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Brush Marks - What am I doing Wrong?

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  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: Colorado
Brush Marks - What am I doing Wrong?
Posted by HSteve on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 7:08 PM

I've been back to the hobby now for a few months, and I'm finishing my first model - the problem is, I'm getting quite noticeable brush marks with my technique...

I've been thru a few threads, and it seems I'm doing things the right way - thinning the paint(MM & Testors enamels) about 10 parts paint to 1 part thinner, dipping my brush in thinner when the paint gets a little too tacky, cleaning the sCensoredt out of my brushres between painting sessions - I wrongly thought that Future would kind of hide the brush marks, no joy...

 

I'm planning on purchasing an airbrush with my tax refund cash, but I would like to get to the bottom of this...

Any suggestions would help...

BTW: Strip off the old paint? Start over?

 

" I'm the navigator. I have a right to know where I'm going. "

- Don Eiseli,  Astronaut, Apollo 7

 

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Goffstown, NH
Posted by New Hampshire on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 7:15 PM

I would suggest going with a higher thinner to paint ratio.  You want it nice and thin, but not thin enough to start running into places it should not be.  Use as few brush strokes as possible and start from an unpainted area and stroke into the spot you last painted.

I also learned long ago that Future does not hide brush strokes...indeed just highlights them Big Smile

Strip it or not is up to you.  I would call this a lesson learned and move forward, but if the model is something you are really really proud of build wise then go ahead and strip it to start over.

Brian

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Bridgeview, Illinois
Posted by mg.mikael on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 7:53 PM

First off, I don't suggest using enamels if your gonna be brush-painting. I started my brush painting with enamels and long story short their a PITA. If you want to save yourself the hassle of getting paint to thinner ratios correct and rid yourself of the infamous brush strokes then the solution is to switch to acrylics.

I personally use MM Acrylics and have no real complaints.(just stay away from Tamiya acrylics for brushpainting)  I find that with MM acrylics you just need to stir them up and your ready to go! With MM acrylics brush strokes are a thing of the past, it can be applied without primer, and they can be wiped off with water if mistakes happen. The only real tradeoff is that multiple coats is necessary(for me just two.) Other then that you should seriously look at acrylics, I think you be amazed how much easier it is to paint with them.

"A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan next week." - George S. Patton

  Photobucket 

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: Colorado
Posted by HSteve on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 8:16 PM

mg.,

You're one of the maybe 3 people I've read that recommends Acrylics for brushing...

No primer?

I'll give it a try on the SU 25...

Still need to get the paints - I'll post on the GB thread re: colours...

 

" I'm the navigator. I have a right to know where I'm going. "

- Don Eiseli,  Astronaut, Apollo 7

 

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Bridgeview, Illinois
Posted by mg.mikael on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 8:51 PM

HSteve

mg.,

You're one of the maybe 3 people I've read that recommends Acrylics for brushing...

No primer?

I'll give it a try on the SU 25...

Still need to get the paints - I'll post on the GB thread re: colours...

 

Nope, I rarely if ever use a primer when I brush paint my builds. (And I brush paint all my builds,no airbrush what so ever.) Here's one of my builds I did this past year, everything and anything you see in this pic is brush painted. (the hull is done in acrylic paint, along with a majority of the other parts)

 

"A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan next week." - George S. Patton

  Photobucket 

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Phil_H on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 8:53 PM

Steve,

What sort of brushes are you using? Quality brushes make a huge difference.

Spending $4-$5 (or more) on an "artist grade" brush may sound expensive, but when you see the results, it's worth it, and if you take proper care of them, they will last longer than the "cheapies".

HSteve
mg.,

You're one of the maybe 3 people I've read that recommends Acrylics for brushing...

If you really want to brush paint with acrylics, get yourself some Vallejo Model Color paints. They're awesome, and they thin and clean up with plain old water.

BTW: Michael, add about 30% thinner to Taniya acrylics and your brush-painting experience will be transformed.

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: Colorado
Posted by HSteve on Thursday, December 31, 2009 6:39 AM

Thanks, everyone...

New Hampshire,

D'you think I should go w/ acrylics as these other folks have recommended?

Phil,

I'm using some golden nylon brushes I picked up at Hobby lobby for about 10 bucks on sale...12 brushes. They seem to be pretty good, but I plan on buying a few sable brushes when these wear out. I've read around here that sable is the way to go.(?)

I can't find Vallejo anywhere around these parts, but Model Master is readily available...

mg.,

Nice! I was hoping to get the same results on my F/A 18 Super Hornet, but I've got a way to go...Such is the learning curve. It'll make a good test-paint model...

Maybe I'll pick up those new brushes sooner rather than later - I don't want to repeat my mistakes on my GB kits!

 

" I'm the navigator. I have a right to know where I'm going. "

- Don Eiseli,  Astronaut, Apollo 7

 

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: Iowa
Posted by Hans von Hammer on Thursday, December 31, 2009 7:17 AM

Nylon brushes?  Well, there's your problem...  Red Sable, pard... Red Sable...  And examine the points on your rounds and the edges of your flats... Then take care of them..

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Phil_H on Thursday, December 31, 2009 7:28 AM

Hans von Hammer

Nylon brushes?  Well, there's your problem...  Red Sable, pard... Red Sable...  And examine the points on your rounds and the edges of your flats... Then take care of them..

Well, the artist grade Golden Taklon synthetic bristle brushes are nearly as good as sable. I'd avoid the "discount store" ones though.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Thursday, December 31, 2009 8:52 AM

Are you painting gloss or matt paints.  Since you mention coating with Future I assume you are painting gloss.  To me, people who can do a good gloss finish with a brush are real artists. I think gloss brush painting is a skill that takes even longer to acquire than good airbrushing.

I too would recommend more thinner.  For brush work I go about 2 parts of paint for one part thinner.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Goffstown, NH
Posted by New Hampshire on Thursday, December 31, 2009 5:46 PM

HSteve

 

New Hampshire,

D'you think I should go w/ acrylics as these other folks have recommended?

 

Since I do a lot of airbrushing and don't yet have a spray booth I pretty much use nothing but acrylics since getting all colors in both enamel and acrylic would be cost prohibitive.  As long as you know the pro's and con's of acrylics then I say absolutely!

Brian

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: Colorado
Posted by HSteve on Sunday, January 17, 2010 1:37 PM

Thx for all the feedback, people...

I just recently picked up a couple of red sable brushes - Not Windsor & Newton, but a Chinese knock-off. We'll see..?

I've started a thread on airbrushes, but that opened up a new can of worms...12 different manuf"trs, all w/ 5-6 different models! WOW!!!Bang Head

I'm switching from MM enamels(I have only 9-or 10 jars) to primarily MM acryl, as it doesn't smell so rough, and they are readily available...

" I'm the navigator. I have a right to know where I'm going. "

- Don Eiseli,  Astronaut, Apollo 7

 

  • Member since
    February 2007
Posted by mitsdude on Monday, January 18, 2010 1:21 AM

Look into a product called Floetrol. House painters use it to reduce brush marks. I've heard mention of it in hobby forums but haven't used it yet.

Its like $6 at Lowes for a bottle that will last you forever.

Comes in a bright pumpkin orange bottle.

 

  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: Colorado
Posted by HSteve on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 7:40 PM

 MikeV,

Yeah, man, I've picked this thread back up...

I've been poking around at Red sable.

It seems that there is a big diiference in quality between the 3 main manufacturers  that deal with red sable...

Windsor & Newton used to make a flawless brush, but their Q/C control went haywire a while ago...

The other two, I can't remember their names but they were somewhat better...

I guess the good stuff always cost, but $200 for 1 brush?

I've yet to go shopping for the real red sable brushes, but I picked uo a couple of very small RS to play with, made by Atlas

We'll see...Hmm

 

Floetrol, Huh?

Is it a wetting agent?

" I'm the navigator. I have a right to know where I'm going. "

- Don Eiseli,  Astronaut, Apollo 7

 

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