i spent a good amount of time this weekend adding Reprolabels to my CW Devastator. as i was adding the various stickers, i was struck by just how many sculpted details there are all over. i've used Gundam markers and others for enhancing panels lines before but what about this: Amazon.com: TAMIYA Panel Line Accent Color 3-colors(Black,Brown,Gray) Set [Japan Import]: Toys & Games TAMIYA Panel Line Accent Color has anybody used these on Transformers or Gundams before? it seems deceptively easy to use and the "may harm plastic" warning is scaring me off a bit.
Don't let the warning scare you -- Amazon's just covering all the bases. I use the stuff all the time. Some figures really need a little panel lining to bring out the details: This topic really belongs in the Radicons section, however.
sorry for bumping an old thread do i need to do a gloss coat to panel line transformers? I know bandai model kits use a cheaper weaker plastic which the enamel will make it brittle hasbro takara plastic i guess should be a different stronger type? so don't need to apply coat?
If you are using the Gunpla markers on bare TF bots' plastic, it is perfectly fine to not gloss it, as long as the ink is still wet, you can erase it off with an eraser (I use a Staedtler white eraser, so far no problems at all). If you want to go ahead with the Tamiya panel line accent color, I strongly urge you to use a gloss clear coat. I think its not because that Bandai uses a cheaper, weaker plastic, but its due to enamel paints reacting with a chemical thats found in the manufacture of polysterene (PS, Gundam, or model kit plastic in general which provides supreme molding detail with current model manufacturing techniques) which is different than the ABS plastics used in Transformers (and LEGO. ABS plastic is used for more robust objects to withstand the twisting, bending of limbs in transformation sequences and the molestation from kids and adults when playing with bricks). It has to be gloss, i've used all kinds of gloss and matte clear coat sprays from a variety of manufacturers and have found greatest coating satisfaction with Mr.Hobby Mr.Super Clear UV Cut gloss spray. The reason (according to highly unscientific Pho'ptimus Prime physics) why it has to be gloss instead of matte clear coat, is that when the matte coat dries, it looks super smooth but on a microscopic-nano level, the coat is pitted with particles which are practically impossible to see to the naked eye. The nano-grainy surface absorbs light but also prevents fluids from spreading across flat surfaces. Within the panel lines where the matte coat is laid down, you can imagine the lines as a trench where its blockaded by nano-trolls preventing panel accent enamels to pass through. The result when blocked up, makes the accent color look splotchy and will dry quite ugly that way (sorry, don't have pics for that, but Google Images may help). With the gloss coat, the particles which make the surface matte, is not laid down as its not part of the paint formula so the gloss is really super smooth when cured. Within the panel lines, the gloss coat will help pull the Tamiya panel accent enamel down the line by capillary action. Now on ABS plastics found on Transformers, you may not need to worry about plastic cracking due to chemistry that doesn't react badly as enamel does with PS, but the gloss helps the fast flow of panel accent color across the lines. Great if you're impatient like me and want to speed things up. Just be careful of applying too much enamel as you'll need mineral spirits or enamel thinner to help blob up excess panel colors that spill into an area that you don't want. If you go to your local hobby shop, they should have the appropriate thinners in stock to help clean up errant enamels. Don't use acrylic thinners for an enamel thinners job, it'll just make some more headaches you don't need to worry about. Cheers!
@Pho'ptimus Prime, thanks for the detailed explanation! yes I do have matt and gloss coat for my bandai star wars kits. I guess i will try tamiya panel line on a legend class TF which i do not want, if it does not make it brittle I will use it to panel line my Titans Return transformers. I'm lazy/too much work to gloss coat TF, panel line, dull matt coat for me.
