How to paint those minute details?
- Thread starter custard
- Start date
There\'s not much of a trick to it, really. It is something that comes with practice. What you need is brush control and also knowledge about the paint you use and how a certain water
aint ratio flows. This is not something that takes time to learn and the only way is to paint a lot of miniatures. You will get better with each mini you paint.
There are methods to paint different small details (like eyes), but they all demand that you can control the brush and the paint fairly well.
The best advice I can give you is to use a good brush. A pure sable brush with a good point. When you paint, try to use a paint:water ratio that gives you good control over where the paint goes when you apply it on the mini. This also has to do with how much paint you put on your brush. Don\'t overload the brush with paint. It\'s better to apply new paint a couple of times than to flood the mini with paint the first time you apply any. Think about how the paint works differently when you thin it with different amounts of water. This will help building your knowledge and \"feeling\" about the paints you use.
Hope this makes sense!
aint ratio flows. This is not something that takes time to learn and the only way is to paint a lot of miniatures. You will get better with each mini you paint.There are methods to paint different small details (like eyes), but they all demand that you can control the brush and the paint fairly well.
The best advice I can give you is to use a good brush. A pure sable brush with a good point. When you paint, try to use a paint:water ratio that gives you good control over where the paint goes when you apply it on the mini. This also has to do with how much paint you put on your brush. Don\'t overload the brush with paint. It\'s better to apply new paint a couple of times than to flood the mini with paint the first time you apply any. Think about how the paint works differently when you thin it with different amounts of water. This will help building your knowledge and \"feeling\" about the paints you use.
Hope this makes sense!
I\'m with Ritual on this one. Brush control is what\'s going to get you the farthest.
I was just painting up a bunch of army grunts and after I sat back I realized I did all their buckles and other detail bits without even thinking about it. A few months ago I would have stressed myself into a carton of Ben and Jerry\'s just knowing they had to be done.
Get a good brush with a fantastic point and paint, paint, paint!
I was just painting up a bunch of army grunts and after I sat back I realized I did all their buckles and other detail bits without even thinking about it. A few months ago I would have stressed myself into a carton of Ben and Jerry\'s just knowing they had to be done.
Get a good brush with a fantastic point and paint, paint, paint!
Bengoodall
New member
Ben and jerrys?
I tend to just do it very late at night when I cant think about it, and just get it all done, drag out my single haired brush, and have a nice large drink next to me, for keeping my tongue wet.
I tend to just do it very late at night when I cant think about it, and just get it all done, drag out my single haired brush, and have a nice large drink next to me, for keeping my tongue wet.
vincegamer
New member
Small brush.
Someone once asked me in person how I painted eyes and I started to show him and he said WOW! where did you get such a small brush?
He didn\'t know they came smaller than 0.
Someone once asked me in person how I painted eyes and I started to show him and he said WOW! where did you get such a small brush?
He didn\'t know they came smaller than 0.
Well I personally don\'t like using small brushes, I never use under zero actually. As long as the point is good you can paint anything, and I find that smaller brushes let the paint dry to fast, making things harder.
Not to say it can\'t be done with small brushes, but you might want to try with both to see which you like better.
Not to say it can\'t be done with small brushes, but you might want to try with both to see which you like better.
vincegamer
New member
Well, the question was how do you do it.
I use small brushes.
I find I don\'t have the same control with a large brush, and an eye doesn\'t really take a lot of paint or time so drying out isn\'t a problem.
I use small brushes.
I find I don\'t have the same control with a large brush, and an eye doesn\'t really take a lot of paint or time so drying out isn\'t a problem.
Wren
New member
If you bought the magnifying glass because you\'re having trouble seeing the details, you might find a head-mounted visual aid more effective. Some people just use a drugstore pair of reading glasses, others like Optivisor or MagEyes (google those to see what they look like). I found the combo of visual aid + good quality brush helped me a lot with details.
No Such Agency
New member
I stopped using anything smaller than 0, except my W&N series 7\'s which are both 00 (one was damaged but is still better than most cheap brushes!) Tiny brushes simply dry out too quickly, especially for doing eyes; there is nothing as frustrating as trying to dot a pupil when your paint keeps drying on the brush!
Forget about the crocodile magnifier! I\'m like you trying to improve - I think I\'m a bit ahead of you (no judgement there: I have lots of free time and I mention this just so that you know how you should treat my advice).
Buy a magnifier that has an inbuild daylight like light in it - preferably an anular light - it\'s sheer bliss!
I\'d say that size doesn\'t matter in the end (no gross joke intended) I\'m realizing the more I paint that the technics have in facdt not much to do with size but with brush work, precision AND the wery and capital knowledge of how your paint will reacted diluted as it is!
It\'s amazing, I\'m now capable ofg saying if my brush is too loaded just by looking at it, or even if it\'s got a wrong ration of water to pigment for what I want to do!
Use quality brushes, they are worth the money they cost! Buy some cheap miniatures you find fun and paint tons of them. Currently I\'m starting working on freehand - I\'ve primed a dozen dwarf banners, I guess when I\'ve painted and repainted all of them I\'ll be a better painter :-D
More than anything else: don\'t be afraid to make mistake: you ruined a wonderful mini.? No worries: strip it or buy another copy - your life does not depend on one mini!
Best wishes! It\'s hard work but really really worth it!
U; (painting several hours every day since decemver - it\'s my zazen!! really!!)
Buy a magnifier that has an inbuild daylight like light in it - preferably an anular light - it\'s sheer bliss!
I\'d say that size doesn\'t matter in the end (no gross joke intended) I\'m realizing the more I paint that the technics have in facdt not much to do with size but with brush work, precision AND the wery and capital knowledge of how your paint will reacted diluted as it is!
It\'s amazing, I\'m now capable ofg saying if my brush is too loaded just by looking at it, or even if it\'s got a wrong ration of water to pigment for what I want to do!
Use quality brushes, they are worth the money they cost! Buy some cheap miniatures you find fun and paint tons of them. Currently I\'m starting working on freehand - I\'ve primed a dozen dwarf banners, I guess when I\'ve painted and repainted all of them I\'ll be a better painter :-D
More than anything else: don\'t be afraid to make mistake: you ruined a wonderful mini.? No worries: strip it or buy another copy - your life does not depend on one mini!
Best wishes! It\'s hard work but really really worth it!
U; (painting several hours every day since decemver - it\'s my zazen!! really!!)
I can understand the arguments about small brushes if we\'re talking 5/0 or similar, but if you get your paint to dry out too fast on a 00 or 000 brush you\'re doing something wrong, I\'d say. Sure, you can\'t paint as much at each time as with a 0 or 1, but that goes without saying as it\'s a smaller brush. Just make sure you keep the bristles moist before applying paint to the brush. Even if your 0 brush has a good point there\'s plenty of cases where a smaller brush will be more convenient, at least in my opinion.
But, there IS a limit when a brush becomes too small to be of use with acrylic paint. I don\'t use smaller than 000.
But, there IS a limit when a brush becomes too small to be of use with acrylic paint. I don\'t use smaller than 000.
Thanks for the insights. Just got myself a few sable brushes, still a bit scared to use them though. lol
Think some of it might be my light setup, going to break open my GW Harlequins and give it my best. (still practicing with blending and thinning aswell.)
Will post some wip\'s soonish.
usurpator* no offence taken, any help is appreciated.
Think some of it might be my light setup, going to break open my GW Harlequins and give it my best. (still practicing with blending and thinning aswell.)
Will post some wip\'s soonish.
usurpator* no offence taken, any help is appreciated.
You shouldn\'t be scared of using good brushes, you should be delighted as it is much more rewarding painting with a good brush than a crap one.
Just be mindful of how you treat the brush and it will last you a long time (much longer than the crap ones). Rinse it often (I rinse it every other time I apply new paint on it) and make sure you don\'t dunk the full length of the bristles into the paint. Rinse it carefully when you change colour or end your painting session. Make sure there\'s no paint up near the ferrule. Store the brushes horizontally and make sure the tip is formed into a nice point when you\'re not using the brush. A few easy things like this goes a long way to keep your brush in good shape. There\'s other things you can do too, like using brush soap now and then, or use a conditioner for the bristles. But, the most important thing is how you treat the brush in your everyday usage of it.
Just be mindful of how you treat the brush and it will last you a long time (much longer than the crap ones). Rinse it often (I rinse it every other time I apply new paint on it) and make sure you don\'t dunk the full length of the bristles into the paint. Rinse it carefully when you change colour or end your painting session. Make sure there\'s no paint up near the ferrule. Store the brushes horizontally and make sure the tip is formed into a nice point when you\'re not using the brush. A few easy things like this goes a long way to keep your brush in good shape. There\'s other things you can do too, like using brush soap now and then, or use a conditioner for the bristles. But, the most important thing is how you treat the brush in your everyday usage of it.
Well, cracked open the sable.... oh, they, feel, good!!
Played around with my lighting a little aswell, still not perfect I think though. Is it best to have the main light coming from behind you or over the top of the mini?
Took a pic, not as good as I want, but that\'ll be down to practice. Still, a bit better than my previous efforts imo. Too used to the paintbrush depositing paint further further than I intend it, hence the large black line down the middle of the face.
Played around with my lighting a little aswell, still not perfect I think though. Is it best to have the main light coming from behind you or over the top of the mini?
Took a pic, not as good as I want, but that\'ll be down to practice.
Still, a bit better than my previous efforts imo. Too used to the paintbrush depositing paint further further than I intend it, hence the large black line down the middle of the face.
I tend to like having the main light come from above and slightly in front of you. If you have it behind you, then you will of course have the light more straight on to the mini, but you will also easily block out the light with your own body. So, I keep the ligth in front of me but as much straight above the mini as possible.
Your work so far looks pretty good! Keep at it!
Your work so far looks pretty good! Keep at it!
fieldarchy
New member
custard, what size sables did you buy? what brand?
I have Windsor and Newton Series 7 Miniature line. I have a size 1, 0, 00, and 000. They work fabulously! Once I invested in my first couple sable brushes about a year or two ago I started noticing a huge difference in my painting! You need to make sure you take really good care of them and wash them after every paint session. Use a good brush cleaner and then follow up with a conditioner. It is natural fiber so the brushes do need to be conditioned.
I use mine almost everyday and so far I\'ve only had to buy one new set in about 2 years (a little less than). The second set I have now I\'m taking much better care of.
As long as they are not abused they should last you a while. Much longer than the Citadel brushes or any other artificial fiber.
I have Windsor and Newton Series 7 Miniature line. I have a size 1, 0, 00, and 000. They work fabulously! Once I invested in my first couple sable brushes about a year or two ago I started noticing a huge difference in my painting! You need to make sure you take really good care of them and wash them after every paint session. Use a good brush cleaner and then follow up with a conditioner. It is natural fiber so the brushes do need to be conditioned.
I use mine almost everyday and so far I\'ve only had to buy one new set in about 2 years (a little less than). The second set I have now I\'m taking much better care of.
As long as they are not abused they should last you a while. Much longer than the Citadel brushes or any other artificial fiber.
I got hold of a 0, 00, and 0000, Rekab Red Sable brushes from my local art store. They were a bit cheaper than the W&N brushes, and tbh I wasn\'t sure which to go for as they didn\'t carry the miniature line.
Before that I was using some synthetic Pro-line brushes, quite cheap at about £2 each and far better than the GW brushes.
I\'m still getting used to the accuracy of the sable, and also paint consistency. I wish I\'d got them years ago though. From what I\'ve done so far, I doubt I\'ll need the 0000.
*usurpator* I meant the placement of light to best see what I\'m painting, as opposed to where to show the light coming from on the mini.
Before that I was using some synthetic Pro-line brushes, quite cheap at about £2 each and far better than the GW brushes.
I\'m still getting used to the accuracy of the sable, and also paint consistency. I wish I\'d got them years ago though. From what I\'ve done so far, I doubt I\'ll need the 0000.
*usurpator* I meant the placement of light to best see what I\'m painting, as opposed to where to show the light coming from on the mini.
