Brush painting details in a jet cockpit (Or any aircraft for that matter)

'Now, shake the paint thoroughly, take the cap off and place the cap upside down on bench.  Some paint should be adhering to the cap.  This layer is just the right thickness to dip the toothpick in.  Dip the end of the toothpick and apply paint to model.  after awhile you will have used up paint in cap, so you need to put it back on jar and reshake.  If the area is a thin line rather than a spot, I make an overlapping dotted line.  Do not draw point along like a brush, do the painting like the punctillist impressionistic painters- lots of dots.  Just press tip of pick straight against surface.  Great for warning lights and stuff, but you can build up dials and stuff with a series of overlapping dots.'

Agreed with that technique. I do disagree with shakeing paint bottles and the upside down idea. Get a stainless pin to stir the paint and get the bottem thick stuff that way. What he means is you need the pigments at the bottem for details. Think in dots and if opaque make another pass once dry.

Paint in the lid is going to cause grief next time you open the jar. Always remove a dab and put on clean glass to use from. While jar is open mix and add thinner if its getting to thick, whipe lid and threads before sealing jar for storage.

 I used tooth pick method after brush gave grief on the side wall. Paint bigger dials and leavers, use dots for touch-ups and tiny switches.

Thank you to Hawkeye and Don Stauffer for your replies. Yes, I'll try those techniques - the technical pens and the toothpick. Also, in the not too distant future I'll try and load pics of how my work is progressing.

For really small detail I use a toothpick instead of a brush.  Use the circular cross-section type that come to a sharp point at each end.

Now, shake the paint thoroughly, take the cap off and place the cap upside down on bench.  Some paint should be adhering to the cap.  This layer is just the right thickness to dip the toothpick in.  Dip the end of the toothpick and apply paint to model.  after awhile you will have used up paint in cap, so you need to put it back on jar and reshake.  If the area is a thin line rather than a spot, I make an overlapping dotted line.  Do not draw point along like a brush, do the painting like the punctillist impressionistic painters- lots of dots.  Just press tip of pick straight against surface.  Great for warning lights and stuff, but you can build up dials and stuff with a series of overlapping dots.

For small knobs and such details try using technical pens with various colored inks. Or source out a good decal sheet. Some of the knobs and switched found in scale model cockpits would scale up to the size of  a door knob, not one found on an instrument panel.