The "Line Art" you want
Before I start, a disclaimer of sorts. I want to stress that I am not expert in scribing and detailing. But I do possess a certain level of proficiency that is good enough for me to get by. The tools and methods I mentioned below are derived from many hours of practice and experience I accumulated over the years. So what I set out to show still require lots of practice, trial and error to master it. It's definitely not an overnight kinda of thing.
When I started out in 2002-2004, scribing panel lines was mostly unheard of. The first person who mentioned it to me was my Mentor, Leon Ku. He was already doing it and encouraged me to give it a try as well. It was an interesting technique to me back then. Little did I know, our Japanese counterparts were already light years ahead of us in this department.
One of my earlier works which I attempted scribing, a mustard color EX-S Gundam in 2002.
I have been asked many times on this aspect of modification/detailing. I sucked at presentation or video tutorials. Therefore, I decided to put up a short write-out explaining the tools for beginners. I'm also not good at making graphics/illustrations so advance apologies for my primitive presentation.
Tools.
Ten years ago, you probably can't find any decent scribing tools compared to today. I only had a P-Knife to start with. So it was a hallowing experience trying to scribe. Many of the modelers then, veterans now fashioned scribing tools out of needles and everyday objects. Ingenuity at its best. Well, here are the tools of the trade:-
THE MAIN "WEAPONS"
BMC CHISELS
To me, these are like the Excaliburs of all scribing tools. Exquisite worksmanship and extremely sharp. They only became popular in recent years. Length is just right for you to hold comfortably without fumbling. But price? You do have to pay a premium for them. And they are rather fragile. One drop and that's it. They are so popular that they are always out of stock. IMO, the best chisels out there.
A simple demo showing how I make those notches.
Step 1: Show off your chisel (LOL)
Step 2: To make a notch, first dig in perpendicular into the surface at one end.
Step 3: Then set the tip of the blade so that the chisel is almost parallel to the surface and slowly push forward. This may take some practice.
Step 4: Apply minimum strength and you push forward. The sharpness of the blade should do the job for you. The key here is not the cut in at any angle but rather skim along the surface making shallow depressions.
Step 5: At the other end, repeat step one.
Step 6: It may look a little raw at the edges at this stage. Sand down with a 1000 or higher grit sandpaper and clean away the excess. Priming will correct those little blemishes and make it look awesome!
MADWORKS CHISELS
New entrants to the tools market. I tried them a few times. But the lack of a holder is pretty cumbersome for me. I do not want to be interchanging blades between scribes as it is both a hassle and distraction to me. For a chisel with that kinda of craftsmanship, it is surprisingly affordable. And that's the plus point.
Sqaure shaped scriber by Sujiborido
Another premium product. And considered a luxury to me. It basically scribes parallel lines along edges. Not easily available and spare blades will be scarce. A white elephant if you ask me.
Holly Scriber by Shimomura Alec Co Ltd
And yesss... Currently, my number one tool for scribing. This is my most utilized tool in my arsenal. I use them all the time. Although, I do have a hard time convincing people that this is the right tool. Probably due to its odd shape and high price. But to be frank, the three shown above are all you need to scribe decent lines. Extremely sharp and the tip is very durable. Survived a few drops under my watch.
The above picture shows how you hold it with your thumb and index finger during scribing. This actually offers a lot of stability and control. Over scribing or any wayward cuts are kept to a minimum. Since it's so sharp, there is no need to exert too much force. Scribe by pulling the tip towards you two or three times and you're done. Sand down afterwards with a 1000 grit or above sandpaper.
Hasegawa Trytool Saw Blades
I used these before I discover those Holly scribers. Another useful tool that has been overlooked by many. It's primary purpose is for sawing parts and stuff. But it can be used for scribing as well.
Similar to the Holly scriber, but flimsy and less durable.
Hasegawa Modeling Scriber
Perhaps the most common tool for scribing lines for ergonomic reasons. For reasons unknown to me, every time I use this, I ended up reverting to my Holly scriber. Perhaps I got so used to the unconventional. But, it's certainly useful to have for those starting out.
Miscellaneous Tools
And what the hell are these strips of metal for? Well, they are my "rulers" and "guides" scribing. I can't do without them. And they are flexible so they can be bend over curved and undulating surfaces. While others demand engineering like accuracy, I am not that strict in that sense.
"So where can I buy them?" you asked. Well, they are actually leftovers from photoetch (PE) templates. To be exact, the borders encasing the PE parts.
HIQ Parts Craving Guide Tape
This may sound silly. But this is like a new revelation to me recently. I have never use Dymo tapes back then since I'm so accustomed to using just metal strips as guides for many years. But this tape is rather convenient. Its adhesiveness is really strong so the tape doesn't shift as you scribe. And it's transparent so you can see where you're going. Definitely a must have for those starting out as well. Available in two thickness.
Magnifying Glass with light station
Why not? If you have the dough and want your workstation to look impressive. For old men who have hyperopia or "long-sightedness" lol. Those notches at 0.1 mm thick is almost impossible to see with your naked eye. Some assist is good to put less strain on your eyes.
Blu Tack
Now, why is this seemingly insignificant object doing here? Well, this is probably one of the most essential tools I have on my table. Simply because it temporarily hold things down so that I can free up both hand for scribing. And it beats the clamp vice since it is easier to set up, versatile and readily available. Plus, there are so many other uses for it.
RESOURCES
To me, when its come to panel lines, the technical aspect of it (scribing and notches) is the easy part. The hard part? How do you design them? People seem to have the impression that my ideas just come out of thin air, lol. Well, all I can tell you guys is that it took many years to develop that acute sense of what goes where and when. And even till today, my style is constantly adapting and evolving.
I browse online sites for inspirations and ideas. Sites like:-
1. Pinterest, a treasure trove of mecha designs.
2. Mecha/concept artists' publications.
3. Fellow modelers' works.
The few modelers I actively follow are Greworks, Anaheim Factory, Shunneige and
Amethyst to name a few. Between them are the best concepts, detailing and builds I have ever seen.
I think that's about it. Scribing lines and making notches, depressions may seem hard at first. But it is all a matter of practice. I always believe if you invest enough time and effort, anything is achievable. Of course I am not telling you to go burn your wallets by getting the best tools out there. Sometimes, you can look for alternatives or some modeling hacks that can save you time and cost. It's the skill that define the modelers, not the tools!
I sincerely hope this will help some folks or at the very least provide an insight on how I work those lines!
Till next time!
