Wash, Glaze and Dry Brushing... Necessary?

[Carlin]

I don't like the general idea of washing, glazing and dry brushing they just don't do the effect and result I want. Watching Natalya paint she never use these techniques actually if I recall correctly she said "don't dry brush". When I watch miniature painting tutorial they teach Dry Brushing.. I just go "...gah.. they look ugly, do I have to do this??" and then Natalya doesn't use that and her miniatures are beautiful and the exact same thing I want to do.

Basically what she do is add a lot of layers of mixed colors causing a continuous stream from shades to highlights. It is time consuming but the result is much more beautiful. The way she painted hair I really didn't need to learn how to paint hair like Hot Lead (dry brushing, washing, glazing).. instead what Natalya does is really less complicated but needs an artistic highlighting touch and more time.

Is this "expert" level? ..sounds easier than the "newbie" level to me and much more beautiful.

So, can I just add highlights color on where the highlights are instead of dry brushing/washing and following the "newbie" techniques?

Maybe that's the secret of "Painting Miniatures Secrets with Natalya".... No Dry Brushing and Washing. All what she do is squeeze some paint, add a little water.... mix colors then paint, mix colors then paint, mix colors then paint with little added water from the brush once in awhile.

 

[crazyboyae1]

glazing = expert technique drybrushing is used to paint gaming models. nothing wrong with that. and washing is also used to paint gaming models mostly.
glazing is a controlled wash in which you water your paint down alot and apply and layers that dry very quickly with no pooling.

 

[freakinacage]

do what it takes to get the effect you want

 

[Valander]

You can paint however you want, and if it gets you the results you're happy with, then it's the "right way."

You don't have to drybrush. You don't have to wash. You don't have to wet blend. Every technique offers strengths and weaknesses, and part of what makes a great painter is having a wide repertoire of techniques and knowing when to use them to get the most out of them.

I almost never drybrush anymore, and if I do it's typically for metallics and I do an extremely controlled drybrushing. I do use glazes a lot though, and have been doing what a lot of people refer to as "juicing" lately--which is basically multiple, successively smaller glazes to tint the paint to get smooth transitions for shadows, etc.

Regardless, though, there is no "magic bullet" that will suddenly make you paint award winning pieces. That comes with a lot of practice and experience, and there's no shortcut for that. Of course, trying new techniques and experimentation is very important in developing your own style, so don't be afraid to shelf a particular technique for a while and try something new.

 

[kathrynloch]

I would encourage you to learn the techniques because once you learn them, you can then tweak them for your own purpose and effect. If you don't use them at all then you're essentially limiting your "artist toolbox" and the resources you can draw from. I still drybrush now and then but I've tweaked the technique so it doesn't give the same look as before. The same with inks and washes and glazes. I use them depending on the effect I want.

 

[MightyChad]

Glazing also is a way to shade, or smooth transitions. Drybrushing, when done correctly can be usefull of certain surfaces, but you don't want to use it for most things. Washes also are used by expperts. Just because one painter says not to do something does not make it gospel. But neither techniques are "easy". Anyone can drybrush, but do they do it well? Can just anyone paint by blending, or using layering and glazing? It's just that drybrushing and washing are easier to learn, and quick for tabletop minis. The technique used by Natalya looks quick, because she has mastered it. But I doubt the average person can try the techniques shown and do them as quickly or smoothly. ANd without frustration.

My advice to you is try a multitude of techniques, and see what you can do with them, and see which work best for what you want.

 

[sgtoku]

Didn't know Natalya used that method. That's pretty much all I've done since I started painting a little over a year ago. I like it's simplicity. I never drybrush unless I want dust on a mini, but of course, that's just me. But, personally, I'm going to give Glazing a shot. If a transition layer is not good enough, I think it could be a great way of smoothing it out to up the quality of the job (especially if you go to quick with the transitions by making too stark a color jump).
If you prefer to do that style, I'd try supplementing it with glazing. That's what I'm going to start doing after I finish this elf and move on to a rather nice dwarf. :brushlick:

P.S: So I take it you've seen Hot Lead. Do they teach ways to improve layering, or is it mostly what you mentioned in your original post? I was thinking about getting it.

 

[skraaal]

You should be using the right tool for the job - there is no right or wrong way to paint, only different ways of achieving certain effects. It should also be stressed that because of there not being a right or wrong way to paint, there is then in turn no such thing as an advanced or UN-advanced method of painting IE dry brushing or glazing, what some people find easy other may find difficult and vice versa. The fact that there may be more steps involved in a certain technique does not mean that that technique is harder or more advanced, but rather it will take you longer to complete.

So take it as it comes and just go with the flow.

Think of it using the expression: There's more than one way to skin a cat.

*Disclaimer - not that I actually go around skinning cats, that would just be weird...

- Axel

 

[skraaal]

Do they teach ways to improve layering, or is it mostly what you mentioned in your original post? I was thinking about getting it.

Thin your paints more, and use more subtle transitions of colour. Build it up over more layers.

-Axel

 

[RuneBrush]

As has amply been said, there isn't a right or wrong way to paint. The base/wash/drybrush method is (in my opinion) the least technical way of painting a miniature and a mate of mine uses it to great effect to paint acceptable armies. Nearly all "above basic" miniature painters will use more than one technique to paint a miniature - including drybrushing.

Experiment with all the techniques as you can find, you'll soon work out what works best for you

 

[JesterzUSMC]

I gotta agree with the general consensus here (I know ...weird...) but there is no "right" or "wrong" way to paint.
Do what gets you the results you're looking for.
What is hard for some beginners is seemingly natural for others.
I moved into painting minis after learning on ceramic statues, so drybrushing was the easiest way for me to do fur and hair surfaces when I first started out.

The "basics" that many people talk about are just that, basic, simple steps to get your armies painted and on the table.
Base color, dry-brush, wash. TA-DA! A unit of 30 skeletons ready for battle.

Moving away from those techniques is an investment.
More paints (usually a mix of various companies' until you find the one you like best)
More time (face it, if painting is the hobby, this isn't an issue -- but if gaming is the hobby, pay someone else to do the painting)
More mistakes (get over it, no matter how many videos you watch {{I probably have most of them}} you aren't going to really learn until you try it, and perfection comes with practice, and you don't learn from doing, you learn from making mistakes)
and more techniques to discover.

The most important thing is to do what YOU like, whatever YOU are comfortable with, and whatever gets YOU the results YOU want.

WE are here for YOU, but ultimately this is YOUR hobby, YOU get out what YOU put in.
There's almost always going to be a newest* or best* technique, and just as many threads about them as there are about everything else.

Just be sure you share (post pics in the gallery, WIPs in the forums, and discussion threads etc.) so that when others come looking, they can see YOUR mistakes and trials, and hopefully learn as well.

OMG! I am just a prattler!

Anyway, do what you feel like, and show us what you got!
CHEERS!

*disclaimer (it's all been done before somewhere)

 

[MightyChad]

I drybrush on my Golden Demon entries. But not on metallics. I usually do the first layer of fur with a drybrush, then paint the rest of the highlights. And the bases get drybrushed, but only the sand. Just keep trying new things, find what works for you, and do what you enjoy. That's it.

 

[Ordo Septenarius]

Carlin,

Why don't you show us some of your WIPs? It'd be easier to check it out and add constructive criticism. You could then tell us what YOU like to do, rather than just ask if what Natalya does is the right thing. ^_^

 

[Carlin]

With all these different techniques as a newbie I will definitely get confused if I don't create a solid foundation of practicing everything that I know and do it for real and not by just watching a video or reading about. Then and only then I will know my strength and weaknesses. That's for sure, I'll give everything a try and I will go step by step. But I never liked Drybrushing effect on miniatures. Maybe I'll do that for miniatures that I don't care for and I need to finish them fast, probably that's the whole point of drybrushing? (to give the highlight effect in a very short time).

I will list my own WIP project soon hopefully I will encourage other newbies to make a progress! and of course to get your feedback on what went wrong (because things will go wrong!).

 

[freakinacage]

also bear in mind that you can selectively drybrush with thin paint. it allows you to have more control and build up the layers slower and smoother