how do you paint panel lines and rivets? is there a paint pen or a way to paint over marker that doesn't bleed? thanks John

I use Staedtler pigment liner Sketch Pens.  They come 4 to a pack.  .1mm  .3mm  .5mm  .7mm  I have 1 set now for three years.  They "erase" with alcohol and I dust the new lines with clear dope with my airbrush to seal the lines.  They only cost me $10.

http://www.dickblick.com/zz207/57/

contact Windy, he has videos on doing inklines
Here's his contact page

http://www.windyurtnowski.com/contactus.htm

Skip the rivets!  Steve

And most of the panel lines, too---or at least use lines that appear the same as the panel lines that show up on full size planes.  Most full size planes are painted and the panel lines are almost invisable when viewed from a very short distance.

Just a personal hang-up of mine!!

Jim

The one thing you have to look out for is surface quality. I've had the problem with my current plane that the ink beads up. Normally, this hasn't been a problem because I would shoot clear over the color coats then sand the clear to get it relatively flat. This gives decent traction to the pens and you can get some fairly decent panel lines. But the current plane has clear with some dry pearl in it so I couldn't sand it. This makes for a very tough surface to try to put inklines on.

Randy nuclear reactor... have you been peaking?  Thanks John

We went through an era where panel lines and rivets were overdone to the point of making you ill.

Panel lines, where used, should be in good taste, and used only where they would show on a real airplane. For example: a 30's style fabric covered airplane, will have lines at the root fairings, or inspection panels, which in most cases are under the wing.

Rivets were a major problem. In the aerospace industry we even shave rivet heads to make them disappear in order to meet aerodynamic zone requirements. Personally, I have never seen an airplane with all the rivet heads painted black!

Use these items in moderation.