What’s next to step up my painting?

[Desertanimal]

So far I’ve built the model shipways dory and I’m currently painting the sailing pram. I’ve only used the model shipways paint with mediocre brushes. 
The pram paint job is way better than the dory. I attribute that to prep. Good sanding, filling etc. 

What would be the next step up, short of an airbrush? Good brushes is handled, I’m more thinking of paint. Does this paint work better thinned? Is it simply not the best quality? What is? 
Is an airbrush simply the best way to go? 
I obviously wouldn’t have brush marks any more. Is that what I’m striving for or do the brush marks lend a sense of scale?

(I’ve picked through the pinned tips post and will continue reading it.)

 Thanks for your input!

 Chris

 

 eta. I also don’t really have a lot of comparison information. You don’t see many paint close ups on beginner build logs… 

Good reference books on finishing?

Edited May 27 by Desertanimal

[GrandpaPhil]

I would YouTube miniature painting tutorials.

 

I personally use regular craft paint on my models, utilizing conventional wargaming or DnD miniature painting techniques.

 

All of mine are brush painted.

Edited May 27 by GrandpaPhil

[thibaultron]

Fine Scale Modeler just published a Figure Painting special Issue. It has been about a month, but it may still be available.

[Thukydides]

14 hours ago, Desertanimal said:

So far I’ve built the model shipways dory and I’m currently painting the sailing pram. I’ve only used the model shipways paint with mediocre brushes. 
The pram paint job is way better than the dory. I attribute that to prep. Good sanding, filling etc. 

What would be the next step up, short of an airbrush? Good brushes is handled, I’m more thinking of paint. Does this paint work better thinned? Is it simply not the best quality? What is? 
Is an airbrush simply the best way to go? 
I obviously wouldn’t have brush marks any more. Is that what I’m striving for or do the brush marks lend a sense of scale?

(I’ve picked through the pinned tips post and will continue reading it.)

 Thanks for your input!

 Chris

 

 eta. I also don’t really have a lot of comparison information. You don’t see many paint close ups on beginner build logs… 

Good reference books on finishing?

So this is a pretty complicated question. It sort of depends what you are looking to achieve. However here are a few things that might help you:

1. As others have suggested there are lots of youtube videos aimed at all skill levels. I would suggest searching for "intro to miniature painting" or something similar.
2. Airbrushing is its own thing, with its own set of challenges and skills to learn. You can get smooth transition with no brush strokes with a brush. They are just different tools and mostly airbrushing allows you to save a bit of time if you are trying to do a whole bunch of stuff at once, but there is a significant investment both in money and time to learn how to use them properly.
3. I did a presentations at MSON and MSWWNY talking about how painting can be used to enhance ship models earlier this year, if you are interested send me a PM and I can send you a copy of it. It is aimed at trying to broadly introduce painting to those not so familiar with it.
4. If you are interested in the detailed application of painting to ships there are a lot of logs (particularly in the modern section of the build logs) where people are painting plastic ships. Alternatively if you want to see some up close pictures of painting applied to an 18th century vessel, I cover a bunch of my work and painting philosophy in my Alert log.

[Ian_Grant]

12 hours ago, thibaultron said:

Fine Scale Modeler just published a Figure Painting special Issue. It has been about a month, but it may still be available.

Yes, I saw that in Chapters. Incredible painting job on a small bust of Napoleon even including his five o'clock shadow.

Model painting has come a long way since I made plastic airplanes as a kid; as far as I can see the typical model now has about 15 spray coats of paint for various purposes.

Edited May 27 by Ian_Grant