Drybrushing

[urbanknight]

I know its generally an easy to pick up skill apparently but for some reason it is the hardest thing for me to do without leaving uneven gobs of paint where I don't want them to go... Shading, highlighting washing and burnishing hell even faces are no problem for me but for some reason the proper drybrushing technique always escapes me... if one of you drybrushing guru's have any pointers or personal tips I would be incredibly grateful since drybrushing seems to be part of my path to getting what I have to look like my mental picture...

-B

[AKM]

It's funny that you have no pb highlighting but that you can't drybrush.

Here are some tips:

Make sure the paint you use is not too liquid. GW paints are pretty solid, some from other brands may be quite liquid. If necessary, let it dry on some newspaper first.

always use as little paint as possible: dry your brush with a piece of fabric or a paper napkin. Newspaper is not absorbent enough.

Use light strokes so that little paint goes on the model: it's always easier to add some later than to remove.

Use drybrush only when adapted: faces are usually too small for a good drybrush, except for some "strongly cut" faces such as orks. Drybrushing works best on surfaces like fur or chainmail armor. It works ok on surfaces like muscular arms, robes, or other areas with deep recesses. It does not work well on regular surfaces, like say SM armor.

To smooth out the results of your drybrushing, especially on regular surfaces, use a coat of diluted ink afterwards.

Hope it helps!

[urbanknight]

just as clarification; You generally go parallel or perpedicular to the edge of the raised surface you are working on?

[slorak]

Just out of curiosity what are you trying to drybrush? Drybrushing is generally regarded as a beginner tool as it is one of the easier methods to use. If you are proficient with layering that is generally the way to go. Usually with drybrushing it leaves a chalky irregular look.

That said drybrshing definitely has its uses. I use it predominantly to paint rock. I will usually base coat and ink the surface and then go back over it by drybrushing lighter colors.

I think the key to drybrushing is to use a flat brush, get most of the paint off (where it only leaves a faint trail of paint), and to use light strokes. For the most part it doesn't matter which direction you drag the brush across but rather that you get it where you want it. Meaning - usually you are drybrushing lighter colors which in general suggest where light is hitting. So usually you will not drybrush a spot below where you want the light source to come from.

Cheers,

-Mike

[urbanknight]

Well I have had more success with Washing and highlighting generally speaking I'm just working on a Dark Angels army, I'll post some pics if I can get pics good enough... I guess I'm just new to the painting thing and while what I have done so far looks pretty good to me I know there are many areas where I can improve... for some reason though drybrushing seems to be a fairly general pain in the @$$ for me.

[slorak]

Like I said - try a flat brush (rather than a round bristle brush) and make sure there is hardly any paint coming off the brush. What you can do is dab it in the paint and drag it across a paper towel until it leaves only a faint trail of paint.

Light brush strokes are very important as well. It is much better to have to go over an area several times than press too hard and get too much paint over a single pass.

I still think you will get a better overall look by washes, highlights, and general layering than you will get with drybrushing. Drybrushing in general tends to be uneven and will usually leave a chalky appearance. Usually the effort of getting a smooth transition of drybrushing (which is possible) is greater than simply highlighting and blending the layers.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

-Mike

[Andusciassus]

Drybrushing is a great technique in some cases, as stated earlier the dryer the brush the better the result. I use it almost only when painting metal. If you are patient and use a dry brush- like when you think you'll have to get new paint dry- that has rather stiff bristles(?spelling?)-hairs you are just about right to start the brushing.
If you do this with boltgun metal on a black area you could get a surface that will have some "mirroring" (is that a word) qualities.

When I get my hands on that digicam again I'll post some pics on my tanks

[urbanknight]

appreciate all the help so far... I put a few pics of my latest in the gallery under space marines Its a sniper scout, the pics arent great but it should give you an idea...

[urbanknight]

http://www.librarium-online.com/gall...erscout012.jpg

ok posted a few of my latest in 40k/space marines

[Andusciassus]

Would love to see them, but they are not there. Try again please.