Wulf Vengis Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 (edited) A lot has changed since the last time i painted anything. There are so many more brushes then i remember. A time was you could go into your local model shop and say "you there!" "Uh yes sir?" "I find myself in need of a new brush. What have you to offer a fine painter such as myself?" "Well uh, what kind of models are looking to paint?" "Why, the glorious models of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 range of infantry, monsters and machines of course! Are there any others?" "Hm, alright and uh, what scale are these models?" "Well of course they're cast in 28mm heroic scale, allowing the designers to craft only the most detailed models since 1981." "Right, yeah? Uhm, I've got three brushes you might find useful for that range; a fine detail, a medium detail and a dry brush." "Hm." "Oh, you can also use the dry brush for basing." "Mm, oh? Alright, I'll take the medium and fine detail brushes today lad. Thank you, you've been more than helpful." "No problem." "I'll be sure to leave a good word with your manager when next we meet." "Uh, thanks?" "Have a pleasant day and good tidings young man." Then you'd leave go home and start painting... Look the tl/dr is this: I just need a good general purpose brush that i can also use for fine detail. Edited November 2, 2019 by Wulf Vengis Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fajita Fan Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Are you good at taking care of brushes? You’re going to get a whole bunch of recommendations and none of them will help until you learn to clean brushes. I bought the fancy GW set about 10 years ago with the brown handles and promptly ruined them by not cleaning them. If you don’t have experience with cleaning and caring for brushes then I’d get some cheaper watercolor brushes from a craft store and Masters brush soap to practice with. Exilyth 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5417884 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkMark Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Army Painter or GW Base brushes are OK for slapping on base coats. Don't expect them to last too long though. It doesn't hurt to buy some cheap dollar store brushes for doing bases, weathering etc. W&N series 7, or Raphael 8404, size 1 for any serious work. Exilyth 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5417886 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imren Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 (edited) This is how I roll: For glazing, layering, highlighting and general painting with acrylics: Raphael 8404 size 1. For small details such as eyes, display screen scribbles etc: Raphael 8404 size 00. For picking paint from pots, paint mixing on palette and in the airbrush cup, laying down PVA glue and other types of slight abuse: well worn army painter monster brush. For pin washing with oil paints diluted in white spritis: Cheap no name Round synthetic size 0. For drybrushing details on infantry: Cheap no name synthetic flat size 4. For drybrushing large areas: GW large drybrush. For small details in deep recesses: La Corneille 7350 Liner size 18/0 (synthetic). All of above: Never dipped in paint so that paint gets in the ferrule. Cleaned with Master's brush soap after every session when used as if my mommy's life depended on it. Stored with protective sleeve on horizontally. Edited October 31, 2019 by Imren Firedrake Cordova, Exilyth, Kolgrim DeathHowl and 1 other 4 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5417895 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulf Vengis Posted October 31, 2019 Author Share Posted October 31, 2019 (edited) I honestly didn't know about "taking care of brushes", beyond never leave them point down in a pot and never dip more than 1/4 of the tip into the paint and to clean it well. This is all fantastic help thank you all. Edited October 31, 2019 by Wulf Vengis Exilyth 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5417937 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fajita Fan Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 Also, FWIW, James Wappel uses the cheapest brush packs from the craft aisle at Walmart. http://wappellious.blogspot.com/ I bought some Davinci brushes from Amazon as they were highly rated for their price but I have yet to try them. Exilyth 1 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5417979 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exilyth Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 (edited) You may know of the different sets of brushes made by a few different manufacturers which are being sold at the FLGS which are taking up a single section on the wall. You may also know of the various brushes sold on a single aisle at the local art and craft store. The first time I went to a dedicated arts store I was really overwhelmed: they've had a whole wall full of brushes (and that store wasn't small). In other words: what's on offer is even more varied and plentyfull than you may realise. The thing is: Different brush types and sizes are good for different painting steps and/or models and/or techniques, e.g. trying to brushprime the large surfaces of a vehicle with a small brush will take much longer than just going over once or twice with a large brush, a brush with a pointy tip is better for details than a brush with a flat tip and so on. The best way to find out which brush is best for you is to experiment (or, to save time/money, ask others for their recomendations/experience). Like with most other tools, practise has a lot more influence on the outcome than tool quality. Great artists do not use the best equipment - they use what's best for them. While I still have a long way to go, here's what I'm currently using (mostly w/acrylic paints): a cheap, medium sized round noname brush for brush priming * a citadel starter brush (is round) from back in 3rd edition for basecoating a citadel fine detail brush (is round) from back in 3rd edition for rough detail work a 3/0 and a 10/0 brush by 'Lupri' (is sharp/pointy) for fine detail work (although I only use the 10/0 very rarely) another cheap, medium sized round noname brush for drybrushing (drybrushing kills brushes) a cheap, medium sized round noname brush for applying varnish * another set of cheap, large round noname brushes for vehicles and large surfaces (afaik, all synthetic except for the 10/0 which is a kolinsky) * not necessary, but since primer/varnish has a chemical composition different from acrylic paint, I like to use a separate brush I would like to second what was said above: Cleaning brushes properly and not getting paint onto the bristles near the metal part (ferrule) goes a long way towards making brushes live longer. Magnification and good lighting help a lot. btw: The current brush system by GW is relatively easy to understand: it has brushes which are a combination of sizes (xs, small, medium, large, xl) and types named after the technique (base, layer, shade, glaze, drybrush and so on). To start out with GW brushes, you could do with just a medium base brush and a medium layer brush, but tbh. GW brushes are a bit pricy. Hehe... just looked up what brushes are in the 'start painting' sets - ofc. there's just a starter brush in them. edit: nearly forgot to mention: various bits and pieces of sponge and foam for weathering Edited November 1, 2019 by Exilyth Kolgrim DeathHowl and Firedrake Cordova 2 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5417992 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grotsmasha Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 Apparently a cheap make-up brush is an excellent dry brush alternative :tu: Firedrake Cordova and battle captain corpus 2 Back to top Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5418026 Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelipeFlops Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 Could anyone recommend a good round brush for basecoats? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5418084 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imren Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 The cheapest sable hair brush you can find around size 2. For base coats you really don't need the fancy Kolinsky sable hair brushes. Sable hair if you want to minimise streaks and maximise paint holding capacity in the bristles. If you're in Europe I suggest the following options (it's says kolinsky, but it is so cheap (ca 3 to 4 EUR) its still worth it): https://www.waylandgames.co.uk/wayland-games-kolinsky-brushes/3983-creative-models-kolinsky-sable-brush-size-1 http://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/kolinsky-brushes/87-hobby-natural-marta-kolinsky-brushes-brush-large-3.html http://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/kolinsky-brushes/824-serious-painter-kolinsky-sable-brush-size-1.html Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5418098 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulf Vengis Posted November 2, 2019 Author Share Posted November 2, 2019 The project I'm preparing recommends a gloss black undercoat. I'm looking at Vallejo but wouldn't mind knowing your opinions. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5418419 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imren Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 The project I'm preparing recommends a gloss black undercoat. I'm looking at Vallejo but wouldn't mind knowing your opinions. Do you mean that you're looking for gloss black undercoat (primer) or do you mean you're looking for brushes to use with gloss black undercoat? For gloss black primer I suggest this: https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/producto/hobby/surface-primer-en/gloss-black-73660/ When it comes to applying it, I strongly recommend getting into airbrushing. Not only will airbrushing give you a thin, even and smoooth application, the primer itself is designed to be airbrushed. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5419745 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulf Vengis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 Spray primer sorry, i should have specified that i edited the first post and have made this a questions dump. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5420167 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fajita Fan Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Be aware that some gloss rattle cans can be pretty hydrophobic and I've found paint just sorta beads up on the finish without actually laying down. Test on some sprue first! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5420236 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulf Vengis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 No to worry, anything i do during this project will be tested on old school fire dragons before going onto any ArtelW Flame Drakes. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5420281 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulf Vengis Posted May 5, 2020 Author Share Posted May 5, 2020 Would anyone consider this a worthwhile deal? https://www.waylandgames.co.uk/wayland-games-kolinsky-brushes/58336-high-quality-kolinsky-brushes-set Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5517142 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firedrake Cordova Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 (edited) Would anyone consider this a worthwhile deal? https://www.waylandgames.co.uk/wayland-games-kolinsky-brushes/58336-high-quality-kolinsky-brushes-set They look cheap, but it very much depends on the quality of the brushes in the set. A quick Google search doesn't give (m)any results for reviews of the Spellcrow brushes, which is not what you'd hope for. If you're looking at building a set of brushes, I can highly recommend a #1 & #2 Raphael Series 8404 or Winsor & Newton Series 7, combined with a #3 Winsor & Newton Cotman Series 111 (synthetic) for base coating - they're good quality, very pointy and durable. If you're looking for something cheaper, Pro Arte's Renaissance (round) range is quite good (you might want to shorten the brush handle, though). Edited May 6, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5517474 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulf Vengis Posted May 7, 2020 Author Share Posted May 7, 2020 Ok my checklist is thus: Colorshift paints ordered. Brushes ordered. Flaming Drakes squad... Ordering on father's day. Gloss coat/matte coat... Gathering information Before i wander off here again one more question: What exactly is the difference between gloss and semi-gloss clear coat? Is it just the shiny-ness of the reflective glare when light hits the model? Did that make sense? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5518334 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaliGn Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 Instagram seem to be going doolally over Artis Opus and Broken Toad brushes not used either myself so can't really say but they seem to be the new hotness compared to the more traditional Windsor and Newton series 7s Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5518347 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firedrake Cordova Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 What exactly is the difference between gloss and semi-gloss clear coat? Is it just the shiny-ness of the reflective glare when light hits the model? Satin is half-way between a gloss and matte finish. Obligatory YouTube video link (skip to 3m 48s for a still-frame comparison) Instagram seem to be going doolally over Artis Opus and Broken Toad brushes not used either myself so can't really say but they seem to be the new hotness I've not used either, but the Artist Opus ones are properly expensive, being slightly more expensive than the Raphael 8404s and W&N Series 7 (you do get a nice wooden box if you buy a set, but...) - I'm struggling to think they can really be any better than the Raphael or W&N's, both of which are high-end artists' brushes. The Broken Toads - there's one (I think the #1) of them that's supposed to be good for edge highlighting, because it's very pointy (almost spear/stiletto shaped), but again priced in line with the 8404's and Series 7s. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5518633 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bung Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Brokentoad are great brushes. I prefer them ober W&N brushes for more constant quality when i buy replacements. Artis Opus are ok, but i only use the He D Series Made for drybrushing. They are great but the bigger ones could easily replaced by some make Up brushes (look for smudge brushes as they are called). Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5518636 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Blaire Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Apparently a cheap make-up brush is an excellent dry brush alternative :tu:Yes, they actually do really well and leave a less chalky finish to the drybrushing overall in my experience. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5518929 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadgersinHills Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Apparently a cheap make-up brush is an excellent dry brush alternative Yes, they actually do really well and leave a less chalky finish to the drybrushing overall in my experience. Yeah, they're really good. The softer bristles make them nice for getting smooth transitions with drybrush. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5518942 Share on other sites More sharing options...
battle captain corpus Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Another vote for cheap make up brushes! I've always used GW brushes. This is a hang up from working for them for years and also as I have loads of them! XD Rosemary & Co. Make excellent brushes at a very affordable price. Windsor & Newton 7 series have become almost a by word for great brushes too. Personally? I would simply find a brush you are confident with and practise away! BCC Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5518993 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhg033 Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 I have a collection of GW (red/blue/black handles going back years) plus some army painter and W&N brushes. I default to GW ones most of the time and break out the others for specific things, usually fine detail. I have on occasion even used a 1 inch decorators brush for basing and dry brushing terrain. I've been generally very happy with the current GW shade brush to do everything contrast paint related - it has a pretty good point for detail though I may had ruined it at last the other day by letting my kids loose on it. They also somehow managed to snap a detail brush clean in two in a water pot... Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/359598-brushes-and-other-returning-questions/#findComment-5519930 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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