Beyond The Sprues

Modelling => Tips, Tools & Techniques => Topic started by: Frank3k on August 31, 2024, 08:17:04 AM

Title: AK Interactive Real Colors markers
Post by: Frank3k on August 31, 2024, 08:17:04 AM
I bought three of these acrylic paint markers to test them out. I was a bit dubious about their usefulness, figuring that they were just rebranded markers.
The nib seem to be felted but pretty thin at the tips. The paint flows smoothly, dries quickly and is odorless.

I tried the paints on a half finished figure. They recommend applying over a primer coat, but I applied the paints on bare plastic.

(https://i.imgur.com/hsVervZ.jpeg)

Note that the figure has a resin left hand.

One pass over bare plastic:
(https://i.imgur.com/Thv8IWp.jpeg)

Good coverage, the paint flowed nicely and dried quickly. Some of the visible structure is from the paint (left to right), some from the underlying plastic.

Second pass. The lumpy structure on the skin is from the underlying plastic, not the paint, which left a very even coat:
(https://i.imgur.com/MtIgZs5.jpeg)

Single layer of the darker RLM over the right hand, only one layer of the lighter color on the left arm and resin hand:
(https://i.imgur.com/mqO3EJe.jpeg)

Overall, I'm pleased with these markers and I've ordered some more. Should work great on a primed surface (maybe with only one pass) and should be useful in painting figures as well as pinpoint painting of small parts.
Title: Re: avatar_frank2056 AK Interactive Real Colors markers
Post by: Buzzbomb on August 31, 2024, 09:18:45 AM
Ok.. this is really interesting.

I just bought a pack from ALDI, which look sort of the same, but more pastel colours.
Will give them a run as well
Title: Re: AK Interactive Real Colors markers
Post by: Frank3k on August 31, 2024, 10:11:31 AM
They have a pretty wide range; I just got colors that would still be useful if the coverage wasn't up to par.

The skin colors should be perfect your your face painting method. It took about a minute to do both arms.
Title: Re: AK Interactive Real Colors markers
Post by: Frank3k on September 01, 2024, 07:26:12 AM
I posted this on Whatif. They work well on canopy framing:

The nibs are 10mm long and the tip looks like it's 0.3 - 0.5mm in diameter or smaller. This is the RLM 66 pen:
(https://i.imgur.com/CPnca3Z.jpeg)

I tested the pen on one of the most annoying canopies known to the modelling world: The Airfix 1/72 FW189.
This is a single pass, done free hand. I tried to be careful, but the frames are uneven - total time, less than a minute:

(https://i.imgur.com/jh7e6z1.jpeg)

(https://i.imgur.com/YF1Wmxg.jpeg)

After a minute or so, the paint was dry and I worked on the spill over with a piece of Evergreen styrene rod:

(https://i.imgur.com/SN47ktb.jpeg)

It looks OK, but a second pass with the pen and more careful scraping of the excess should make the frames look better.

Next, I tried masking the canopy with tape. I removed the old paint with some denatured alcohol (Methylated spirits) and masked with Washi tape:

(https://i.imgur.com/BAM7krN.jpeg)

Quick pass of the pen:

(https://i.imgur.com/9CNugRT.jpeg)

Waited a minute for the paint to dry and peeled it off. This is again, a single pass:

(https://i.imgur.com/zIlSQTl.jpeg)

More effort would have produced better results, but I think this came out OK.
Title: Re: AK Interactive Real Colors markers
Post by: GTX_Admin on September 02, 2024, 12:43:36 AM
 :smiley:
Title: Re: AK Interactive Real Colors markers
Post by: Story on September 04, 2024, 09:11:53 AM
I'll just leave this here with a sigh of exasperation

(https://i.imgur.com/niAcJ5o_d.webp?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high)
Title: Re: AK Interactive Real Colors markers
Post by: Kerick on September 04, 2024, 10:08:24 AM
Wow! That turned out really well! (compared to my efforts.....)
Title: Re: AK Interactive Real Colors markers
Post by: Frank3k on September 04, 2024, 10:59:09 AM
I didn't even try very hard. I also picked one of the worst canopies, on purpose.