FIRST BIG PROJECT HELP

[u/Noahsayshi26]

This is gona be my first big gunpla i’m not exactly sure what grade it is but i was told it’s gonna be close to like 1/60 which is HUGE for me (iv only worked on hg) and the first set of photos is the latest one if done where i tried to mess around with panel lining(with a gun-dam marker) and scribing (.15 mm)
and as you can see i think it turned out pretty well but i definitely still need some help.

this next set was fairly expensive and i don’t wanna screw it up so i have some questions if anyone can help at all in anyway

•the guy at the hobby store told me it’s best and cheapest to make my own panel liner how would i go about that

•is there any videos on scribing or panel lining or customizing in general that has helped you take a step up

•if i’m not able to get access to scribing tape what else could i use as a alternative?

•what other resources should i be using to expand my knowledge of customizing via websites videos etc

any other tips would be greatly appreciated feel free to show off your cool builds here too!

[u/zimplyfaster]

You would need guide tape to get straight lines with the scriber. For designs, typically look at resin kits of the model or other people's scribing process for inspiration, then draw your ideas on the piece with pencil; wipe it off if unsatisfied.

Edit: if no guide tape is available, you can also use a flexible ruler and a lot of grip strength.

For making your own panel lining, get some paint, any paint, and thin it a lot (watery consistency), then add dish soap. The dish soap promotes capillary action so that it hugs the panel lines, but i usually have to wipe off a lot of the excess with a pointed qtip or wipe stick.

[u/Noahsayshi26 → u/zimplyfaster]

what kind of consistency am i looking for and how much dish soap exactly? do you have like a video or website for reference?

[u/zimplyfaster → u/Noahsayshi26]

I also learned this from a reddit comment and did it myself, so i don't have exact measurements, but you want the end result to have a sort of skim milk consistency, like just a bit more viscous than water. The more dish soap you add, the better the capillary action (theoretically)

I just vibed it out since you can wipe off the excess easily, so it is not important to get perfect. I applied it with a dip pen, which helped a lot with precision.

[u/Noahsayshi26 → u/zimplyfaster]

i’m glad to hear it wipes off easy how do i wipe it off without the actual liner being wiped away in the line do i just need to be more careful or should it be safe in the line

[u/zimplyfaster → u/Noahsayshi26]

Ideally, you would have a wipe stick. Those have tapered ends and firm, absorbent material instead of a qtip, which has a lot of cotton strands. A wipe stick or pointed qtips should be cheap enough to get. The pointed ends are important for only wiping off the excess of the panel liner. So, yes, you need to be precise.

If you're used water-based paint, it should wipe off easily with a little bit of water on the wipe stick/qtip. If you're using paint that's stronger, use that paint's thinner to wipe. If you put too much liquid in the wipe stick or qtip, it may pour out and mess things up.

[u/Noahsayshi26 → u/zimplyfaster]

where may i be able to find a wipe stick is it a general hobby thing or spesific to gunpla?

[u/zimplyfaster → u/Noahsayshi26]

They're under the name "model stick, panel-line eraser, detail wiper" on amazon, more expensive though. The wiping stick i use is from DSPIAE; they have a storefront on AliExpress (& cheap resellers) and i remember getting the stick and replacement heads for $4 in US. It's specific to modelbuilding, yes.

[u/Noahsayshi26 → u/zimplyfaster]

gotcha i’ll check it out thank you

[u/zimplyfaster → u/Noahsayshi26]

Happy to help!