REAL COLOR MARKERS: Tips and Tricks

REAL COLOR MARKERS: Your Mileage May Vary

Are you curious about using solvent-based REAL COLOR markers on your scale models? Here’s what you need to know:

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Managing Expectations

✅ Marker Highlights

• High-pigment, matte formula (some hues lean toward satin)
• Solvent-based for zero smudging or reactivation

🎨 Perfect For

• Accessories & small details
• Cockpits, wheels, interiors, tiny vehicles
• tools and accessories

🔮 Miniature & Fantasy Figures

• Fine Detail & Highlights: Pick out eyes, runes, and straps with surgical precision—no brush required.
• Layered Effects: Build up glows and magical auras by lightly stippling successive layers.
• Weathering & Wear: Add chipped armour, battle scars, or blood spatters right out of the pen.
• Colour Blends: While full wet-blend isn’t possible, you can feather two adjacent tones by quickly layering one over the other and then softening the transition with a light dab of dry pigment or AK Weathering Pencils.
• Tip: For metallics or shimmering finishes, draw your base metallic with the marker, then damp dry-brush a complementary traditional paint to catch the edges.

🚫 Not a Paint Replacement

• You can’t wet-blend, feather, or dry-brush like with traditional paint
• Tip: For vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges, pre-prime with white to boost saturation

🔄 Layering & Coverage

• Apply a second coat almost immediately
• Light colours may need extra passes (especially over dark surfaces)
• Dark colours will cover more opaquely

🛡️ Durability

• Each marker delivers roughly 60–70 meters of “writing”
• Paint over marker work without worry—great for crisp camo edges, mottling, or quick touch-ups

🖌️ Tips & Tricks

1. Full-kit hack: When you just need “one more little detail,” grab your marker—paint, weather, and you’re done in minutes!
2. Finish your way: Seal with any matte, satin, or gloss varnish to match your project’s look.

💡 Quick, precise, and portable—REAL COLOR markers can be the perfect last-mile tool in your modelling arsenal!

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Key Point Takeaway

• High-Pigment, Solvent-Based Markers: Offer matte (sometimes satin) coverage with no smudging or reactivation.
• Ideal for Small Details: Perfect for accessories, cockpits, wheel hubs, and tight spots where precision matters.
• Not a Full-Scale Paint Substitute: Lacks capabilities like wet blending, feathering, and dry brushing—use traditional paints for large areas and advanced techniques.
• Pre-Prime for Vibrancy: Apply a white undercoat for true-to-tone reds, yellows, and oranges.
• Quick Layering: Second coats can go on immediately; light colours may need extra passes, darks cover more opaquely.
• Long-Lasting & Durable: Each marker yields approximately 60–70 meters of coverage and can be overpainted without disturbing underlying work—ideal for crisp camo edges and touch-ups.
• Finish with Varnish: Seal your work with matte, satin, or gloss varnish to achieve the desired final look.

Use REAL COLOR markers as your fast, precise, “last-mile” tool to add that final flourish without breaking out the airbrush!

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Details in a stroke,
Solvent ink flows, sharp and bold—
Models come to life.