Paintbrushes

[Ethan]

I have started my first model, the 1:100 H.M.S. VICTORY, and need to get some detailed brushes for oil painting. It would also help if anyone has any tips as I am very new to models.

Any help is appreciated!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ~Ethan

[Bob Cleek]

Check out the tiny brushes now sold by the cosmetics stores for painting those fancy fingernails that are in style now. There are a million of them offered on eBay. They're cheap enough to be considered disposable. 

[wefalck]

Each brush has its particular use and purpose. Perhaps it would be useful to study the use of brushes on a Web-site that introduces into painting. There are also many sites on painting plastic models that provide introductions.

 

Having said that, the preferred tool for painting larger uniform surfaces today are not brushes, but an air-brush. I believe so-called double-action air-brushes and a suitable compressor can be had for 100€ or even less.

 

My preferred brushes for small details are so-called 'spotters'. These are short-haired, stiff hair-brushes, not bristle-brushes. They come in different sizes. It is better not to chose a too small size for working with acrylics, as these will take up less paint and in consequence dry out faster, so that one has to work fast. When using oils, this is not a problem.

 

Applying acrylics smoothly over a larger area can be challenge due to the fast drying. I tend to air-brush the larger areas and then work in the details and washes etc. with brushes. For washes I use the paints pre-thinned for air-brushing for convenience sake.

 

Some people also use very successfulle mixed techniques, i.e. the apply oil-colour detailing and washes over an acrylic underpaint. Very subtle effects can be achieved in this way, but as said above, drying times are long. When one layer of oils is not thoroughly dried, the following layer is going to be re-dissolved by the medium, i.e. the turpentine, of the next. Drying times can reach from days (for 'lean' paints) to weeks (for 'fat' paints).

[Ethan]

Thank you for the help!