Drybrushing: Does it have a place in any of you pros' arsenals?

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

Like the title suggests, I totally stopped dry brushing for a long time after realizing that it had limited use for more than crude jobs. But lately I'm kind of subtly integrating back into my technique, finding it can be useful in certain areas.

I guess it would be a common sense response to say that everything has a place.

I'm not a fantastic painter but I'm curious what some of you pros out there feel about dry brushing. Do you ever use it? What do you use it for?

 

[ten ball]

I still use DB for certain effects and I know some very good painters still do.
It can be used to a very high standard in some aspects of miniture painting.

 

[RuneBrush]

No! it should be condemned!

Hehe, only kidding. I wouldn't consider myself a 'pro' but personally drybrushing is just another technique that can be put into a painters toolbox. Like you I went a long time not drybrushing things because I felt it wasn't the "right" way to paint, but there are some things that drybrushing produces a stunning effect. What I have an issue with, is that it's often used as a "cheap and cheerful" way of demonstrating how to paint miniatures (base colour, wash, drybrush) which doesn't really encourage people to learn new techniques or how to really embrace the painting side of the hobby.

 

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

Thanks for the responses. Yeah, I also just went with zero dry brushing for about 2 years now, after I started to get serious about improving as a painter. But now that I know much more how to paint effectively without it, I can start to see how it fits into a larger landscape of techniques and is quite excellent in the right situations! If anyone has any recent work where they think they used dry brushing to a high level effect, please share so I can check it out.

 

[dontcallmefrancis]

Not a pro, but nothing should be off limits. When you want to achieve an effect or certain look, what ever it takes is the rule.

"This is the proper way to do *this* " is so much hokum, if it is not actually giving you the look you want.
Henri Lion, an award winning painter of military minis said, "if it doesn't look like a boot, try again, until it looks like the boot you want." Actually a paraphrase but you get the idea.
Nothing is against the rules.

 

[Stewsayer]

Not a pro here either. But I use drybrushing for stones often esp. if the feel of the base is a dry and dusty one.

 

[Dragonsreach]

It's a tool nothing more, and like all tools has it's uses.
Used correctly it works, used badly and it shows.

 

[TrystanGST]

It's a tool nothing more, and like all tools has it's uses.
Used correctly it works, used badly and it shows.

I can't say it better than DR has.

 

[Routaporsas]

It has still some uses. Like giving final light coat of silver metal to chainmail armor for example. I also use it sometimes when painting hairs, fur or something similar. Usually to pick up some individual hairs/bristles etc. I has uses but I wouldn't spend money to buy any freaking GW drybrush paints :rotfl: Those are just IMO quite useless.

 

[RuneBrush]

wouldn't spend money to buy any freaking GW drybrush paints :rotfl: Those are just IMO quite useless.

Curiosity got me and I actually bought one a while back. Theoretically they're nothing you can't do with a regular pot of paint. For me the only benefit was logistically. Because the paint is 'dryer', leaving the pot open doesn't dry the paint out and you have less paint to wipe off the brush so create less mess and use less paint. If you're just doing an odd bit of drybrushing they're not a worthwhile investment, however if you have an army that all require a lot of the same drybrush (beastmen spring to mind as they're furred) then it could save a bit of headache.

 

[Zab]

Their lumpiness is great for creating interesting textures and FX.

 

[Wyrmypops]

It's a technique that can be situationally appropriate, but for me those situations being as rare as chicken teeth it's effectively redundant. Most of the occasions it could be considered I prefer to use the side of the brush for a cleaner and more controlled result.

 

[ischa]

drybrushing is great for scenery and bases. it can give a chaotic and random impression. rarely use it for minis tho. like more control than db gives.

 

[Demihuman]

I use it. One trick I read was to only brush in the direction the light is coming from. That seems to help a lot. Also when I do it I usually have very very little paint on the brush. So it takes a while to build up which seems to give me better control and not show and those little dry brush strokes. I find it can give a look similar to dry pigments for rust or mud, especially as your paint starts to dry out and cake up a little.

 

[ten ball]

If anyone has any recent work where they think they used dry brushing to a high level effect, please share so I can check it out.

I used drybrushing on the weatherng on her shield also on the hair (it was glazed over several times)

View attachment 25306

 

[Zab]

Not a pro, but dry brushing was used to add texture and depth to the giant skull on this piece:
View attachment 25321View attachment 25322

 

[MAXXxxx]

well I'm also not a pro, but I think there is a place for drybrushing even for display minis.
Wheter it's for textures, bases or textured areas (hair, fur) I can be really handy sometimes.


Also with a bit of care it can be used even for other parts of the mini.
This mini was done with drybrushing and washes ONLY. (except the face, there I couldn't keep the promise)
Basically it was a piece done for a painting lesson, where the first theme was "base colors, drybrush, wash". So no other techniques were allowed.
View attachment 25326