Dad, What's a paintbrush?

   TB, what an interesting question, I for one can NOT work without a brush,. Don't get me wrong I truly love my Iwata, but the time it takes to mask and seal areas I don't want to shoot really distracts from the joy of getting something done.

   I agree that most of the new acrylics tend to not play well with the trusty horse hair but with patience and luck I can make it work.

    How could one possibly paint 35th scale WWII German camo uniforms with an airbrush? 

I doubt paint brushes are going anywhere any time soon. It helps to know what to use with what kind of paint. Plenty of you tube on brush selection and thinning acrylics for brush painting too. Your old favorite hair brush you always used with enamel may well not be the best pick to use with acrylic. But anyway what ever floats your boat.

I'll add a little to your thoughts.

I paint religious icons. The terminology is that one writes them because at the core it's not an artistic endevour; it's prayer.

I paint an icon every year or so, in retreat. It takes a week, and that is a discipline I've extended to painting models. Never be in a hurry to get it done without repecting the process. How slowly paint dries, what the proper amount of time is to let sizing for gold leaf get tacky, and so on.

As I say, it's prayerful. The principle instruments of the process are my brushes. I use acrylics or tempera, or I'd really be a monk in a cell somewhere going to a week of vespers while each coat of  face color; dries on the face of Our Lord.

It's the usual Byzantine way to use natural brushes, but I prefer synthetic for acrylics.

I have two sets. When I go to retreat, we have the set we plan to use blessed by Father in a Mass the night before we begin. 

I keep them in my box of icon stuff. They are kind of special to me.

GMorrison, That is really cool! Thank you for sharing that personal and intimate detail of your life. It is great to know a member better like that instead of just superficially, especially a spritual expression on our hobby!

GMorrison

I'll add a little to your thoughts.

I paint religious icons. The terminology is that one writes them because at the core it's not an artistic endevour; it's prayer.

I paint an icon every year or so, in retreat. It takes a week, and that is a discipline I've extended to painting models. Never be in a hurry to get it done without repecting the process. How slowly paint dries, what the proper amount of time is to let sizing for gold leaf get tacky, and so on.

As I say, it's prayerful. The principle instruments of the process are my brushes. I use acrylics or tempera, or I'd really be a monk in a cell somewhere going to a week of vespers while each coat of  face color; dries on the face of Our Lord.

It's the usual Byzantine way to use natural brushes, but I prefer synthetic for acrylics.

I have two sets. When I go to retreat, we have the set we plan to use blessed by Father in a Mass the night before we begin. 

I keep them in my box of icon stuff. They are kind of special to me.

Thanks for that and I appreciate it.  You sound like you belong to the Eastern Orthodox ( excuse me if I'm wrong). But I believe and feel that in all that we do, we need Him present. I know this isn't the place to get into it, but I like what you wrote. I would never have thought this had you not brought it up.

I use a set of brushes with taklon fibers for brush painting acrylics. I have one set myself but the detail set I use is actually my wifes. I have a hair striping brush I use with enamel. I also have a hair brush I use for oil stains in my wood working. But point being and you bring it out too, a brush isn't just a brush, we need the right tool for the job.

On another note as we approach the Christmas season I will be starting my annual wood turnings as gifts ( these are hollow form tree ornaments). These get a combo of different paints or sometimes just stain depending on the grain figure of the wood but most are friction polished onto and into the wood on the spinning lathe. I like to use translucent paints for this. I want to incorporate a scripture chapter and verse number into these, that is under the final top coat. I'm thinking of doing that in India ink. I've contemplated ink, paint or burned in for two years now lol ! My top coats are one of two. A clear friction polish made of linseed oil and shellac or else polished in CA glue. Both come out looking like glass with a follow up of bees wax over it for lite protection. I'll be starting on this years ornaments early next month.

Brushes aren't going anywhere. I use Master's Touch brushes for acrylic's and water color. They work great with my Tamiya paints and if a person uses their paint retarder the Tamiya paint brushes just fine.

Tickmagnet

Brushes aren't going anywhere. I use Master's Touch brushes for acrylic's and water color. They work great with my Tamiya paints and if a person uses their paint retarder the Tamiya paint brushes just fine.

 

For most acrylics I use a little retarder, brush painting or spraying for that matter. I use Liquitex slo dri retarder agent . Actually most often I use a little of my thinner I make up which already has the retarder in it. Same with craft paints, artist acrylics and acrylic washes I make up. So ya, retarder helps I agree.

I'm one of those who uses a paint brush a lot, and don't see ever not having some.  I also paint many small parts with a brush.  I do not like masking wheels.  I often paint a wheel with airbrush or rattle can, then handpaint the tire or hub, whichever is needed after the spray paint.  If I need a bunch of small parts with the same color, I do sometimes airbrush them on the sprue, but then always need a small paintbrush after removing the part from the sprue and cleaning up the sprue attachment area.

I also use brushes a lot. I have 2 sets, one for acrylics and one for enamels and oils, with 12 sizes in each. And then i have a selection of flat brushes. As much as i like my airbrush, i probably use it 4 times a week at least, i can't see me doing SS camo uniforms or streaking or removing excess oils when filtering with it.

I get most of my brushes from a local art store, its worth paying for decent brushes.

"G"

      Thank You sir! I never would've thought of that. I used to carve rosary beads for our local nuns when I was younger. It was a very cathartic and moving experience. Some of the boys didn't get it. But I could carve and say the rosary while doing so. I was only one of three of the boys in class allowed to do this.

      Of course this was way back in years.The painting of Icons is another way to say Thank You for the skills is it not? 

I love brush painting. Have about 10 brushes that are in good condtion. Mostly lowell cornell, American Painter, a few Tamiya brand and 1 W&N Series 7 - 00.