is there any shame in brush painting? i dont like using airbrush's i know they can give a better finish though at times. has any1 got any tips with brush painting?

James

I'm not ashamed to be a brush painter. I haven't figured out how to do soft edge camo yet, and I still leave brush marks, but it is what I like to do. Use a good quality paint. Pollyscale works for me. I have read that Vallejo colors are excellent for brush painting. Others have commented on Humbrol being good as well. For very small projects like figures and tools and such Tamiya is ok, but it has to be thinned. Tamiya thinner or 91% rubbing alcohol work fine, as does window cleaner (Windex here in the US.) Use good quality brushes. Artist brushes are best. Keep them clean. Let the paint dry before painting over it so you don't mess it up. Lots of folks brush paint here and they will have a lot of tips and techniques as well. Good luck.

thank you for your reply! should paint be thinned before you brush it on or is it ok straight from the tin?

no ofcourse there is no shame. I have an AB because it is very handy, but when brush painting is quicker or gives better results I take a normal brush. Especially when I build ships it gives far better results and saves a lot of time.

The only real advantage of an AB is that the layer of paint is very thin so tiny details don't get lost. Better finish, I think not. It depends on the person doing the job. I've seen handpainted models that were absolutely great.

Brush painting has a few basic rules:

1) priming the surface improves results a lot (although Humbrol does not seem to need it)
2) work in multiple thin layers. This is always better than 1 thick layer
3) once the paint is on, brush it even on the surface and don't touch it anymore till it's dry. If the result is still a bit rough, you can always wet-sand as a last option.
4) stir the paint well, when you think it is mixed well, mix for another minute I would say.
5) Treat your brushes well. Clean them out well and wash them with soap or shampoo (not kidding here)
6) brush painting in hot weather can ruin your day. The paint dries too quickly to give good results (at least that is my experience)

I am sure there are people around here that have more helpful tips..

Matthijs

I only use a brush. There's nothing wrong with it... Everything here was done with a brush: http://s213.photobucket.com/albums/cc69/35th-scale/Models/

I agree with what all the others said and will add a few:

Have lots of brushes of different shapes and sizes. Keep them clean and don't let paint dry on them. If your using enamels that's usually not a problem as it takes so long to try. I've personally found that brushes and acrylics don't go great together. (toothpicks can also be used for real tiny parts!)

Thin paint first or not? That depends on what you're painting and the paint itself. You'll know if the paint seems too thick. For large areas, such as doing the base colour on a full kit I normaly do it first un-thinned then when dry give it a lightly applied coat of well thinned paint to cover any brush marks.

Cheers,
Sean

thanks for the replys guys, i now know i can brush paint with confidence knowing its not going to be frowned on!!

James

James,who cares if anybody frowns upon you for painting by brush?You build and paint for you,don't you? You are happy with the results? Then that's all that matters,right?
I use spray cans and hand brush for my efforts. Life is simple and pleasing in that respect....
Cheers!
Rick

Hey James !

Rick is right , who cares whether you brush paint . Your choice and if you are happy that all that matters in the end .

I still do lot's of brush painting as well . All of interior work in aircraft is brush painted and all smaller detail . I do use a airbrush for the out side camo and different effects ( WW1 ) . Even the odd spary can every now and then ,

Polly scale paint is the best in my books .

When using acrylics have a small dish of clean thinner and dip your brush in it when the bristol start to dry . This will help keep it " wet " and get better paint flow . Even stopping every now and then and clean the brush if you have too .

as long as your base coat is consitant bp is fine, i bp.
this is brush painted, you just need to use 2-3 thin coats,

Would folks here say that this applied for 1/72 scale too? Or is it harder to get a good brush finish in small scale?

I actually brush paint more than I use the AB, as it is much more convenient. I only use Acrylics, and the 'secret' is in thinning the paint, and using a good primer coat, and using quality brushes.

Apply a good primer coat, most car part shops sell automotive primer that is perfect for the job. You can spray it straight from the can. Just make sure it is not a cellulose based primer.
The primer coat makes applying the acrylic paint a breeze, and ensures both a trouble free first coat of paint, as well as a good undercoat to use for shading. I'll explain in a moment...

Thin your paint. 50/50 is a good start, but it depends on your paint, the relative humidity in your environment, and the effect that you are after. Using multiple thin layers (and we can talk about as many as 15 ...) of subtly darkened paint will add depth to your finish. Thin paint and good brushes equal a brush stroke free finish.

Brushes. You need quality brushes. Buy the most expensive that you can afford, and look after them. Clean them during your painting session, as well as after. Try not to get paint in the brush were the hairs enter the ferrule, as that will ruin the shape of the brush, and is almost impossible to clean. Buy larger brushes with a long taper into a fine tip, as they last longer, and the tip is what counts, not the size of the brush. a no. 1 or even 2 brush will paint small details as well as a 000 brush, but the 1 or 2 will last longer.
You will also need flat brushes, for larger surfaces. You'll be surprised how quick you can paint a 1/35 tank with a 6mm flat brush.
Windsor & Newton are good brushes, but my favourite line has been discontinued. If you are serious about brush painting, and have the money, try Isabey brushes. Expensive but very good..

Henk

Hi guys, I have only just moved onto airbrushing, I only use it on a limited basis. I feel weathering and washes help brush painting.

that looks awsome mate! i've started to do a thin coat on my 1/72 BF109G-14 so should look good afterwards!

Another important point to note when brush painting with acrylics. Allow sufficient time for your previous coat to cure before overpainting. Acrylics (especially Tamiya/Gunze) can appear to dry in minutes, but can take 24 hours or more to fully harden (cure). In the first few hours, they may appear dry (and "dry" they are), but are still actually quite soft. Over-paint too early (esp. with Tamiya or Gunze) and you will pull up the underlying coat in big ugly lumps.

I fully agree about using quality brushes. It's often said that "a bad craftsman blames his tools" - in the case of paintbrushes, a good quality paintbrush does make all the difference.