Reddit mentions: The best drwawing pens

Welcome to the hobby, friend! Here's a few useful tidbits of info for you.

None of the Gundam kits from the last 20 or so years need glue. That's a standard feature across pretty much every Gundam model kit. So in that regard, feel free to pick any design you like. Not all kits are created equally, but a quick search across this subreddit will help you figure out if the kit you're looking at happens to be hot garbage (and there are a few that are).

To more directly answer your question, the starter set uses an older model of the classic RX-78-02 Gundam. The Revive version is a much, much better model. You can find it here on Amazon.

A panel lining pen (or pens) are not required, but certainly make for a better final product. They're pretty cheap on their own, and generally you'll want at least grey and black, and possibly also brown. Alternatively, you can get a pack of all 3. You'll also want so basic q-tips/cotton swabs to clean up your panel looking.

You're also going to need some nippers. Nippers come in a range of types, qualities, and styles. The best nippers are single sided (that is, one side is a blade and the other is flat). These, the infamous Godhands are hands down the best nippers on the market. They're expensive as shit, but worth every penny. If you're on a medium budget, Tamiya's nippers are the next best option. There are cheaper nippers out there, but they're gonna come with significantly inferior results. That said, a lot of that can be addressed with...

A good hobby knife. You'll be just fine with a simple, cheap X-Acto knife, but there is (in my opinion) a better option. My personal favorite, the Tamiya Design Knife. It's got a slightly smaller blade, which will let you get into tighter spaces with it. It also comes with a metric crapton of replacement blades. You'll want to replace the blade every couple kits, but there's a bunch of them in there. There same container that holds the replacement blades even has a second chamber to dispose of your old blades into.

Finally, you may want some fine pointed (possibly angled) tweezers for decal application. Finger oils can screw up the adhesive on the stickers. You can pass on this starting off most likely, but you'll want to get some eventually.

TL;DR, the starter pack isn't the best option. If you're after the granddaddy Gundam, get the Revive. Otherwise, pick your favorite design. The newer the kit, the better, generally speaking. Look at the copyright date on the box cover to see. Bottom left corner.

You're going to need nippers, which can get pricey, but the cost is worth it. Start with a mediocre pair, and upgrade to the Godhands once you're committed to the hobby. You'll need a knife, too. You can cheap out on this one, but there are better options IMO.

Optionally, get tweezers, panel lining pens, and cotton swabs.

Edit: other good starter kits

HG Barbatos is a great kit. The build process for IBO models is a bit different than other gunpla, though, as they have a quasi-inner frame.

HG 00 Gundam is another great starter. It's also the first kit I ever panel lined, and it was a great starter for that.

If you're wanting a Zaku, the HG The Origin Zaku II Type C is probably the best Zaku kit released to date in 1/144 scale.

Finally, I'd feel bad for not suggesting my all time favorite HG build. It was just a fun, fun kit to make and to pose. The HG 1.5 Gundam. It's got some really cool gimmicks and, unique colors, and an awesome design.

First off, that's so thoughtful!

I'm no expert by any means. I am very much a beginner with not much to show for it, but I got into watercolor in a roundabout way through calligraphy and hand lettering. Now, despite only putting in some months experience, I have poured hours into finding a nice starter set for myself, so hopefully I can shortcut some of this for you.

I respectfully disagree with the other commenters. As convenient as national chain hobby shops are, they are pricey for that convenience, and I rarely find people who know a lot about one thing versus a little about a lot of things. The only exception I've found to this near me is Jerry's Artarama, but that might be different where you are. If I'm in a pinch and I can't wait the two days for shipping, I will only go into a Michaels or Hobby Lobby if I am armed with one of their 40-50% coupons. Even then, 9 times out of 10 it is more expensive than ordering via Amazon for the materials I am looking for. Additionally, since they can only carry so much inventory, I only find (1) the most basic (cheap in price and quality) items or (2) very famous names.

Watercolors can seem very expensive if you're measuring price per mL, but remember that high quality pigments are meant to be diluted with water, and a little bit goes a very long way. Watercolors are also meant to be mixed! Your SO will want to learn about color theory as she goes (tons of great youtube classes on this too), so that also means to start she doesn't need a massive set. So long as she has most of the primaries she will start coming up with all the colors she needs for her project. Additionally, as she gets more into it, she might find that while she likes her set from X brand, she likes the burnt sienna from Y brand, and the french ultramarine from Z brand. Getting tube colors + an empty watercolor tin will give her a strong base to start painting right away but the flexibility to add her own colors piece by piece as she plans more projects and paintings. Also, when tube paints dry in the tin (you can rewet them/reuse them later), they become portable, giving the same convenience of pan sets.

This was my starter set from [calligraphy] (https://www.amazon.com/Kuretake-Picture-Letter-MC20-36V/dp/B001MPA6W4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511058329&sr=8-1&keywords=kuretake+gansai+tambi+watercolors). I love the pigments, but in retrospect I could've gotten by with WAY LESS colors. In retrospect, I should've gotten something like this with a tin. Remember, the tin doubles as a mixing palette. Daniel Smith is a very popular American brand, but surely not the end all be all. Windsor & Newton, English brand, is also popular, and they have a fairly good "student" grade line called Windsor & Newton Cotman where you can save some money but not skimp out on too much quality.

Watercolor is almost exclusively done on paper. Now, since water and paper generally don't mix, you'll be concerned with the "pounds" of the paper. For everyday practice, many watercolorists are comfortable with 140 lbs spiral bound pads of cold press (meaning it's a bit rough in texture, not smooth). I like spiral bound because you can flip through and work on a few different concurrent projects (for the love of god, make sure they're completely dry first though q.q). These will buckle and warp with very heavy water application. Final projects, or anything meant for professional scanning and printing or super heavy wet work, you will probably be buying 200 lbs+ paper as needed. These can be bought in blocks/pads or as single sheets. As the pounds go up, so does the price.

Brushes! These can also get very pricey, but as with the pigments, there may be some sense in it. Higher end brushes are affixed with either natural or synthetic (or a mix) of hairs that (1) hold more water than cheap brushes and (2) keep the hairs from falling out into your paints or painting. I personally use Windsor and Newton brushes, but I don't have a lot of different types yet, and that seems to be fine to learn on. A round brush goes a long way, as you learn to put down a lot of color or very fine lines depending on how much pressure you put on the paper. As a starter set you might get two round brushes in two sizes like a 4 and a 12.

Finally, while there are lots of artists in Art Fundamentals, I might post this specifically in /r/learnart or /r/watercolor for more insight. Most of us here are working on constructional drawing with pen and paper, not necessarily painting.

Generally I would recommend a pen with a finer point to allow you to write characters with many strokes. Now that said it would depend on how big you plan to write? On just normal lined paper use whatever feels good to you and a price you can accept. Most people just use the average ball point/gel ink/roller ball or the like for everyday writing.

Check out www.jetpens.com if you want some Japanese writing instruments and stationary. Many of the products you can buy on amazon as well but this will give you a place to look around. You can find pens with much finer points such as the Pilot Hi-Tec-C .25mm.



*** Sorry I made this a bit long, I am bored at work and just went to town with this. It also addresses if you decide you want to find something that can do calligraphy as well.

If you come to a point you want to try something that can offer line variation there are brush pens and fountain pens. These also range from cheap to pretty expensive. A low cost brush pen I would recommend is the Kuretake No 8 just to see if it is something you would like. It is a synthetic hair brush that you cannot refill but should cost only about 8-9$ or so. If you want to step up a bit to something you can refill the the No 13 is a good choice. I use the Kuretake No 50 as it uses a natural hair for the brush. I find you can get finer lines and can write pretty damn small with it if you choose. Also looks and feels higher quality over all. But you can buy the natural hair refill for this pen and it will fit in the No 13 as well. Just FYI for anyone that wants to try a natural hair and may already have a No 13.

Another option is to use a fountain pen, which Japan is very well known for too. Brands such as Pilot/Namiki, Sailor, Pelikan and Nakaya/Platnium. Nibs on Japanese pens are finer than western. So a Fine nib on a JP would be more like an extra fine on something western. If you want to try your hand on this route then a Pilot Metropolitan would be a decent start. Your quality of paper will matter with a fountain pen. The average stuff you get in the US will probably feather pretty bad. Japanese paper is generally much better quality and safe to use with a fountain pen. Also a good brand such as Clairefontaine/Rhodia. The sustainable earth notebooks from staples are not too bad as a cheap locally found option. Now this pen's nib will not flex, if you want to try a low cost option for that there is the noodler's ahab. This will flex on down strokes to give a wider line and it will take practice to use well like a brush pen.

Lastly another curious fountain pen used for writing Kanji is the type of calligraphy nib that is bent to allow line variation depending on the angle used. Such as salior's "fude de mannen." I have one but prefer a flex nib fountain and brush pen myself.

Quick example of a fountain and brush pen.

Speakers will make your life so much better. I'd recommend getting a shower speaker too, your flatmates will love you.

A door stop is the right answer.

If you get a memory foam mattress topper your life will be so much better. It makes any bed amazing, and, although they aren't particularly cheap, they can last a very long time. I have this one

Get some good quality pens and books of paper. You don't want the refil pads as they always fall apart sooner or later, get some which have metal binding on one side. For pens I always got a box of these or these. They make the vast amounts of notes you need to take much better.

Don't buy the recommended reading until you have checked how many copies the library has. There's a good chance you'll be able to read them enough without paying for them, or search Bookname.pdf into google and it will probably be there.

Pint glasses are very useful things to have, but I found it added a nice touch to my flat if they were all borrowed from pubs.

get a multipack of playing cards on the cheap from amazon. You'll probably get through a fair few packs in first year. Some poker chips were a nice thing to own as well. In 3rd year I got Cards Against humanity as well, and it is a very good game for predrinks

Get minimum 1 good frying pan, 1 good saucepan, a good wooden chopping board, a good chefs knife, a baking sheet, and a colander.

Get a bottle opener like this one and you will have hours of fun pinging the caps at people

I didn't use mine much in 1st year, but all the other years of uni my bike was a great thing to have. It allows you to shop further away (so cheaper) and reduces your reliance on public transport. It also means you can get out of your area of the city occasionally, which is nice.

A french press means you can make a whole pot of great coffee for your flatmates when you are all getting up after a heavy night, at which point they might crown you or start worshiping you or some shit

$100 will get you pretty far! obligatory ymmv, a lot of supplies depend on what and how you paint (do you paint large or small? do you paint outside a lot and need a travel kit? and so on), etc, etc, but here is how i would spend the money:

• paints
  
  kuretake gansai tanbi, 36 color set - the best set of watercolors i have used and relatively cheap, the colors are vibrant, mix well, and set beautifully.
  
  
  
• paper
  
  probably where most of the money should go after upgrading your paints. i like the strathmore 500 series and the canson papers for sketching and learning. other higher end brands that are recommended a lot are arches, bee paper, and fluid 100. definitely try out both hot press and cold press, people usually develop a preference but one is not necessarily better than the other.
  
  
• brushes
  
  honestly, brushes are not that important as long as they are not frayed or shedding. i've seen tons of professionals use and recommend this cheap set by grace art. i also like the princeton neptune brushes.
  
  
• extras
  
  if you still have money left, i would suggest trying something cool like metallic and pearlescent paints if it interests you. or use the money towards other mediums if you want to branch out.

Bialetti - stove top espresso maker - you'll never need to buy an expensive coffee maker ever again.

Leuchterm 1917 journal for my bullet journal

6in Ruler to go with my journal - fits in the back pocket perfectly

Huhuhero Color Pen Set also to go with my journal -- has every color you'll need and has a really nice thickness. I use a finer tipped Staedtler for writing but these pens are perfect for titles and decorating and under $6 can't be beat

Customizable dog tag

Ahava Dead Sea Bath Salts - for a luxurious bath that won't dry you out

Ramekins for all of your baking needs. It's also fantastic to use for cooking (holding onto spices, separating eggs, etc.) and for serving dips.

Dog Toy Basket - adorable, holds a ton of toys, and looks really chic in my apartment.

Salt and Pepper Mill Grinders - pretty and functional

Bath Overflow Cover - get your water higher for a more satisfying bath

Bath Spa Pillow

Grippy Stand - the BEST stand for any size tablet.. I have two of them they're so good

Hotel Spa Cotton Towel 4 Pack - smallish bath towel with so many uses. I leave then by the front door to wipe the pup's paws.

Popin Cookin 9 Pack - the MOST FUN you'll ever have 9 times over

Tons and tons and tons of books - look under the "available for less money" links for "used" paperback versions that will make them super affordable and they usually come nearly brand new!

You have three options for panel line;

1. Gundam Marker. Basically a fine point pen. The result is always a thick line, but can be easily clean up with just plain q-tip (or dip in a bit of rubbing alcohol for even easier cleanse). Great for filling in black/dark details. You can also use other fine point pens as a substitute.
   
   
2. Gundam Marker, pour type. Different mixture of ink. Dab on to panel lines and ink will just run along the line. Much easier to use than regular fine point. Much easier to use with 1/144 models which have smaller lines. Cleanup with rubbing alcohol or enamel thinner (or even your finger if you are lazy). This can eats up paint layer if you paint your model and don't gloss coat before apply the marker.
   
   
3. Tamiya's Panel Line Accent. Best of all IMO. One bottle last months...of years! Works very similar to the pour type, but better. Clean up with enamel thinner.
   
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   Some people use pencil, but I don't find that method to be efficient. You can also mix your own paint but why bother when there is already a pre-mixed solutions.

Everyone else's advice is great, but once you're ready to move in to pens, I suggest a liner pen set like https://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Pigment-Sketch-Regular-308SB6P/dp/B004L87XRA < this, if you can get it (~$11 USD; online and in art stores. Sakura's Pigma Micron pens are also good but a little less sturdy and pigmented in my experience). They're of different widths so you can explore line width (this piece looks to me like one width though), and they come in a sturdy case. Like all pens, be gentle on the tips, and they'll last a long time.

And besides lessons online, try thinking of your own drawing challenges. Once you learn how to put shapes together and show what you see on paper, it's a lot more fun to draw things you want to draw.

Best of luck and keep posting your progress!

A little late to the game, but I have a couple of cents on this topic as well. I own Tombows, the Faber Castell's mentioned below, as well as Pentel Sign Touch Pens, and Kuretake Fudes. I think a lot of the commenters hit the nail on the head re: Tombows. They can be tough to use and hard to control transitions from thick to thin lines. In my experience, this has less to do with the flexibility of the nib and more about the type of head the pen uses. Tombows have a pretty large fiber brush head, and it's not as "springy" as some other pens. This means when you let back on the pressure, you have to really gauge how much pressure you need to reduce to get a thinner line. A lot of pens with a smaller head, especially felt tipped pens, will be a lot more forgiving in terms of pressure variation.

If you do want to get some smaller pens, the FC are decent. They have fantastic color transfer, but I feel like they're scratchier than some of the other options that I have, and also a tad bit more expensive. I really like the Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pens. The head is a tiny bit smaller than the FC pens, so you won't be able to get quite as thick of a downstroke. If you want something more comparable in size to the FCs, Kuretake Fudebiyoris are pretty similar and also writes a bit smoother.

That said, I think it also depends on what you're going for. If you want consistent lettering early on, a felt tip pen with a smaller nib is your best bet. However, because they're so much easier to control, I find that if I use those exclusively for a while, the quality of my lettering deteriorates. Tombows force you to really learn to control your pressure. If your goal is to perfect lettering with all types of pens (felt, brush, watercolor, etc) and with all sorts of nib sizes, I think using Tombows to practice with is the best option.

I'm right there with you. I tried a few different things (pencil, ink, paints, chainsaw, markers) I stick with a sketchbook with paper that is smooth and between 150gsm to 180gsm weight paper. Such as Moleskine or Daler Rowney (don't get too good a sketchbook or you'll be afraid to ruin it) (oh and the Daler Rowney is a bit more toothy, rougher than the Moleskine)

I have some Mitsubishi fine liner pens. A Pentel brush pen. A few cheap pencils. (F is hard, b is soft etc) and a couple obvious bits like a ruler, hard and a soft rubber. You don't need them, but sometimes I'll splash some colour in with either light watercolour or alcohol markers. A lot of the time I'm just sketching with a biro pen or a cheap mechanical pencil.

Go nuts and absolutely test those mediums to destruction in your sketchbook.

Draw what you see, copy everything you like, don't try to draw exactly like certain artists too much, and look at a sweeping variety of art. And don't get caught up with making everything a masterpiece. Draw everything quick and light, get caught up on the details later. So often I get bogged down on toes or hands and half an hour later I've drawn a great stick figure with beautiful hands.

I'd love to see how you do, keep us updated!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002AF8XFM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_ApTIzb98NWR8D sketchbook

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002N5MBNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_0qTIzbE96P7YC Pens

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000J6BAV8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_.rTIzbX47MR84 Pencils. Though you could just get a couple from your local stationery or art supply store.

For computer game art. I could recommend you get the cheap version of Clip Studio Pro for 25 dollars (really powerful comic illustration software) then snap a pic of what you have drawn and colour it in there, touch up the blacks of your line work etc. You can do it all with a mouse once you do your line work on paper.

Finally, wow I went overboard with this comment. Check out sketchbook vids on Youtube, for yourself, check out Scott Robertson, his vids are all about his students and his sketchbooks, all in the area of designing and rendering cool stuff. Here's a link with John Parks sketchbook LOT OF MECHS https://youtu.be/Rv-LVUCZWyU

Rubbing alcohol - I have no idea! I think it does break down the colours but USE IT GENTLY because you can bleed right through paper if you're not careful. My mom showed me how to do this when I was young and just learning how to use Prismacolours.

Generally when needing to fill something with solid colours I'll use a circular motion for even coverage rather than line-shaped strokes, but yeah, that's basically the idea.

Currently the lighting on the picture is kind of undefined - you have shadows underneath things, but light plays in strange ways and reflected / refracted light also does weird stuff. This tutorial kinda explains things better than I can: http://theartcenter.blogspot.se/2010/03/sam-nielson-painting-process.html - Basically, you want to think about where your primary light source is, how the material you're colouring will interact with that light, and then the shape of what you're colouring. Rimlight is the white around the edges of say, Lugia's wings.

I will recommend these watercolour sets because I LOVE them: http://www.amazon.com/Pelikan-Color-Opaque-Watercolor-Set/dp/B00170ZSLS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462365768&sr=8-1&keywords=pelikan+watercolours Used them for years. They're student grade but I love how they work. Make sure you're using sturdy paper!

I am using these watercolours currently: http://www.amazon.com/color-Kuretake-picture-letter-Unleashed/dp/B001MPA6W4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462365862&sr=8-1&keywords=japanese+watercolours They're flipping fantastic, if not a bit more expensive.

LMK if you have more questions / need more clarification. :D

watercolors LINK

we starting to use it in art schools and continue to use them in art academy. they really are good. no need to dig deeper in more expensive, pro watercolors.

fancy watercolors (i personally love them, but really, basically fo fun, mixed media) LINK

watercolor pad LINK

that's my choice. would highly recommend this producer, really great absorption, thick paper, different formats available. anyway, it's really good.

brushes is really very personal choice, depends on technic and such. I like this one LINK great for miniature work. You can look for some squirrel hair brushes in local store orLINK , they are good for starters and for wet painting.

EDIT. fanart sample where all those stuff used at once :P

I think they're a great starter kit. You get a wide variety of colors. The problem with them is that there are mixed opacities -- sometimes two colors right next to each other on the color wheel might be different. One green could be opaque, one could be transparent.

I used them exclusively as my travel palette until I started to build out my collection of professional colors.

My absolutely favorite "set" is the Kuretake Gansai Tambi set ($29 on Amazon). Keep in mind, these are Japanese style, so they will be richer in color, but I absolutely love how brilliant everything is. This was definitely my workhorse at home while I was building out my professionals... but truth be told, sometimes I still go back to these because I love them so much.

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EDIT: Adding some links to works myself and my sister-in-law have done with them, so you can see the richness.

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For fineliners, I would highly recommend Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens, in the thinnest tip size. But if you're going to get these, I HIGHLY recommend buying the pack with all 4 tip sizes and picking the one you like best, since a lot of people have different preferences. All the sizes will come in handy at some point for bullet journalling. They're about $10 on Amazon for the 4 pack.

If you're a student and you're planning on using your bujo to write down HW and/or you also wanna be a bit more cost efficient, I recommend gel pens. It gets really annoying to have to switch between a fineliner for writing HW and stuff in my journal and using a pen to take notes or do something for class (which is why I use a fineliner in the summer and a gel pen during the school year LOL). I recommend the Pentel Energel Gel Pen, in the 0.3 mm size. They dry super quick, so they're great to use for highlighting or if you're a leftie. And they look just as nice as a fineliner on your standard journal paper. Also great for taking notes in school because of the quick drying time. To save money, what I do is use an existing pen body I have (I have a zebra sarasa pen body) and just replace the existing ink with Pentel Energel refills. A pack of 12 refills is $11 on Amazon. I bought the refill pack a year and a half ago and still have 5 refills left. Or if you want the actual pen itself, it's $7 for a pack of 3.

Hope this helped!

Buy the cheapest, thickest sketchbook you can, (in the UK, I'd hit up The Works)and some pens, ballpoint maybe, preferably fineliners, like these bad boys, then fill it up.


There are tons of resources available.

Some tips I have picked up:

Start with perspective, simple one-point perspective and a bunch of boxes ( try this place ), and just fill sketchbooks up.

Split your drawing time into practice and personal, still draw stuff you love, but make time to just practice. Noone else will see the results, it's just for you to learn how things look.

Use reference, not tracing if you can avoid it, as much as you can. Learn what things actually look like, how bits of the body fit together and work. Draw what you see, not how you think things look.

Try and find others who are learning too and learn together, even just posting stuff online for advice.

*From the last one, try and see advice as positive, noone is perfect and (other then the occasional twat), use what they have said to get better :)


Sorry for the wall of random stuff, I'm still early in my journey too and these are the tips I keep hearing again and again. Good luck!! Can't wait to see what you come up with in the future.

Gotcha, in that case, here's a few well worth adding to any collection if it's not too late:

Bic Soft Feel Medium Easy to control when pushing softly, reliable ink flow. Great for light lines and construction. The tip does displace by about a mm when you press hard, so it makes dark lines more difficult to reliably create.


Zebra Z-Grip Max Harder to control for lighter lines as the ink flows a little too well. The tip has no displacement though, which means darker lines are much easier to create reliably compared to the bic.


Zebra Z-Grip Flight aka Z-Grip Smooth in the UK. Similar to the Max, no nib displacement, but the ink flows so freely, this is not something to be used for light construction. Very smooth if you like that sort of thing.

The cheap crystal and disposable ballpoints you find all around are OK, but the ink flow is unreliable. On rough paper, they generally have stable nibs and can produce almost pencil-like lines, but they stop and start working so often, it can be annoying.


Non-Ballpoint honorable mentions:

Pilot Hi-Tec C 0.3 - Free flowing hybrid pen. No variation in line-weight, and no going back. Unforgiving but fun when you're searching for ideas and not caring about the final quality.


Pilot G-Tec C4 0.4 - As above, but the 0.1mm difference is significant. Usually used to add line weight to sketches done in the 0.3.


Staedler Pigment Liners - Unfortunately mistaken to be 'markers' because people keep calling them that. Smooth and reliable ink flow with the hard nib. Much thicker and less scratchy than the Hi-Tecs, and far less forgiving. Worth getting a whole set as preferences will vary and the size difference between each is significant. Restrictive as they don't work well at shallow angles, but on the plus side, you can marker over them.

Most importantly, if you're going to be drawing using ballpoints, make sure to accompany it with toothy/rough paper. The paper is 80% of it imo. Smooth stuff just doesn't cut it with ballpoints if you want a consistently high level of control over line weights.

There are lots more of course, but these are my experiences so far.

Good luck!

As a fellow rookie Tau collector/painter I have to say these look pretty cool but I noticed some of the finer panel lines are a little uneven so I wanted to make a suggestion that saved me alot of time and headaches.

You can buy black pigment liners with a 0.05mm tip that will fit right into those panel lines to let you quickly black them out, giving a nice and crisp edge to the armor panels and other fine details.

The one linked is just one I had from my other hobbies but you can get pigment liners from most craft shop with various colors and tip sizes. The .05 or .03 mm ones are the best, anything larger and you're not gonna fit it in the gaps.

edit: grammar, also sorry I can't post a pic of the results, I'm at work on a slow Sunday :)

I have only owned this brush pen, my painting teacher recommended it, so /u/urban_sketcher may know more than me about this.



I would say that the pen acts like the nicest fine tipped paintbrush I have ever owned, and it feels almost like watercolor painting without having to reload the brush. The brush itself is fairly substantial and can make decently thick lines but it can also make very fine lines if you have the control for it. These are some pictures I took back when I first got the pen and was experimenting to see what sort of things I could do with it and how I could layer ink, it's on a pad of fairly textured prestretched watercolor paper. I don't think it shows everything the pen can do but it is an ok example, my camera is broken or I would show a better one. I don't know how it compares to other brush pens but I really enjoy it for sketching because of the line variation and expressiveness as well as its ability to cover larger areas easily like washing an area with watercolor.

Thank you kindly!! I use a kuretake sable brush pen: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001DMQIOG

I personally like the feel of using the sable hair brush vs other brush pens which I think use plastic or some other kind of synthesized hair?

My pen also has an adapter in it(purchased separately) so it lets me re fill and use any ink of choice, so far I like using this ink: https://www.amazon.com/Luxury-Brands-Noodlers-Bottle-19203/dp/B000WIUKIW

The white ink was drawn with this pen, so far it's been the most reliable white-on-black pen I've used(goes on with a clean smooth line with zero or little transparency or leaving a ball point pen line: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KK6X7CW

And then coloured with copic markers! 😄
Thank you again for your kind comment I really appreciate it!! 💕

I use these: http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Black-Gundam-Marker/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411874898&sr=8-1&keywords=gundam+fine+tip

I use a black for parts that are molded in a dark color, and a grey for things that are much lighter. They're really easy to use, and you don't have to be precise with them. Keep some q-tips and a bit of rubbing alcohol handy, though. Just set the ink into the panel line in as many passes as you fee is needed. Let it dry for just a little bit, then gently flick over the line using the q-tip. Don't even push down that hard, just gently stroke over the area. This will help spread ink away from the line, if not pick it up entirely. Any excess can be rubbed off using another q-tip with a very modest amount of rubbing alcohol on it. It'll come right up and leave your lines filled.

There's a lot of tutorials on youtube, and various methods (I've heard a lot that panel washing works best, but haven't tried it), but that's how I do mine and I'm pleased with the results.

I would suggest buying a really cheap HG kit that you can screw around on, test a bunch of different techniques and see what works best for you. That way if you totally screw up you won't be out of a lot of money.

edit: Also, there's alternatives to these pens. I used some sakura microns I had laying around on my first HG and it looked good, but buying a set of those is going to be more expensive in the long run than getting gundam pens. I've seen some individual very fine point pens at Michaels for about a buck or two, but I've not yet tried them. They seem like they can get the job done, though.

Huhuhero fineliners! I got a full color set for hella cheap on Amazon. They say 0.38mm but reviews say they're a lil bigger. They work great!

Huhuhero Fineliner Color Pen Set, 0.38 mm Fine Line Drawing Pen, Porous Fine Point Markers Perfect for Coloring Book and Bullet Journal Art Projects

I like Pentel Energel but the colors are limited. Great pens though

haha I know it's a sickness. I was always into this sort of thing but managed to push it out of my mind. Now the bujo community has dragged me back in!!! And with all the media you see so many things recommended that you want to try! If you live in the US go to Michael's or Target and you'll be set. Oooh there is a sweet lettering set by Tombow I saw on Amazon! One set (I'm obviously insane).
This looks like a great gift and has a little bit of everything in it!!!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LWTU634/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQPz3MpAPnp/

You know what, that's actually a good map! It's pretty clear and represents a good start.

/r/mapmaking is a good place to look around, and there's even helpful threads popping up all the time. If you decide to get more serious about making maps, I'd recommend a Wacom tablet for drawing on a computer. You can use free tools like GIMP or Krita. Of course you can use a mouse with these, but pen & tablet is easier.

If sticking to regular paper, get something like these. Good pens of different thicknesses. If you can express terrain using only "textures" in black & white (here is an example I found on /r/mapmaking), you can really make it pop once you start adding color!

Biggest tip is to just keep at it. And don't be afraid to re-do things over and over to try out different styles.

Does she use just one pen thickness? She might like something like this which has different thicknesses for more detailed drawings.

You said she had graded pencils, maybe she would like graded pens too? (I haven't used these yet, so not sure on the quality)

Has she ever used a brush pen? I found them very interesting and you can create unique drawings with them.

If you prefer to get her some paper, look for something with at least 100gsm (this is the thickness of paper) I find 80gsm too thin for ink drawings.

Maybe also having a look for books on things she might like, like books on historic maps or tattoo designs. Reference books are brilliant for inspiration.

Take your time to clean nub marks, it really does make a massive difference at the end, and is totally worth the time it takes.

as for other stuff that really makes a difference, get a panel line marker, they are dirt cheap and make so much difference to a kit.

the final thing is to get some matte clear coat, this gets rid of the "plastic" look to a kit, you will need to get a specialist one for plastic tho, so it get a little more expensive, a can like the one linked would last for 6-7 hg kits easily. if you have a games workshop near you as well, they also sell clear coat, though i would only reccomend this if you cant get mr. super clear or tamita stuff shipped to you, as its more expensive in my experience.

Good luck building your kit and welcome to the hobby!

Notebooks by themselves can be archived depending on the type of media you are writing on. Welcome to the snobbery that is writing implements and media! I personally use Sakura-brand Pigma Micron 05 pens and acid free journal paper, to prolong the lifespan of any writing. Anything pH neutral in a pen is fine. Paper can get crazy expensive and usually its the ink that fades before the paper totally yellows out. A six pack of sakura pens usually last me the better part of the year - 6 pack

​

It is just the way my brain works, but I'd keep the topics in categories (I was also imagining how you could better use the content for your future podcasts/interviews). You can also create subcategories for date of a particular topic. That way, you can also add in even more meta ways of recalling the subject: red binders for ETH1.X to ETH2.0 transitions for example. Or green for "MSM" coverage of crypto, etc. It might be harder for someone else to use your work later, but the categorical method is a fun way to store stuff.

​

And one thing to leverage is google alerts if you are not already. Any topic that you create, make a google alert for as well. Worst case, it'll pick up some of the topics and best case, you'll get even more information to store.

I recommend either the thin panel lining markers in grey, black, and brown or a set of real touch markers that has those three colors

I panel lined with a set of panel lining markers for quite a while and only recently tried using real touch markers for panel lines and while the panel lining markers work pretty good I think I prefer real touch markers

The real touch markers are initially messier to apply but I think they clean up nicer just using like a qtip and make for some nice sharp looking lines

Probably not as good as a panel wash but I like them so far

Edit: here is a black panel lining marker https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Black-Gundam-Marker/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473087011&sr=8-1&keywords=Panel+lining+markers+gundam

For drawings like these, you should vary the thickness of your lines more. Using different values for your lines will help your drawings pop. My friend, who is an accomplished artist, does a lot of drawings like these, here is a link to a gallery of some of his drawings that are similar to yours. Jack Graves III . Be sure to click the thumbnails for a full size view.

You should seriously consider getting a pack of art pens. They will help you immensely with this, and they are worth the less than $20 investment. Here are three to browse on Amazon. Prismacolor, Faber-Castell, and Sakura Micron Pens.

Gives more of a natural look on light colored armor plates, black gives more of a classic cartoon look. Brown is used for warm colors and sometimes zeon/zaft/etc suits. You are looking for something called a "fine tip gundam marker", You can get them online. There is also something called "panel line accent" which is applied with a brush and some people feel gives a more natural look, I would reccomend starting with the marker, as its easier to learn with. Keep a qtip around when using it incase your hand slips. any residue clears up with a bit of rubbing alchohol, dont use nail polish remover, it can melt plastic.

https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Black-Gundam-Marker/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=gundam+marker&qid=1566105777&s=toys-and-games&sr=1-8

If you are going for 30 dollar tamiyas just drop the extra 5 dollars and get these, they come with free shipping on your whole order and tax free. https://www.gundamplanet.com/gundam-planet-premium-side-cutter.html

They also carry sanding sticks
https://www.gundamplanet.com/supplies.html?cat=30%2C31%2C29

Honestly, most of my journals only have 5-10 sentences per page. I do a lot of collage, drawing, and abstract painting.

Here's what I suggest:

Buy some cheap liquid watercolors and some [sponges] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VF2KEAI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). You can do backgrounds on every page before you start. This helped me build the habit of nightly journaling, and removed the fear of "ruining" a page. Any parts that I didn't like I could collage over!

Start using your own photos as much as possible. One of the easiest ways to do an image transfer is to alter an image on the computer, then print it out on an ink jet printer. I use cheap-ass photo paper for this, while the photo is fresh. Spray it with water, then put face-down and rub it into the page. (A rubber brayer is nice, but a used gift card or other hard object would be fine.)

Did you know that you can buy bulk stickers from [Amazon???] (https://www.amazon.com/DreamerGO-Graffiti-Transparent-Motorcycle-Skateboard/dp/B01M9FHC08/ref=pd_sim_21_11?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01M9FHC08&pd_rd_r=YGCTQJHQC1ZBD807ASAQ&pd_rd_w=ESCUg&pd_rd_wg=E85wC&psc=1&refRID=YGCTQJHQC1ZBD807ASAQ)

I also suggest making a to-go bag. If you make your backgrounds at the beginning of the week, or before you start the journal, this makes it extra easy. Mine has:

1. [paint markers] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VB4T86/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
   
2. a few of [these] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038FIA42/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and [these] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004L87XRA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
   
3. Ephemera (usually from my obnoxious amount of magazine subscriptions, my own drawings, and things I find)
   
4. Glue sticks. Lots of folks here are interested in archival quality glue, but I just use Elmer's.
   
   I often use my journal to annotate from books (I used to do it INSIDE the books, but I found them difficult to read with any new clarity that way, and I'm trying to move to digital.) Since I mostly read self-help/improvement books, that made some great starting points for prompts.

Oh wow, maybe that's just pour-type then. I assumed it was more like the pen-type but with a little more flow but it looks like those are something completely different. I don't really know anything about those so I can't really make any statements on it.

http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Black-Gundam-Marker/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422038818&sr=8-1&keywords=gundam+panel+line+marker

That's the kind of marker I recommend because it's fairly cheap and can be used on at least two kits assuming you take care of it well enough.

I've always panel lined with these kinds of markers over the Tamiya paints that I spray on, and I've never really had much of an issue. The glossiness of the spray seems to effect how easily it'll go on and how quickly you can erase it off, but for the most part I haven't had any problems with it.

Just to give another option besides the Tombows, I use a combination of the Huhuhue Double Ended and the Huhuhue Fine Tips.

With a decent notebook (ie. not a composition book) I get minimal bleeding and the pens are super affordable.

I don't know if you have a case for pens, but I recently bought this one and I'm super happy with it.

Here's my entry. It was done in Photoshop and pretty much all digital, save for some textures I scanned. :)
As far as pen recommendations go, it sort of depends on price. If you can afford them, I definitely recommend Rapidograph pens.
Most of my class used them when I was in college, and they work absolutely amazingly. They're refillable so much cheaper than rebuying pens in the long run. If you don't want to spend so much at once, I would suggest staying with Micron. They're what I used before I got some Rapidographs and they worked fairly well... I just can't get past the crispness of the Rapidographs!!!

Thank you! I just purchased some watercolour pens and I'm still getting used to them, but they're a dream. They're made by a company called Akashiya SAI. Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/Akashiya-Sai-Watercolor-Brush-Pen/dp/B000VZB51C

I also have a set of Winsor & Newton watercolour pens, but I honestly like the SAI ones better. (That and they're cheaper.)

From my own experience with Gundam markers, they usually dry in a few minutes, but I only use them for small detail painting. They do not need primer, but a topcoat will help protect them as they can get scratched fairly easily. The Basic and Metallic sets are both very useful, along with the three panel lining markers.

A decent sketch pad is just better than any notebook or printer paper you probably have lying around.
My favorite pens are these
This particular pack of 4 has different tip sizes. I can use all 4 of them on one good piece. Not use them up, just use each one of them.

If you want to up your game, you can use any kind of graphite pencil (even a regular #2) and some tortillons for shading. It took me a while to brave shading but it was a game changer when I took the leap.

I just pinterest for "Zentangle Patterns" and stick them all on a board and go for it. You'll build off of them and use borders. Where you find empty space, you can just search your board for something that compliments or contrasts and fits your space.

I'm real proud of the ones I've done and get a lot of compliments. I guess it means a lot because I literally can't draw a car or a dog.

I got a nice brush pen for Christmas so I just started getting into it also. While using it, I get the feeling that I don't have to follow all the rules as when using a dip pen. That makes it more creative and fun for me.

Your writing looks great! I cant keep my edges straight as inevitably my pressure is not consistent and therefore the thickness varies much more (but not in a good way).

So yeah, you can draw an eye at a time. That's great, because you took the time to notice what those gooey ocular nerves look like. Now you should buy a sketchbook and a few ink pens to aid your creativity. When I talk about effort, I mean time, dedication, focus, attention to detail.

Starting with a brush pen (fibeliner) will cause you all sorts of headaches. Although a novel way to make different lines and weights, I use it for large features or final touches.

I started with these great Steadler pens and this exact Sketchbook. The pens last me a long time, maybe 6 months of drawing almost every day.

I've drawn for a little more than two years, but have gotten exceptionally better because I bought the appropriate supplies.

After your suggestions my current amazon cart for her is:

Calligraphy: A Beginner's Guide to Pointed Pen and Brush Pen Lettering

Hand Lettering for Relaxation: An Inspirational Workbook for Creating Beautiful Lettered Art

Strathmore 300 Series Drawing Pad, Medium Surface, 9"x12" Glue Bound, 50 Sheets

Rhodia No.16 A5 6 x 8 1/4 80 Sheet, Dot Pad.

Tombow 56191 Advanced Lettering Set.

Pilot Parallel Pen 2-Color Calligraphy Pen Set, with Black and Red Ink Cartridges in 2.4mm Nib size and 3.8mm Nib size with extra 12 assorted colors cartridges and 12 black cartridges. I assume the cartridges are not dependent on nib size as that would be infuriatingly stupid. Only dependent on the brands pen circumference? Correct me if I am wrong on that.

Hopefully that's pretty comprehensive but as far as speedball goes these are the texts I've found:

Speedball Textbook 24th Edition for $8.67.

Speedball Textbook: For Pen and Brush Lettering, 20th Edition for $113.35.

The Speedball Textbook, a comprehensive Guide to Pen and Brush Lettering, 23rd, Twenth-Third Edition for $51.01 new.

Did you have a specific edition in mind? A lot of the ones I'm seeing on amazon vary greatly as shown above.

I've recently gotten into painting Japanese watercolor postcards on etegami paper. Etegami painting is supposed to be a relaxing experience where clumsy is good. Plus, as postcards they're fun to mail to friends and family.

https://www.jetpens.com/Akashiya-Etegami-Postcard-Size-Paper-Gasen-Paper-Pack-of-10-Sheets/pd/4720

(You can get the size you need)
https://www.amazon.com/Kuretake-Picture-Letter-MC20-36V/dp/B001MPA6W4/

For the major borders I used a Medium .7mm and for the stairs and fine details, as well as the crosshatched border a Small .3mm

I use Faber-Castell artist pens. Go through them fairly fast but they give me awesome lines. I just wish the Medium .7mm was actually a .8mm hhahaaha

Here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/Pitt-Artist-Pens-Wallet-Styles/dp/B000TKEZDO

Thank you! I basically copied this post

And yeah, I love a good brush pen. I used the Pilot Pocket Brush Pen.

Alright! Reminds me of the notecard system as well.

Right now I'm using a fountainhead pen with Moleskine pocket notebooks and Leuchtturm A5's (dotted). I never really gave ink/paper longevity a thought. I really like this setup so I'll have to check if it fits your criteria. I really love the 0.2mm Uni-penn (these ones) but I'll be ordering the sakura pens you recommended.

I'm definitely tagging you as the go to archive person in here :D

I use this uni ball set mostly but for these I pretty much used the 0.1mm pen, they're super cheap compared to the other stuff that's out there.

Ever look into getting something more like a pigment pen? I admit, I'm a Pilot G2 guy myself so I am interested in seeing what recommendations there.

Something like the Staedtler or Sakura is what I am referring to. They have a bit more bleed-through if you are writing on standard A4 paper, but when I've had the pleasure of using those types of instruments I am never disappointed.

Thanks! The lines were done with XS Faber-Castell, which utilize India Ink. I love their pens :)

Edit: This is the set I use


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HF562K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_WBH8ybEFZKG9D

You might want to get a black thin tip gundam marker to fill in the lines. Other tools that are helpful are a pair of side cutters for cutting parts off the runners, and some x-acto knifes and sandpaper to get rid of the nubs left from cutting the pieces out. I usually use 800+ grit. A flat top coat can be sprayed on to remove the shine from the kit, and give it a more model like look than something that looks like a toy. Hope this is helpful!

Akashiya Sai Watercolor Brush Pens
I like them over Tombows because I find Tombows harder to control and easy to fray (even with rhodia paper). I really enjoy using brush pens like these with softer bristles :P

Like any hobby the initial cost to start will always be high. You may be tempted to buy cheaper tools but whats the point if you plan on building Gunpla for a while and will end up replacing them. If you only want to build 1-2 kits then you can get away with 2 dollar clippers and a box cutter but it won't give you good results.

Despite the cost these are still the tools I recommend that EVERY Gunpla owner who doesn't plan on painting their kits purchase

A) Tamiya 74035 Sharp pointed side cutters, worth every penny

B) Xuron 410 Side Cutters, very durable at an affordable cost

C) X-Acto X3000, Comfort rubber grip, comes with 2 blades

D) 3 Fine tipped Gundam Markers, Black, Grey and Brown

E) Krylon Acrylic Flat Coat, large can for only $5-6


And that's it.

1. Use the Xuron side cutters to cut the part off the runner. Cut on the fat part (the runner) not the thin part next to the part (the gate). This will decrease the stress on the plastic and will maintain the sharp blade on your more expensive Tamiya side cutters.
   
   2)Use the Tamiya cutters to cut the remaining nub, with practice you can get it practically flush to the part.
   
   
   3)Clean up the nub with a hobby knife. You don't need sandpaper or a file if you did the steps above correctly and the flat coat will mask any scratches.
   
   4)Use the Gundam markers for lining
   
   
2. Apply your sticker (peel one of the corners and then "scoop" and apply it using the hobby knife, no tweezer needed).
   
   6)Finally finish with a top coat
   
   Total cost with amazon prime is $65. Yes the Initial cost is high but the tools above will last you for 20+ kits (you will need to buy more blades and flat coat). If you really can't afford that you can save up for the Tamiya sharp pointed side cutters and use the Xurons in the mean time (you will have more work to do).
   
   So $38-65 initial investment to me is really not that expensive
   

If you really want to kick it up a notch, I recommend getting a nice brush pen. They are awesome for inking drawings. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019Z6SYIE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zUJKAb4ZJ3GDZ

I currently use kuretake watercolors with these brush pens and I think they’re pretty solid. It’s not a huge investment and I think they’re a good starter pack for casual water colorists.

I highly also recommend clipping your pages and having maybe a hair dryer handy so your pages don’t warp from getting too wet.

I'm a pen and ink artist, and [these] (http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Precise-Rolling-Assorted-26015/dp/B000J07E7I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415656843&sr=8-1&keywords=precise+v5+pen) are my weapon of choice, they are perfect. Also [these] (http://www.amazon.com/Faber-Castell-Black-Wallet-Assorted-Pitt/dp/B005HF562K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415656901&sr=8-2&keywords=artist+pen+set) are amazing for mixed media drawings on gesso, I could show you some things I've done with each if you're interested.

Do you have pictures of your stuff? I'm drawing something up for you now!

I have this set and it is amazing.

I also use Pentel brushes to ink my drawings (brushes like these) though I don't know if they come in different shades of black and grey?

If you'd like to see the result of a combination of both pens/brushes, take a look at one of my drawings.

Sakura microns. They’re pretty easy to find at pretty much any art store. I think I’ve even seen them at wal mart before.

https://www.amazon.de/PIGMA-MICRON-Fineliner-Stifte-schwarz/dp/B004AQODNU/ref=mp_s_a_1_2/258-2170369-7779339?ie=UTF8&qid=1550415223&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=microns+pens&dpPl=1&dpID=41Y8DqcgcIL&ref=plSrch

its the tombow "fudenoske" brushpen, i order them from amazon here. its meant for caligraphy but i find it really good for linework, would recommend!

Yeah; don't mess up!

I'm just kidding, I do have an actual tip. Since I don't know your experience level, it might be stuff you know already, sorry if so.

Use pens with different size tips (such as these ) to differentiate different elements, like the outline of the mountains vs the contours of the mountains, and the coastline vs rivers. Start by inking everything but the thinnest lines with a medium size pen, then go over the thicker lines with the thicker pen. This gives you some wiggle room for changing shapes slightly during the inking process, so you're not stuck with the first line you laid down. Then when all of that is done, give it about 10-20 minutes to fully dry and erase your pencil lines gently with a white eraser.

Then go in with your thinnest pen and do the finest lines.

Thanks! I use some paint pens! GSI Creos Gundam Marker Basic Set (6 Markers) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009AFN0S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9qmsDbBKTQP2B

Those are the ones I use. Take some getting used to. So practice on some junk castings first 😆😂

lol I think the same thing every time I see those. It looks like someone ctrl-v'd a generic anime face on the head without bothering to resize it proportionally.

Faber-Castell makes really nice pens though. I use this set.

Not a leftie but I loved these when I started out!

Tombow is my personal favorite!

Or

Prismacolor is a great choice as well

Thanks, I'm glad you like it. Lately I've been making adjustments to my style in order to be a bit more economical. Particularly with the use of line so that I don't need to rely quite so heavily on color in order to add dimension. You can compare it to my current portfolio.

[This] (https://www.amazon.com/Fudenosuke-Brush-Pen-Soft-Black/dp/B019Z6SYIE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1503408160&sr=8-4&keywords=Tombow+brush+pen+soft) is the pen I used for my lines. The color was added in Photoshop.

If you just want to draw on them to add detail I recommend

http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Black-Gundam-Marker/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1422131965&sr=1-1&keywords=gundam+marker&pebp=1422131945212&peasin=B00HY8JI7C

they're designed for use on Gundam models and work great and have a very fine tip. I've used them on other figures before too and had no problems. If you get them just be sure not to touch the marker right away so it doesn't smudge.

They have a silver and a gold as well which work beautifully, I use them for everything with customs. There's other colors available but those have thicker tips so I wouldn't recommend them for fine details.

This pretty much. I started doing the lesson using a ballpoint pen and ran into the same problem regarding the indents being left on the paper. When I was doing ghosting lines it really started to become apparent that I should pick up a fineliner. Whenever I would use a ruler to make my first line it would leave an indent in the paper, so whenever I would do superimposing lines I was never sure if I was actually drawing my lines as straight as I was or if my hand was just trailing along the indentation left on the paper.

I'm currently using a Staedtler Pigment Liner that I bought from Amazon for $10.72, I'd recommend it.

MyLifeUNIT pen set is my favor，just $5.95!! These pens are amazing. I use them from writing to outlining drawings to adding color. This brings my notes to life and is easier for me to see my notes from a distance.

https://www.amazon.com/MyLifeUNIT-Fineliner-Colored-Drawing-Assorted/dp/B01H5FYNX2

If you don't already have a proper tool kit like This you'll want to get one, when i first started i just used household tools like scissors and my kit's came out horrible with nub marks all over the place. The file or some sandpaper will work wonders to remove those. You'll also want a panel line marker like This they come in different colors so look around to get the one that matches the model your working on, adding panel lines alone greatly improves the look of the model. After you have the nub mark removal and panel lining down the sky is the limit you can dabble in custom painting or try your hand at kitbashing custom models. Research each thoroughly before trying them and expect a lot of errors at first if you try those.

So i just got back from Asia and got a haul of HG and one RG and MG. I'm just getting back into Gunpla after a 10~year hiatus, and want to take a step up in to beginner level painting/panel lining/etc instead of just straight builds.

Some 1/144s I got that I want to start working on:
HGBF X-1 FullCloth (the one Lucas used in BFT)
V2 AB
HG Wing0
HGBF Wing Honoo? (Its a red.... Wing gundam?)
HD X Divider

I dont know the first thing about painting, and have watched some tutorials here and on youtube.

1. Will the Gundam Colour markers be enough for beginner level of painting and cover most generic colours? I do have painting brushes/trays from my wife's painting tools.
   
   Gundam Marker basic set
   
   Gundam Marker Metallic
   
   
2. I also brought a... thickish? panel line marker instead of a fine tip one. I think its GM301/302 or something. Lets just say i made a mess trying to panel line a SD (Gundam Base limited Musha Godmaru if that matters? ver Clear colour). Is this not used for panel lining? I bought this with recommendation from the staff at Tokyo Gundam Base (using Google Translate...)
   
   
3. I randomly bought a Gloss spray from a shop in Akihabara? I believe that is branded Mr.Hobby? Should it be used because i paint/panel line? I've seen some say before but some also after? or should a gloss coat be done with paint instead of spray?
   
   
4. I browsed around the web and see a "add-on" for HG V2 with the Wings of light effect, but can't seem to find it anywhere? Is there a way I can purchase this? I live in Canada Toronto if that matters.
   
   Thanks in advance for the random questions.

Depends on the size. A size '01' is .25mm which is fine for most of the smaller panel lines. There is a size '005' which is .2mm and if you can find one, it's more versatile than the 01.

My son started panel lining with markers and honestly, my set of Liners work just as well as the different brand name markers he has for much cheaper.

The new hotness though is using Tamiya wash and an extra fine nib in a fountain pen holder. Panel lining with a wash (premade or lacquer-based DIY wash) is a whole new world.

I recommend getting pigma microns they're the best imo. I use them for most of my line work. However, for practice and getting your technique down, I use uni pin

So this was my first gunpla! I got impatient waiting for my gundam markers to come in (which are taking forever!) so i decided to try my hand at lining and using the decals. I wanted to put one i cared a little less about before i put together my SD Freedom Gundam. I was thinking about doing Freedom with some orange instead of blue (maybe), but wasn't sure how to do a metallic-ish orange without an airbrush :P

Thanks :D

It's made with a Tombow WS-BS Brush Pen Fudenosuke, soft tip.

I love that pen! And they have one with hard tip as well- that one is just as good but for smaller writing/ drawing.

I really like these artist pens have some in black and some in grey. Feels more authoritative then pencil and you can get a nice sense of tone with the greys.

Panel lining. Use a very fine-tip paint marker, like this; brush on inks; or even really, really, really thinned down paints. Use it to pick out the separations between the toy vehicle's molded in body panels, hatches, and doors. Really helps make them "pop."


https://preview.redd.it/8n8h1p3x9ef11.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=0800dd71f8a56bed87de388256da7f86e8f9e574

I use http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001DMO8ZW/ - a Kuratake Sumi Brush Pen

I very rarely write, and don't really spend any time learning to write, but when the urge does strike me, I'm very happy with the kuratake

It's called a brush pen! I'm a big fan of Tombow's double sided brush pens - one side is small like the one I used in this thanks post and the other side is larger, which I also use for brush lettering! This exact one is here!

I've tried a lot of the pens out there. When I was starting out, stiffer pens like the pentel fude pens, Kuretake Fudegokochi, Zebra Fude, or some of the finer tombow were much easier to control. Later I branched out to larger tips like Ecoline, the Tombow dual-tips and the Kuretake Fudebiyori (and a bunch of other random pen types!) but those smaller, stiffer pens remain my recommendation for beginners.

Otherwise a black fine tip gundam maker would also work, such as this!

Granted the link I sent you is the US Amazon site, but I've used it on my own Petitgguys with nothing more than a bit of over drawing that is easily cleaned up with a cotton swab.

I recommend taking a trip down to a local hobby store that sells gunpla- I've found that (at least for mine) it's usually cheaper and can have kits that aren't available online. You can also improve your build with some panel lining- using one of these (or a marker of your choice) along lines in the design to make it look as though 2 panels are separated.

I see you have a bunch of Pigma Micron pens there. I used to use them heavily. Have you ever considered buying a nice set of Rapidographs? They are a bitch to clean if you don't take care of them properly, but they are SO worth the cost savings and the accuracy. Plus you can get them cheap on eBay.

Pilot G2 pens.
I just bought these pens back in March and they're really good quality fine felt tip pens.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H5FYNX2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Kuretake Bimoji Brush Pen, Extra Fine, Fine, Midium, Broad, Midium/Bristles, Value Set of 5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y138TX3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xJYzDbSWXHGSG
You can also get them at hobby lobby.

Kuretake Bimoji Brush Pen, Extra Fine, Fine, Midium, Broad, Midium/Bristles, Value Set of 5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y138TX3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_a.MNDbFWFE77Y

Copic Marker Copic Sketch Markers, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QWZUE2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_W.MNDbJWEH05A

Copic Markers 9-Piece Multiliner Inking Pen Set B-2, Black (MLB2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MRSUZ8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lbNNDbWSWT67K

This is what I got. They shake like paint pens do, so I figured they were the same.

Thank you.

What is the purpose of the yellow, red and blue pens if you are just going to use the grey, black and brown ones?

Nice! Can't wait to see it decaled.

You can either mask it off with Tamiya masking tape (they do curved tape too), paint very carefully with a thin brush, or use a Gundam lining marker pen to do it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GSI-Creos-GM01-Black-Fine/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=sr_1_1?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1483116413&sr=1-1&keywords=gundam+pen

Hi. 2 questions.

1). Are these kits all legit/genuine gunpla, or are there any knock offs/bootlegs?


2). If i panel line with this do I need a top coat? Ive heard it dries and ive heard it doesnt and needs top coat.

Thanks

If you wish to use markers for panel lining, you will want a fine tip pen such as:

https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Black-Gundam-Marker/dp/B00HY8JI7C

It's a staedtler pigment liner. They come in packs from 0.05 to 0.8. I use them all the time, perfect for tiny details

Get yourself a pack of good ol' Staedtler pigment liners. You can't go wrong. Link for reference: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004L87XRA/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1492185452&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=staedtler&dpPl=1&dpID=51U5RvwpsEL&ref=plSrch

I have these

Masking fluid is used to cover the spots you want to keep white in a painting. You put the masking fluid on those spots and once its dry you can paint over it then when the paint is dry again you rub off the masked bits with an eraser and TA DA! It’s really cool!

Clarify please. Are you talking about the Pentel Aquash brushes? Or the Pentel Color brushes? Or neither?

thanks! i used a set of fineliners on regular paper, staedtler i think, black. let's see, i think it's these;

http://www.amazon.com/Staedtler-Pigment-Sketch-Regular-308SB6P/dp/B004L87XRA/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1374696986&sr=8-14&keywords=staedtler+fineliner

Oh, thank you! Any other advice? I have seen this http://www.amazon.com/Rapidograph-7-Pen-Tech-Pen-Set/dp/B000WRZC5O/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426361542&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=architecture+rapidographs and this http://www.ebay.com/itm/STAEDTLER-MARS-MATIC-700-SET-9-TECHNICAL-PENS-013-018-025-035-05-07-10-14-20-/161618671290

Hey everyone!

I'm as new as it gets. So, I made a shopping list after doing some research on everything that I think I need to start. I'll place the links to all the items in the lines below. Everything is on Amazon because... well why not?

Gundam

Glue

Marker

Tweezers

Knife

Cutters

Mat

More Markers!

*Krylon Matte Finish

Am I missing anything?

I use gundam panel lining pens, like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=twister_B01N8TDZIM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 - black

https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Point-Gundam-Marker/dp/B006B3YYZM/ref=pd_bxgy_21_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B006B3YYZM&pd_rd_r=WF27RX3KPCKMWVEPFH2E&pd_rd_w=5XjyC&pd_rd_wg=XTRl0&psc=1&refRID=WF27RX3KPCKMWVEPFH2E - grey

Thank you, which markers should I pick up? these?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009AFN0S/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A9Q1SRRTDFE7O

If you don't want to mess around with ink, I'd recommend the Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens. http://amzn.com/B000TKEZDO

GM01 Black Fine Line https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_eExyybGVJ187W

Gundam Marker GM02 Gray Fine Tip GUNPLA https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006B3YYZM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RHxyybAA0VTDA

Grey on white and light colours black on darker colours

CROCODILE DUNDEE!!!!! :D Now that's a knife!

Dude. Big Trouble In Little China on the big screen is awesomesauce. Resevoir Dogs is another good one of mine.

Baby Bunnies. Precious. Baby. Bunnies. Cuteness. Precious. Darlings. Sweethearts!

Pens to draw bunnies!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3BUNNAHZZZZZ<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

It's a Pentel brush pen, but it's their color brush pen (this one) instead of the pocket brush pen. The color brush has water-soluable ink, so after I'm done with the drawing I go back in with water to dissolve some of the lines and create the grays.

I bought a [Tamiya tool set] (https://www.amazon.com/Tamiya-Basic-Tool-Horizon-Hobby/dp/B000BMYWXI) like a decade a ago and I still use the side cutter and blade. I am not use to hobby knives, so I cut the nub far from the piece and then use the slide knife in that set to remove the remaining nub. I'm just more comfortable with that than I am with hobby knives. And then if there are still white stress marks, run over it with your fingernail. It works, don't know the chemistry or physics behind it. Get a [gundam marker lining pen thing] (https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Black-Gundam-Marker/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=pd_lpo_21_lp_t_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P3JJW08V8MEW95H7MR8M). You can use other fine tipped marker, different colors, etc, but your mileage may vary.

Might this be something like you were talking about?

https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Gundam-Marker-Markers/dp/B0009AFN0S

A general pack like this, is a good starting point. If at some point you need a color outside of that set, try searching for an apporpriate color through hobbywave, or robot4less.

http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Creos-Gundam-Marker-Markers/dp/B0009AFN0S/ref=cm_lmf_tit_6


You can also use one of these for panel lining:

http://www.amazon.com/Gundam-GM01-Black-Fine-Line/dp/B0027ORJ10/ref=pd_sim_t_4

Looks like a Pilot Fude Brush Pen Kofude. Recognized it from my old set.

I bought the set of gundam markers in the link below. However, when I tried to apply the gray, the gray looked darker than the gray from the runner. I smeared it to give it a feather effect but it was still too dark to be the same color. Am I suppose to let it dry first and then it would be the same shade of gray?

Also, this shade of gray of course only works of the darker one. What color is the one from the legs? Can't be th white one.... can it?

Lastly, is there a marker for epyon's color scheme if I want to continue with this method for epyon?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009AFN0S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got a full set of Akashiya Sai watercolor pens for Christmas, actually. They're nice, deep colors, and have no odor.

I've only gotten ever gotten black Microns, though. I've got all 30 of the fineliners, so I don't have a lot of interest in anything but maybe the blue or blue-black for work (and I have G2's and Precise V7's for that).

Here's the Amazon link!

GSI Creos Black Fine Point Gundam Marker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HY8JI7C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_w8YVDbZW4ESJD

Heres a link to the pens. I bought it off of amazon. I use the superfine size normally. Faber-Castell PITT Artists' Pen Set Black. https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000TKEZDO/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_DN1czb14KM9FM

These were Faber Castell Pitt pens, 4 pack from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TKEZDO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_LuF7AbF24XN09)

cheesecake all day everyday

My favourite dessert are profiteroles mmmmmmmmmmm.

Item under $15

I buy mine from Kinokuniya bookstore. You can get them from amazon, jetpens, ebay..pretty much everywhere. Not sure if the artist uses the same but it's at least similar, I think.

https://www.amazon.com/Sakura-50025-Pigma-Professional-2-Pack/dp/B00THY7BGQ

I think this is similar to the one that rokbound uses: https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Color-Brush-Black-GFLBP101/dp/B002PIFTRE

Here's the basic set that is associated to the classic Gundam colors. There are many more sets that you can buy if you are willing to search around for them.

Draw stuff! That's what I did when my internet was out for a whole week.

Tomorrow, 9AM.

Linky

actually that was the brand of paper I got


my paints are Japanese

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kuretake-Gansai-Japanese-Watercolour-Paints/dp/B001MPA6W4

Pinselstifte brauchen normalerweise keine Tusche oder Tinte mehr.

At this moment I'm using Kuretake 36 colour set. https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001MPA6W4/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_W0EBCb4TNW996

Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph Pen and Ink Set, 7 Assorted Pen Nibs and .75 oz. Bottle of Ultradraw Black Ink, 1 Set Each (3165SP7P) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WRZC5O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JUlJBbSN17T1S

These Akashiya Sai Brush Pens!

Staedtler Pigment Liner I believe is what is being used.

Edit: Kiket to liner.

yea me to so far... thinking about getting some
Staedtler 308 SB6P Pigment Liner Fineliner's though as they seem to be smaller (in nib width)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004L87XRA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

The regular Staedler fineliners run, but their "pigment" liners don't.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004L87XRA/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467672443&sr=sr-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Staedtler

Behold

I'm using the Black Gundam Marker. I did a lot of cleaning on the kit when I messed up but I just couldn't get it right. My main issue was that I made sure to do it lightly but it went on so thick, and I always have shaky hands so that never helped the situation.

EDIT: This is the marker I use http://www.amazon.co.uk/GSI-Creos-GM01-Black-Fine/dp/B00HY8JI7C

Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens

They go easily over acrylic paint and make really smooth lines. Lots of painters who do black outlines use them because they are more exact. I use the "brush" one and the others are good for smaller projects or watercolors. I would not recommend using anything other than the brush-tip one for paintings because the tips are too hard and much gouge the paint or ruin your pen tip.

Cut with these

Sand with this

Fill in stressed plastic with these

Sieht nach typischen Pigment Linern aus, kann die von Staedtler empfehlen. Das Skizzenbuch sieht nach nem klassischen Moleskine oder Leuchtturm 1917 aus