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Drybrushing , A dying art ?

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  • Member since
    August 2008
Drybrushing , A dying art ?
Posted by tankerbuilder on Sunday, May 24, 2015 10:25 AM

Hi ;

      I was talking with some train modelers and most if not all , don't dry brush anymore . That did surprise me some .Over the years I have seen more drybrushing by modelers and then along came air - brushed .These are fine for many things , But , I feel that Dry - Brushing is an art . I can put a building say , or ship side by side with an air - brushed version of the same thing and you Can tell the difference

     The air-brushed version looks almost commercially produced and doesn't have , to me , the personality or draw of the one carefully dry - brushed by it's builder .    The builder is trying to tell a story .With Dry - Brushing it has a personal twist that it's air - brushed counterpart seems to lack . That's my opinion anyway .  Anyone care to elaborate on this with me .Go for it !

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, May 24, 2015 10:29 AM

I still dry brush on most if not all of my models. But what is air brushed.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: St louis
Posted by Raualduke on Sunday, May 24, 2015 10:50 AM

Not a diying art at all I rely heavily on the technique .I suspect most of the modelers on this forum do as well.

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by jibber on Sunday, May 24, 2015 12:40 PM

Tanker I dry brush a lot, it makes things pop if not overdone. I really don't think its gone away but like everything else, the more things change the more they stay the same. Terry

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Sunday, May 24, 2015 1:15 PM

I do plenty of dry brushing myself. Washes and dry brushing used together are my main basic weathering technique on many builds.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Sunday, May 24, 2015 1:38 PM

I still dry brush wear and tear on my models.

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Sunday, May 24, 2015 4:47 PM

For tanks and trains, I'd say drybrushing would be a crucial part in the weathering process. For aircraft, not much benefits from dry brushing, other than cockpits, wheel hubs, and maybe exhausts..

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2011
Posted by Chrisk-k on Sunday, May 24, 2015 6:23 PM

I use dry-brushing all the time.

Iwata HP-CS | Iwata HP-CR | Iwata HP-M2 | H&S Evolution | Iwata Smart Jet + Sparmax Tank

  • Member since
    February 2006
  • From: Boston
Posted by Wilbur Wright on Sunday, May 24, 2015 10:37 PM

Still at it and particularly for armor models it really brings out the details.

I can't see abandoning the technique, it really works .

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Cameron, Texas
Posted by Texgunner on Sunday, May 24, 2015 10:51 PM

As for dry-brushing on the exterior of aircraft, I dry-brushed some Humbrol flat aluminum to replicate worn paint on this Hobby Boss MiG-17.  The first pic shows the "aluminum" showing through on the starboard nose:

And here's some use on the upper wing roots:


"All you mugs need to get busy building, and post pics!"

  • Member since
    December 2013
Posted by jetmaker on Monday, May 25, 2015 2:24 AM

That camo is out-freaking-standing!!! I don't mean to hijack, but are those numbers decals? They look sprayed on with a soft edge!! Beautiful MiG-17!

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Cameron, Texas
Posted by Texgunner on Monday, May 25, 2015 7:09 AM

jetmaker

That camo is out-freaking-standing!!! I don't mean to hijack, but are those numbers decals? They look sprayed on with a soft edge!! Beautiful MiG-17!

Thank you very much!  The paintwork was done with my Paasche Model H.  No, the numbers are just decals.  Here's bit more of her:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/p/153727/1651604.aspx#1651604


"All you mugs need to get busy building, and post pics!"

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Monday, May 25, 2015 8:56 AM

I love dry brushing, and do it frequently.  I can do translucent weathering that otherwise would take an airbrush or dot washing.  But it is so simple- so little preparation.  No thinning, no cleaning airbrush afterwards.  In addition to weathering, I make a steel-appearance by dry brushing Testors steel over a matt medium or dark gray.

I agree that it is used less these days than some of the newer techniques, but that does not mean the newer techniques are better.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    January 2014
  • From: Nampa, Idaho
Posted by jelliott523 on Sunday, July 12, 2015 12:58 PM

I think dry-brushing adds a nice touch to bring out highlights, especially in aircraft cockpits.  I am currently working on 2 F-15E in 1/48 and building one OOB, the other is going to AM decals.  Other than that no other AM will be used, but I think that the dry-brushing brings out the small details as well as gives it that worn look as well.

I remember the first dry-brushing I did was probably 20 years ago and thought I'd discovered something unknown; then I picked up a modeling magazine and saw someone in there talking about it....talk about deflating a young man's ego.  LOL

On the Bench:  Lots of unfinished projects!  Smile

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Sunday, July 12, 2015 3:15 PM

As I am getting back into doing figures again and trying to reach higher levels of appearance with them. I am finding that I am dry brushing a LOT more to achieve those looks.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by USAFASME7 on Monday, August 3, 2015 2:10 PM

ANY raised detail gets dry-brushed on ALL my models. Sometimes for contrast, I'll use a drop of grey or black or tan to darken the white or interior green I use to paint landing gear bays; only to dry-brush the raised details with the original un-altered color. Gives certain areas more visual depth.

Modern jet cockpits MUST be dry-brushed IMO. So many lines, seams and blank panels in-between the gauges and controls that don't stand-out unless they are dry-brushed.

--Rob

Glue Sniffer since 1977

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