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Please feel free to discuss any aspect of 1/72 scale plastic figures, not simply Strelets.
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I used to worry about what brushes to use, but have now settled on a 'brush strategy' that works for me.
All good art books, as well as miniature painting guides, will tell you to 'buy the best brushes you can afford', and there is quite a lot of truth in this. However, it is possible to spend an absolute fortune on brushes, made by renowned and famous art-materials brands eg: https://www.artsupplies.co.uk/brushes-series-7-kolinsky-watercolour-brush.htm. These are undoubtedly of a very high quality.
However, I discovered a cheaper compromise a while ago, which suits my needs well. In the UK, a discount bookshop/crafts retailer called 'The Works' sells nylon brushes under a brand name 'Boldemere' amongst its range of budget art materials. These include round and detail brush packs, and they come at around £2 for three or four brushes. I find that they keep their point reasonably well, although clearly at this price they will not last in the way that a high quality brush will. However, this does not really matter as at such a low price they are disposable, and once they start to cause problems they are binned and replaced by a new brush; but they do last surprisingly well, and are good for acrylics. And because they are so cheap I usually have a reserve of 6 - 8 brush packs (20+ brushes) at any one time. On average I'd say that a single brush remains good enough to 'do its bit' in painting 50-60 figures before it is disposed of.
I do supplement these cheap brushes with higher quality, more expensive brushes for fine work, and I always have a couple of 'riggers' for lining etc; usually Daler Rowney or similar. I sometimes very carefully chisel cut the tip of a rigger which makes it suitable for very fine lines.
I also have a supply of larger brushes for washes, base colours, priming etc.
After years of painting with 6inch wide house painting brushes (no, just kidding), I started buying quality sable brushes. To each, his own & I would not challenge the esteemed Minuteman's recommendations. You need to see what works for you.
I do spend a fair amount on quality brushes. Winsor & Newton brushes (my favourites) are not cheap. But they have, & keep, a point. You can't paint 1/72 figures unless you have brushes with points. If you also buy a good brush cleaner, they'll last 6-12 months. Do NOT get paint into the ferrule as this will kill them dead. A clean water container & paper towels to dry them (don't use cloth) are part of brush care.
I have cheap brushes for undercoating (I don't like spraying), dry brushing, terrain etc.
They seem to last forever.
donald
Da Vinci "maestro" marta Tobolsky
I cann't paint with anything else
Seeing as how we are talking about painting and useful products, may I also mention the humble Pringles tube top?
The plastic ones, the seal ones not the foil tops you rip off.
For many years I have used the plastic tops as mixing palettes, the lip means the paint stays on your palette. Plus when it is covered with paint, if you flex the palette and make the dried paint crack, you can peel it off and the palette is clean again. Simples!
I assume the "pointless" title of the post is more what you think of brush sizes, rather than the state of the brushes!!!!
Thanks for the advice. Thats right about not mashing the brush tip, something I try not to do.
What I didnt realise was the paint getting in the ferrule can affect the points. So thats something learned, thanks for that tip.
Two other tips - one I do follow and one I should but don't.
Once the brush has been cleaned I take the tip of the brush between my lips, and just dampen it before drawing it through. Not soaking wet, just dampen the tip, draw it out and it helps the brush keep its shape.
The other one I have heard is to draw the brush tip across some wet soap, I have even heard of cleaning it with a drop of shampoo, all to preserve the life of the brush. Haven't done this one, so I can't comment on how effective it is or not.
No Donald you dont come across as a know it all, dont worry. If you have experience and knowledge to share, dont worry what some individuals might think. Many will be glad of the advice.
You have provided a lot of helpful advice. Just because I already knew about not "mashing the brush", this doesnt mean someone else who may read this thread does. So all the tips given are of good use 😊👍.
There are some who visit the site but dont actually post, so they might of been helped too.
You've all been very helpful, and even though I have been painting figures for couple years now, i have learned new tips from this thread. So a big thank you to you all.
Cannot argue with any of the above , probably twenty brands of brush on my table, used everything over the years, and they all have a shorter life than they would have had ,if only I had taken as much care cleaning them as using them.
"...and they all have a shorter life than they would have had ,if only I had taken as much care cleaning them as using them."
Thats it, Alan...
Never let the color dry on the brush and clean them often during painting...and your brushes will be your comrades for many years...:laughing:
I used to buy my brushes from the works but the smaller sizes didn't seem to last very long..
I now buy from a seller on ebay you can buy either a mixed set or a set that has all ooooo size brushes which I buy.
The brushes are made of wolfs hair and seem to last longer than the works brushes & are easy to clean
You get 10 brushes for £5 the seller is of course is in china and trades under the name tgg 591 if you want to try them out.:wink:
Mr Steve Pickstock!
Amazing affair the Pringles plastic top!
Great idea that I'll follow for sure
Thank you very much indeed
I started using an AK 00 paintbrush recently and I'm really satisfied with it.
Speaking of clearing down the 'stash'...
I'm currently cleaning up my attic, and keep finding boxes of figures, sprues or just individual figures. So far I am up to over 200 litres of figures, in terms of large plastic boxes.
And that is not even counting the scenery, 28mm stuff, 1/16th scale tanks, books, materials, model boats, steam punk gear, reenacting equipment, CDs etc that are up there as well.
I can only do so much at a time because of back problems, but I think this lock down will need to end in 2024 before I get the place cleared and then I can start getting some of it finished.
If people keep throwing wild partys, gatherings and invading beaches like its D-Day, a longer lockdown might very well happen!!!
😂😂
i'm another person using firstly the Boldmere (The Works) brushes for detailed work while they are OK then general painting. But for fine detail I have the ABC brushes. For a painting palette I use left over lids from test paint pots in the same way that Steve Pickstock uses Pringle tube tops