My first ever attempt at a turned aluminium cowling effect....













Base colour is Tamiya XF-16 Flat Aluminium with a little light grey added to dull it down. When dry, I made the swirls with an acrylic paint pen I sourced from an art supplies shop. Utilises a ball type pen nib, flows freely and easily controlled. Much easier than using a paint brush.



I expect you'd need a finer pen (if available?) for anything smaller than 1/32 scale.

Gary

Very nice effect and very wel done

This demonstates that some good thinking can replace complex techniques to achieve some effect.

Really nice work-- can you tell us who makes the acrylic pen you used? I see the name "Mitsubishi" on one side-- I'm trying to figure out if I can get the same thing here in the States. You're right--it sure beats using a paint brush-- and there's are probably lots of other applications as well-- thanks for pointing it out!
VR, Russ

Highly convincing and for a first attempt, a very impressive result indeed.

Gary

Nice.

Excellent technique!

Look for pictures of the real thing, I have a color picture of the Spirit of Saint Louis. that shows a Wash or stain on the surface, I think is oil or varnish for protection of the metal. An interesting look.

I am going to try your method.

Captn Tommy

This looks fantastic Gary. I'll definitely try this sometime.

The stain on the Spirit of St Louis is a varnish which was applied at the Smithsonian Institute to preserve the painted flags; they didn't expect it to turn yellow the way it has (and you thought it was only modellers who have yellowing problems). They're now searching for a safe way to remove the varnish without taking the flags with it. If you want to portray the aircraft as it looked when new, don't put the stain on

Very nicely done and I am sure that using the pen allevites the agony of using a paint brush. I will try that on my next build that requires that machining affect.