Certainly not a foreign topic to these forums, but my experiences with paint markers and paint pens has been rather blah. Except for one set of paint pens (a set of black, with different tips - will edit to give the names when I can find the blasted pack - made very nice, solid black lines on some lumber loads I was painting to represent banding) my experience has been the finish looks a somewhat blotty and un-even, even when using primer under to cover the plastic. I brought a pack of Floquil (testors) Track colors this past weekend, and even following the directions to a tee (they were rather simple - clean surface, shake paint marker for 30-seconds, uncap, pump tip to get paint following, and paint) the result was...rather blotty and un-even, even after a 'second coat' (another pass after the first was dry). Now, I know people use paint (and art) markers to do great work (I am thinking of an article in one of the second tiers magazines (now gone) where the author was finishing all sorts of trim and details in all kinds of colors using art-markers), but what do these folks do different? What can you do different with markers, you can adjust the angle of contact and the pressure of the marker tip against the detail...and that's about it.I have used the original Testors Silver markers (years ago - total blah), Sharpie Silver & Grey (again, kind of muddled and blotty when not used on paper), and now the Floquil markers - suggestions?
I've used Sharpie's in Black, Silver & Green to paint hand grabs, pipes & various railings with good success.
Having seen the same splotchy results you got, I have avoided using them to cover larger flat areas preferring to airbrush or even use a regular paint brush in those cases.
It appears to me that paint markers have a somewhat limited usefulness.
Mark Gosdin.
I have in the past tried different paint pens and have not liked them. they seem to sort of work for a while them make a mess.. Fir grab irons etc i use a 3/0 or 0 round brush and Liquitex softbody medium viscosity acrylic paint , it come is a little squeeze jar , not the tubes. This is thick enough to cover in one shot and yet flows onto the model ok.. If you use this be sure to get a good brush, not some $1 cheapy, is worth the price...
A silver sharpie is good for coloring small parts like handrails and small bits of chain etc. Art markers are good for painting brick buildings. First spray the walls gray or light tan, then use a dark red or brown marker to color the bricks. Since the bricks on a plastic building kit are embossed and raised up, only the tops get painted leaving the "mortar" gray between the bricks untouched.
The only thing I've used the Floquil markers for was to paint the sides of the rails of some new turnouts I installed a couple of months ago. It took about 3 coats of the various rail colors to get what I wanted, but it eventually worked out okay.
I've never used them for anything else, so I can't comment on their other applications.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Hmm, so what I'm reading is that my experiences with paint markers is not uncommon, apparently they are not made for covering 'wide' areas - although I thought that article about using art markers the author did, but I'm not sure now.
Anyway, the markers I have which work are from Faber-Castell, but again these were narrow (< .5mm) bands and thin details for which people have posted that markers work well.
C -
Regarding Sharpies: I never leave home (err... model) without them. Like any other tool, you have to know where/when they'll work for you and when not. "Silver" won't look like chrome and gold (if you can still find it) can give a hint of rust color to some metallic surfaces. In N scale, I think I use a silver Sharpie more often than silver paint. The other colors, like red, blue, green and brown can be used for small touch ups and "streaks" , but for really large areas, they won't replace an air brush and for really delicate work, a multi-0 brush still works best, for me any way. As they begin to dry out a good dry-brush affect can be obtained with a little practice.
Heck, I've even used them for quick touch ups on a "real" (1:1) car I'm restoring ... Funny, I see a number or guys at car shows with Sharpies in their tool boxes.
Regarding paint markers - again in selective areas, some can really be helpful. I find that since they are less viscous than bottle paint, while retaining as much opacity (some colors anyway) using them to "fill" some areas, followed by surface sanding or scraping works pretty well.
BTW - I've also used Artist's pencils on flat colors for weathering and some detail work.
Archer
Hello I used a green Crayola marker on this wood kit. It will work for now but I plan on getting a air brush. And when I get the hang of it I will redo the paint. I wanted the old faded and in need of repainting look.
Have a nice day Frank
The unevenness of the park marker on 'wide' area works to your advantage on that building, 0-6-0. You do get the impression of an uneven, worn paint job.However, I wish to use markers to do things like paint the stripes on Steel Drum - like in your third picture - or even things like painting a wheelbarrel's handles wood/tan colored (I currently use a small paintbrush and, say Model-Master wood enamel out of a bottle for things like wood-handles).
I've used Sharpies and was basically not favorably impressed with them. I've used many different brands of paint pens and I like the sets made by Floquil. In fact I like their rail tie brown a lot but the flipping pens don't last long. So I went and had the color matched. Now I have a real problem with the odor of enamel paints and the thinners required to use them so I had it made up as interior flat latex and I really like the result. I'm going to be doing this with some others. That way I'll be able to use it directly from the can or mix use with my airbrush without constantly worrying about the pens running out. It gets really expensive having to go to Hobby Lobby to get more (120 mile round trip) and ordering online isn't really cheap either when the shipping costs are factored in. So as much as I like paint pens I'll just be having the colors reproduced in flat latex. That way I'll always have the color I need on hand without being run out of the trailer by the enamel odor. As for the other paint pens I use, they're latex based and I can get them locally.
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I have successfully used Testors for small areas. Floquil for weathering and small areas. Miniwax wood stains are very useful. The Testors works well on wood too.
Bob
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rclangerFloquil for weathering and small areas. The Testors works well on wood too.
I use Elmer's paint pens for the striping on my roads. Seems ok, but takes a little practice on a piece of scrap:
Terry
Terry in NW Wisconsin
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I belive I and can get more paint from a bottle of paint than from the paint pens. I have seen Knowcents track and rails in which he used floquil paint pens and it came out well on his layout. Also C&O fan uses those wood stain pens on his wooden buildings and it too is awesome.
I would like to try both pen types one day but for now the price has to come down before i use them. i can get the same results from a bottles of paint and stains. An "00" brush and paint full strength or diluted can do the same job as the pens......chuck
I have used the silver Sharpies for "painting" N galvanized structures, then rust weathered them. My HO friends see nothing amiss with the result. Think Glacier Gravel
Also, have used the red with the larger barrel for the old wooden grain elevator. Fades very nicely.
I find these to be a very useful tool for painting molded-on small detail that I would never even think of trying with a regular paint brush. Most recently, it used one to paint the metal rings around the Walthers Wood Water Tank. The bands are way to narrow to have tried that with a brush but I made quick work of them with the paint pen. I used a brown one that gave a nice aged, rust look to the bands. Mostly I use the black and silver Sharpies but occasionally find use for the color ones. I especially like the black for doing wrought iron hinges.
The only time I've used them was for finishing vehicles but for that they were excellent. Silver for bumpers and appropriate colors for lights. I believe the ones I used were Tamiya.
Cal
jecorbettI find these to be a very useful tool for painting molded-on small detail that I would never even think of trying with a regular paint brush. Most recently, it used one to paint the metal rings around the Walthers Wood Water Tank. The bands are way to narrow to have tried that with a brush but I made quick work of them with the paint pen. I used a brown one that gave a nice aged, rust look to the bands. Mostly I use the black and silver Sharpies but occasionally find use for the color ones. I especially like the black for doing wrought iron hinges.
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I've been using the Sharpie brand Paint Pens and I love 'em. I used silver fine and medium tips for container latches and latch bars. They work exceptionally well on older Athearn ones and Walthers except the 40 footers the molded on details are very small and you must use very fine (Genstar upper right). They add a nice finishing touch I could never do with a brush.
Mine doesn't move.......it's at the station!!!
ho modern modelerAnyone know why I'm getting double photo'd?
jeffrey-wimberly ho modern modelerAnyone know why I'm getting double photo'd? Possibly because you're using an HTML photo link. Try using an IMG link instead.
Starts and ends with [IMG], thats why I'm so confused. This happened before, I think the problem is w/Photobucket NOT the Forum.