Brushes for face painting 1/35

Don Stauffer

For fine painting, like eyes, or other fine detail on a model, I use a toothpick.  I shake up the bottle of paint, and invert the cap on the bench.  I then dip the toothpick end into the cap.  That puts on just enough paint.  I dot it on the spot I need it, sort of like that artist's technique where the whole painting is made from dots.

 

i haven’t mastered eyes yet, might try in a project or two 

For fine painting, like eyes, or other fine detail on a model, I use a toothpick.  I shake up the bottle of paint, and invert the cap on the bench.  I then dip the toothpick end into the cap.  That puts on just enough paint.  I dot it on the spot I need it, sort of like that artist's technique where the whole painting is made from dots.

Cheers John. I mainly use acrylics and oils for figures, so thats handy to know.

I've used them with enamels, acrylics and oils.

I have heard about those W&N brushes and keep meaning to get some just to keep for figures. Arethey ok to use with any type of paint.

I've used the windsor & newton series 7 sable for years.   Pricey but they last if you take care of them.  I clean in lacquer thinner, dry and put a little spit and twist on them.  A trick I learned from a great figure painter.  Seems as they are natural hair/fur a bit of spit keeps them moist and helps maintain their shape... like a sable would do the clean themselves.

Most serious figure painters use Windsor & Newton "Series 7" brushes.  These are quite expensive but you get what you pay for in this case. 

I usually go to Michaels craft store and buy decent brushes for about $5 bucks each.

anywhere from 2/0 to 20/0.   Learn how to clean and store fine brushes as well.  Always let dry in the plastic protector tube and upside down (brush side down) so any thinner is drawn down by gravity

I would also suggest going to the "Planet Figure" forum.  They are experts on any questions about figures and painting

Tankluver

Thanks for the suggestion I’ll try and find an art store near me to grab some.

 

My wife says she bought one detail set of brushes from amazon. She also says and I agree, there is a lot to be said for how you care for your brushes even if they are low end. But she likes that set, I have a feeling she has this stashed because I know her brushes she keeps out and I don't seem to recall a detail set lol !

Thanks for the suggestion I’ll try and find an art store near me to grab some.

oldermodelguy

We found some don't like solvents but that mostly has to do with the glue used to hold the handle on.

I had a cheapy brush once which wasn't too bad to use. Made the mistake of washing it in hot water to find that the bristle bundle must have been held in the ferrule with wax, as some brushes are. Result being the bristles being loose in the ferrule and making it totally unusable. Oh well, that one was only a $2.00 brush so no geat loss.

Tankluver

I found a whole set on amazon that looked like they may be good for this

 

Better to go to an art supplier to select your brushes. Look out for bent bristles, misshapen points etc. etc. Good quality detail brushes are expensive. If you buy online, you don't  have the ability to select your brushes. Don't  buy sets. There may be some you'll never use and the ones you want to use may be defective as dscribed above.

oldermodelguy

 

 

Tankluver

I found a whole set on amazon that looked like they may be good for this

 

 

 

 

Well if they work out let us know what you bought.

We found some don't like solvents but that mostly has to do with the glue used to hold the handle on. So I superglued them back on. Hah, guess that's why they sell oil paint brushes lol.

 

Sounds like some brushes that I bought at Hobby Lobby. 

I think on 1/35 figures, the largest brush that I will use is a #1 or so. All the detail work is definitely done with the smaller sizes, depending upon the detail to be painted.

Tankluver

I found a whole set on amazon that looked like they may be good for this

 

Well if they work out let us know what you bought.

We found some don't like solvents but that mostly has to do with the glue used to hold the handle on. So I superglued them back on. Hah, guess that's why they sell oil paint brushes lol.

I found a whole set on amazon that looked like they may be good for this

Tankluver

I’ll take a look at it thank you for the suggestions 

 

Most of my brushes are geared towards my fly rod building but my wife has a whole range of brushes she bought from arts and craft stores for painting her ceramic figures. When I need a detail brush I raid hers. But if you go to an art store in the paint section you will see more brushes than you can wrap your head around in one visit. But she has these thin brushes and the bristles are aligned in an ovel shape at the end vs pointed or square cut. Those are useful little brushes, I think she paid about $6 for one. My whole set for rod building wasn't a whole lot more than that.

I’ll take a look at it thank you for the suggestions 

I buy individual brushes from a local art shop and have a selection of 12 different sizes. For 35th figures, i use the ones at the smaller end of the range, perhaps the largest being a 2o brush and smallest being a 10o