Dry brushing before painting!

[mollinary]

I cannot remember which of you honourable gentlemen suggested this first on the forum, but my hat is most definitely off to you!   I have just decided to try and paint a small number of black undercoated figures, and found my ageing eyesight wasn't really helping to identify where one colour should end and the next begin. Then I remembered someone had suggested drybrushing the undercoated figure with grey (or white, I don't really remember) in order to highlight the detail. I thought it was worth a try.  Worth a Try? It was amazing. All the glorious effort of,the sculptors leapt out at me. A chore became a joy.  I used grey, and it was such a great aid to painting I cannot imagine how I managed without it. I cannot recommend this technique enough.

Mollinary

[Steve J]

It is a technique I first hear about from Nik Harwood. He uses a leathery brown which works a treat and, as with your grey/white, it really shows up loads of detail that otherwise I would miss. I now use it on all of my figures due to my eyes no longer being what they were. Strongly recommended as well.

[d_Guy]

Recently I had posted that I liked black primer but could not see the details. Clibinarium (whose LoA figures I was working on) suggested white or grey dry brushing. Have only tried it once (over burnt umber primer) but agree - the results are amazing. Have no idea who is the actual progenitor of the technique but should definitely be in anyone's toolkit.

[Leman]

It's a technique I first tried about 10 years ago and it works particularly well with Javier Gomez's method for painting 10mm figures. Just about to complete some 10mm Prussian Cuirassiers using this method. And yes, my new camera has arrived at last so photos soon.

[Glorfindel]

Another technique i discovered recently is to undercoat in white and then liberally
apply a black ink (the old GW Badab Black or equivalent).   As with the above
technique, the detail is made crystal clear.   Really useful for Horse & Musket
figures with a predominantly grey uniform.


Phil

[Fenton]

I used a grey primer but the effect is the same

[Westmarcher]

What kind of brush is everyone using for dry brushing at this scale? A flat one or simply a 'second line' brush, what size, etc.?  :-

I used a grey primer but the effect is the same

I use a grey primer too - this is a dark grey mixed by adding some white and water to an old pot of black paint that is past its best. What shade of grey do you use?

[Fenton]

I just get the one from Halfords. I think they only do one shade

[Fenton]

I am going to give the dry brush idea a try though

[jimduncanuk]

I did a post on my blog about using this technique.

Here it is:

http://jim-duncan.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/a-troopers-tale.html

[Fenton]

Nice result. The dry brushing you did was a lot heavier than I would have contemplated

[Wulf]

I now use a white primer with heavy wash, but same effect.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Is that a 10mm figure! 

[mollinary]

Is that a 10mm figure! 

Dixon Miniatures 28mm?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Phew