This week, I have been continuing my work on my Deathwatch Veteran Marines. As I mentioned in last week's Hobby Sunday, I have been taking more time over the individual Marines in my Deathwatch army to help with the more small-scale, elite nature of the army.
I have kept taking more time over the unit, but have started painting them in batches of 4 or 5. This gives me a chance to get a decent amount done and not have to wait too long for the paint to dry between the models..I have actually managed to get a fair amount done over the last week and have just over two squads or Marines painted at the moment.
Before we get into the photos of the units, I was wanting to ask for advice on brush maintenance. Generally, I just wash my brushes with water and allow them to air dry. As a result, I get a lot of splitting of the ends which makes it very difficult for detailed painting in the squads. What do other painters do to maintain the quality of their brushes? Comment below with any advice you may have for me.
Below are some work in progress shots on the models and the completed works at the bottom.
So my Deathwatch army will be continuing. Next, I will be working on some more Veterans, including the Frag Cannon unit.
Great progress mate! I've got a few squads to do, but only as a very small Allied contingent, I think two squads and a Corvus aircraft as I love the model, but will probably have to add an HQ? Will probably need the Codex.
ReplyDeleteCheers, I'm quite pleased with how they are coming along at the moment.
DeleteI'm not great at brush care, but there are a couple of preventative tips that I've picked up that have really helped the longevity of my brushes in the last few years. First, always wet the brush before putting it in paint. This goes a surprising way toward keeping the paint from adhering to the bristles. Drybrushing does sort of need to be an exception, which is why you should have dedicated brushes for that.
ReplyDeleteSecond, watch how much paint you get on the brush. As best you can, avoid letting it get anywhere near the metal ferrule that holds the bristles to the handle. Paint that gets stuck in there is really hard to clean out, and really contributes to messing up the tip of the brush.
Wash with a small amount of washing up liquid, and shape your brush back to a point before you leave it to air dry. To do this you crease the palm of your hand and draw the bristles back horizontally while twisting the brush a couple of times
ReplyDeleteDon't use the funky shaped GW brushes - I've had three of these now (trialling them and a freebie) and the tips bend horribly after just a few uses.
ReplyDeleteAs for real brushes, can't argue with the points already made, ensuring wet bristles first and keeping the paint out of the ferrule are both good points.
Here's what I've found works best for me.
1. rinse out your brushes regularly, don't wait until you've applied all of one colour.
2. thin your paint a little - checkout warhammer tv on youtube for plentiful examples from Duncan on how to do this.
3. I don't use washing up liquid to shape the brush when I'm done - sounds grim but saliva does a perfectly good job. If you put the tip of the brush in between your lips when it's fully rinsed, then draw it out, twirling it at the same time, then the saliva will hold the brush together whilst it dries. A quick rinse in water before you start next time will break it down.
Looking good sir.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice guys, will give them a shot.
ReplyDeleteLong time reader, first time post, etc :)
ReplyDeleteFor edge highlighting I go back over the lines afterwards using my base colour, to paint over the inside of the line and cover any bits I caught by accident. The brush does nice straight lines... It's me slapping the paint on that makes the uneven or rough edges.
Doesn't add much to the painting time and makes a huge difference to the model!
Also, second the paint brush in mouth method...
Cheers Ewan. Going over again and fixing my mistakes is hopefully going to improve things further. At least it will be a lot easier to fix mistakes on the Deathwatch than on my White Scars!
DeleteThe black edge highlights are looking great and I like the red color throughout. It helps give them a unified spot color.
ReplyDeleteFor the brush care, I use brush soap (brokenpaintbrush.com/brush-soap) but hand soap now and then can help clear out dried paint as well.
Thanks Joe, I think my technique is improving with every model I paint. I just need better quality photos of them!
DeleteThanks for the tip on the soap, I'll give it a go.