door bottoms? I would think of the pencil end/ one end as a guide and the sharp point like a scribing tool.

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This is something I came up with for window trim. https://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/140583-trim-scriber/#comment-2057943

 

[W Humble]

The panel lines thing is hard; even scary!  You can ruin a good model -- or cause yourself LOTS of extra work -- with some bad engraving on plastic, I know!  I'm trying to build a WWI diorama of two aircraft, a subject I haven't tackled since I was in eighth grade (when Ike was Pres!) and re-scribing the kind of panel lines that two 1/64 a.c. require is a toughie!  Converting a Kyushu Shinden and Curtiss Ascender to 'what if the war lasted longer' jet canard fighters forced me to sand off all the surface detail from both kits (Japanese and Ukrainian plastic) and recreate them, plus a bunch of 'imagineered' panels from -- forgive the pun -- scratch!

They don't look bad now, but that's not going to get it done for a show where most of the best entrants are aircraft.  Wish me luck!

BTW, for lines parallel to an edge, I use a tool from my old mechanical drawing set, a 'calipers inker pen' with adjustable jaws (sorry, no pic) which will do various widths (if you're vewy, vewy careful!) and least provide a guide for a more agressive scriber.  A 'ready-made' tool, tho there might be better ones.  Thx!  Wick

Boy, this font is little!  And, how cum it isn't spelled 'scarey'?

[W Humble]

That, of course, should have been WWII, not WWI.  Bad typist!  W.