10 replies to this topic

[ced1106]

I'm enjoying the results of applying multiple layers of super-thinned paints on some flat and recessed areas, but now I'm worrying about how to paint raised areas. Pretty obviously, at least for n00bs, thinner paints more easily flow into recessed areas than raised ones.

So far, I know these techniques to paint raised areas and avoid getting paint into recesses:
* Drybrushing
* Side-painting. In side-painting, you flatten the tip of the brush, wipe off paint, then apply the paint to raised areas. See LTPK5: Armor.
* Directly painting the raised surface.

Any other techniques? I think my trouble is that I can't see any way to paint raised areas that doesn't use un-thinned paint. Or that if I thin a paint with matte, all I'm doing is increasing the chances of paint flowing into the recesses. Or, if I'm drybrushing, I risk applying paint to areas of the miniature that I don't want to paint. If I apply multiple layers of paint, it's more likely paint will coat into another area. Is there more to painting raised areas than thick paint, brush control, and repainting??

[pocketcthulhu]

through trial and error I have started doing a base coat then going over the raised sections with a TINY amount of (unthinned)paint and go section by section and touch up where needed. but im also using one of those magnifier visor thingys.

[Adrift]

If you want to continue to use thinned paints on raised areas in an effort to have smooth transitions, it helps if you soak your brush and then swipe that in straight lines along a paper towel to drain off the excess flow.

[Dadcubed]

Hi,

This may help. Two brush blending:



Especially part 2:



:)

[Dadcubed]

Basically:

Brush one - paint on
Brush two between your teeth - keep damp and brush off the paint blending between the layers.

Gives an awesome finish!

[CashWiley]

If you want to continue to use thinned paints on raised areas in an effort to have smooth transitions, it helps if you soak your brush and then swipe that in straight lines along a paper towel to drain off the excess flow.

I use both a paper towel for straight up wicking paint off and a quarter-sheet of multimedia paper (I'd have to double check the weight if anyone is interested) to swipe the brush. Half the paper towel is for paint, the other half for removing water after rinsing the brush.

For the watercolor paper, I use it for testing how paint is coming off the brush, I don't like the way plasticard beads. I can also test washes to keep them at a consistent transparency. The main use is fine-tuning the brush load. If I can see the brush is way loaded, I hit the paper towel and then twist it to a point on the paper, this will squeeze the tip and I can see the brush load (on my relatively big size 2). Another thing is testing when the brush is running out of paint in the body or now that winter is coming (wood stove = dry air) if the tip is drying out by doing test runs on the paper.

It's just kind of a little thing I've worked up that I really like. There are probably better ways to do it, but this works for my at this early stage of my development.

[CashWiley]

Sorry to slightly derail a bit more on that, but here's a pic to illustrate:


Colors on my wet palette don't match my paper blotter, because the blotter for the plague rat was kind of boring. I flipped it and the visible blotter paper is for the ogre chieftain. You can see some of the playing around with skin tones in the lower left corner. In the upper middle area is where I test washes for consistency. Very handy to have.

The paper towel is from the plague rat, you can see how little I need to wick that much paint off the brush. You can see on the wet palette where I drag/twist the brush after loading it up. Most of the time a second twist or maybe two on the paper is enough to ready it for application on the model.

My water jar sits where the paper towel with the tomato graphic is.

[Jokemeister]

@CashWiley Have the paints in the picture been thinned? They look as if they haven't but there doesn't look like there is much room left on your wet palette to thin them. Do you have a separate palette that you transfer paints.to before thinning?

[buglips*the*goblin]

Brush loading is the key, as several people mentioned above. This takes a little getting used to, but when it clicks it's like a eureka moment.

Basically what you're going for when you unload your brush by dragging is to get enough off that what remains paints smoothly without being runny. It's a sweet spot zone that's hard to find for the first little bit, but when you hit it then it becomes natural.

This spot is a lot easier to hit with a good Kolinsky brush than a synthetic or cheaper sable, so if you're still using the brushes that came with the paint kits you may want to look into a new one. It'll make the job a whole lot easier.

The entirety of this is what's explained by the phrase: "brush control". When you get that wet, but not too wet, sweet spot the point of the brush works such good magic you'll be checking it for tiny wizards.

[CashWiley]

Only very very slightly. The wet palette is set up for the L2PK1 rat, and the instructions don't get into thinning. The milky dot in the center of the palette is matte medium because c'mon, you gotta cut a brother a break once in a while. At best I did a 3 paint : 1 medium mix (my standard thinning mix is 1 part (10:1 water:flow improver) to 1 part matte medium.

That palette gets small really quick when I'm thinning paints out. It's big enough for maybe two or three elements and then I have to swap in a new sheet of parchment. I'm considering a larger palette.

[ced1106]

Experimenting a bit, but a thin layer of clear gesso, or paint thinned with clear gesso seems promising. Conventionally applied acrylic tends to form a smooth surface, making it harder to for additional layers of paint to stick.