How do I get rid of those nasty brush strokes?

Yeah, you could sand it down, but I'd use thinner (or iso rubbing alchohol if it's acrylic) and try to strip it down. The way to get rid of brush strokes isn't after paint curring, but before. Make sure the surface and model is clean and take a globulous amount of paint and "dob" it on while not letting the brush leave the surface of the model. Spread the paint around without lifting up the brush, and keep doing this. Let it dry in a shoebox, or something that won't let dust and crud get to the curring paint. Let dry for about an hour and a half (thats if your using acrylics, you might want to wait a day for enamials). Even though when you "dob" on the paint it will look like you lost all your rivets and all details, it'll be a different story when it drys. Acyrilcs will "suck" down and suction onto the model, I've found. So I apply globulous amounts and let it dry and I see zero brushstrokes with all my details right there. I found this method works great for acrylics, never tried enamials. Hope it helps.

don't brushpaint those alclad or testors metalizers. those are for airbrushes. try to use very (20000 grit) fine sandpaper, rub a little, then yeah

QUOTE: use very (20000 grit) fine sandpaper

20,000 grit sand paper?!!

The consistency of the paint is key: It has to be thin enough to flow smoothly and be self-leveling. Too thick, and it'll set up and get sticky before the paint levels, leaving stroke marks. Too thin, and it'll be blotchy. You also need a good-quality red-sable brush; some synthetics work well, but the cheap nylon brushes in the can above the Testor's rack at the hobby store won't. The trick is to flow the paint on in a neat coat without, as ArmorMaster said, lifting the bristles from the surface. You pretty much get one shot at it; if you go back and try to spread the paint more, you'll end up streaking it. Dark colors are easier than light colors (I usually spray whites, light grays, and light blues), and some brands of paint work better than others.

It takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, brush painting is often faster and easier than airbrushing, especially for small items. Likewise, brush painting works best on small models like 1/72 scale fighters rather than 1/48, 1/32, and up, where the surfaces to be covered are just too large.

I think both airbrush and handpainting skills are needed in modeling, but mastering both is a little hard...

i recommend vallejo acrylics for hand brushing. i've had very good luck with these and they level well. for the most part, you dont have to thin this brand either. later.

Saltydog: I've seen 30000+ grit sandpaper, it feels like normal paper but a bit abrasive

i've never seen anything over 2,000!! i thought it was a typing error. my bad bubba. later.

I didn't know the grits went that high.
I have the Micro-Mesh system and it has grades going up to 12,000 grit.
I can't see any need for anything smoother as that would basically be just a piece of cotton material.

Mike

Very helpful brush stroke tips! Can you define dob? Dob to me means lifting and touching the brush to the surface but you say not to lift the brush.

I'm using Vallejo Air but regular Vallejo is pretty thick.

Hi Starwars dude. Please take my following comments as meant to be helpful. 

"Anonymous" may well be Manstein's Revenge, who was permanently banned in 2012. Or someone else long gone.

Mike V is Mike Van Buskirk. He is a master at the airbrush, but has not been active for a long time, at least a decade. 

And you'll notice that the post you replied to is dated 2004, which is fine except that you've posed a question that you won't get an answer to from either of those guys.

I have no idea what "dob" means, maybe daub. If so, I think that's bad advice.

OK, nuff on that. Here's my own two bits.

As was said, don't create brush marks to begin with. Removing them NEVER goes well for me.

In addition to a decent flat brush, when hand painting it is important to thin the paint down quite a bit, and plan on multiple thin translucent coats.

I think we all started as kids trying to create a thick lake of paint that would somehowm "self level" and dry with a still pond surface effect. Even if successful, any detail would join the lost city of Atlantis. Of course we didn't care.

I like brush painting in particular for small part detail.

starwarsdude

I'm using Vallejo Air but regular Vallejo is pretty thick.

 

I haven't done a lot of Vallejo Model Air brush painting but enough to say that it needs a little retarder in it. It also helps when spraying it, as can the flow aid.

oldermodelguy

I haven't done a lot of Vallejo Model Air brush painting

Brush-painting with Vallejo Model Air isn't something I'd recommend.

OTOH, Vallejo Model Color is really good. One-coat, self-leveling, etc. It's my go-to for brush painting, FWIW.

I'm not sure what type of paint you want to brush on. Vallejo is water-based, acrylic.

Greg

Brush-painting with Vallejo Model Air isn't something I'd recommend.

OTOH, Vallejo Model Color is really good. One-coat, self-leveling, etc. It's my go-to for brush painting, FWIW.

I'm not sure what type of paint you want to brush on. Vallejo is water-based, acrylic.

 

Hi Greg, I'm not trying to accomplish anything in particular but the OP is.

 

 

oldermodelguy

Hi Greg, I'm not trying to accomplish anything in particular but the OP is.

Yes, I know that, OMG. The comment was meant for the OP, not you ..... but because the reply GUI got screwed up during a forum upgrade years back, one can only see the the post one is replying to and I forgot the OP's name. I was going to go back and edit for clarity but got distracted.

I understand that the quote box makes it look as if I was replying to you, so my bad on that.

That said, this forum is made available as a public service by our gracious host, Kalmbach so I try to look the other way on forum design/upgrade/security issues. Have a hard time keeping my mouth shut on this one, though.

 

Greg

That said, this forum is made available as a public service by our gracious host, Kalmbach so I try to look the other way on forum design/upgrade/security issues. Have a hard time keeping my mouth shut on this one, though.

I appreciate the forum too, Greg. It is what it is.

That said, you made good sense about MA vs MC paint.

Testors makes a flat aluminum. Is that what you are using?  It is very hard to hand brush flat paints.  They dry so fast the paint does not get a chance to self level.  You could use a gloss aluminum or gloss silver, do the decaling, then spray on a coat of dullcoat.

About the only way to get a strokeless finish with flat aluminum is to dry brush it, but it is hard to maintain a consistancy of color tone with dry brushing.

An alternative to handbrushing is to use spray cans for the primary finish.