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Tipping Scales With Paint Markers

Discussion in 'Fish Taxidermy' started by RTF, Sep 17, 2016.

  1. Sep 17, 2016 #1
    RTF

    RTF Active Member

    2,550
    4
    Cooperstown, NY
    Is it just me or does every paint marker go to shit I pick up. Doesn't matter what brand or what color. I'm 3/4 the way through scale tipping on a brown trout and all of sudden the pen doesn't want to function normal anymore. Shake, press down, paint begins to flow but wont flow all the way to the tip. The all of a sudden one big blob. I seem to fight and fight with these pens all the time! Ugh!.
     
  3. Sep 18, 2016 #2
    Cecil

    Cecil Well-Known Member

    13,829
    708
    Ligonier, Indiana
    I think one is better off using brushes and paint. I never liked the pens.
     

  5. Sep 18, 2016 #3
    RTF

    RTF Active Member

    2,550
    4
    Cooperstown, NY
    The pen tip is what I like and I get better control when tipping. Much cleaner and much crisper scale. The ink within is nothing more then metallic hobby paint as far as I'm concerned. I gave up yesterday fighting the pens. What I did was just release a glob of ink onto a paper plate from the pen. Then just dipped the tip of the pen into the silver ink and went at it. It worked out well and I didn't have to worry about a big glob of ink/paint dropping onto the fish while doing it the conventional way. Kind of like going back to the pen and ink well days.
     
  6. Sep 21, 2016 #4
    torka

    torka Member

    116
    0
    I would try soaking the tip of the pen in some solvent. might work. or do it periodically as you are using them to maybe flush the drying paint.
     
  7. Oct 16, 2016 #5
    TroutScout

    TroutScout New Member

    8
    0
    When the tip starts to clog and makes big drops of paint you can pull the felt tip out of the pen and reverse it, the opposite end of the felt tip will be like new and work until it clogs, then reverse it again, and so on. Be careful to hold the pen upright so it doesn't spill during the exchange. Use a needle nose or paper towel to hold the tip during the swap.
     
  8. Oct 17, 2016 #6
    JL

    JL Taxidermist for 64 years

    2,396
    229
    New Hampshire
    Why not just put hobby paint on a plate and use the pen tip if that's what you like. or use the paint and a trimmed toothpick as an applicator?
     
  9. Oct 17, 2016 #7
    den007

    den007 Active Member

    3,467
    15
    Any felt tip pen is too hardsh for my taste. Diluted paint, paint plus metallic powder, whatever applied with a brush is a better option.
     
  10. Oct 18, 2016 #8
    FishArt

    FishArt Well-Known Member

    10,593
    1,072
    Illinois
    CJ if you like the control of pens, depending on the color needed and application you can also use colored pencils with the tip dipped in water often to magnify the intensity of just tipping "dry" with pencils. Letting the water bead a little to hide any pencil marks. I oftentimes create the spots on many species with this method as well. Just an FYI if you're not already using this method it may be something you'd like to give a try. Good luck!
     
  11. Oct 23, 2016 #9
    RTF

    RTF Active Member

    2,550
    4
    Cooperstown, NY
    Thanks FishArt for that tip. I was scale tipping a brown with silver metallic at the time this thread was written. I went out and stocked up on pens to say the least. I also use water color pencils too.
     
  12. Oct 24, 2016 #10
    JUSTFISH

    JUSTFISH Active Member

    1,044
    0
    Northeast Pennsylvania
    I found the refillable ones to be better than the others. You can put thinned down liquid scales or a concoction of your own.
    http://artprimo.com/catalog/art-primo-hitngo-2mm-empty-marker-p-4467.html