Paint chipping with a silver pencil

[redfive]

Greetings, I read that you can use a Prismacolor Silver pencil to create paint chipping on aircraft. Does it really work? If so do you do it before or after a clear coat? Would appreciate any help on the matter, Thanks

[Thumboy]

Hi redfive, I use a silver prismacolour pencil on almost all of my builds. I use it for very small chipping effects on panel lines and it is normally the last thing I do after the clearcoat and other weathering. I only really work in 1/72 scale and I find it much easier to control and quicker than painting on the chips.
They are quite cheap so worth getting and experimenting with. Hope this helps.

Cheers

P.s if you can find some pictures of my builds on the forum chances are the small chips are done with a silver pencil.

[redfive]

Thanks Andrew that really helps. It's also great to meet someone who enjoys building 1/72 other than myself. I only build aircraft and they are all in 1/72 with the exception of my WWll aircraft which I enjoy in 1/48. Placing my order for a dozen and Thanks again. Hope we get a chance to correspond again. Good luck on your SIGs

[digger303]

How fine is the tip compared to a ball point pen

[Paul]

How fine is the tip compared to a ball point pen

As sharp as you wish with a pencil sharpener

[digger303]

who.s a sheepish boy then....lol
I couldn't have read it properly and thought it was one of those silver pens.

[digger303]

Is the prismacolour pencil the best pencil to use or will another brand suffice. The local Jackson's art supply have never heard of that brand and looked at me as being a little retarded to have even asked for it. Mind you their judgement may have been close to the mark...

[chief5437]

I couldn't find them local either, so I got another brand from the art store and it seems to do the job.

[Coen]

The silver prismapencils or karismapencils are good for aircraft chipping.
For armour I would use an HB pencil. AFVs are made of stiffer stuff than aircraft, and it tends to be a lot less shiny than say, aluminum or other types of sheet metal.

[Nige1940]

I Believe Prismacolour are now gone , Karisma is the another alternative as with all materials by the best you can .

[cybershed]

I managed to get one online recently. Trying it for the first time on my current build which is a 1:48 scale zero. I have found the pencil to be a bit limited in use. Decent for chipping around panel lines and giving an accent. But for serious weathering back to the metal it wasn't ideal and I resorted to metal enamel to get the effect I was after.

My thinking is that it would be more useful for 1:72 scale subjects. Not expensive though, so worth having one in your armoury. Don't think the brand name is critical. Just try and find one as soft as you can.