Drybrushing with silver problem

j -

Welcome to the board!

I'm not an expert on metalizing, but sounds like the metalizer isn't adhearing to the plastic or undercoat. Don't know how you're preping the plastic, and how your applying the metalizer. But that would be the first thing I'd look at. The plastic has to be squeeky clean, and any undercoat has to have enough teeth to hold the metalizer.

Archer out.

I'm using a base coat of Humbrol Steel with a wee bit of Aluminum mixed in. Then I like to take Raw Umber Oils and mix Humbrol Aluminum in for drybrushing, on each pass gradually adding more aluminum. The drybrushing step is what's giving me the problems. Regardless of tthe brand of metal paint I can actually see the small metal flakes flying off the brush all over my model

well I use either testors or MM enamels for any silver drybrushing... I've never seen that problem. When you drybrush you are just dipping right into the paint bottle or such and wiping off the brush then brushing? Or are you using some type of thinner? It sounds like maybe the pigment isn't staying on the brush, as in the bonding agent has been washed off, or dried before you began drybrushing... someone else might have a more accurate answer but that's the only thing I can think of at the moment.. how long do you wait after getting all the paint off your brush before you are drybrushing with it?

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oh yeah!!! I almost forgot, welcome to the forum!!! Glad you are here!

I'm not using thinners. For the drybrushing I'm grabing the thick blob from the bottom of the bottle with a stick and putting it on a palette. Then I mix it with either black enamel or raw umber oil paint. I load the brush with the paint then gag the bristles with a rag using my forefinger and thumb several times to pull the paint off. Then I scrub the brush on a piece of cardboard till it barely leaves a smudge. When I'm satisfied that the brush is dry enough I comence drybrushing. I learned this technique from both Shep Paine's and Verlinden's books.

hmmm then I don't know what would be causing it unless you are just getting pigment when you go for the blob and no bonding agent... maybe someone else has an idea.

I think that Tom may have fingered your problem. When I drybrush (enamels or acrylics), I mix the paint just as if I were going to brush paint with it, dip the end 25% of the brush in it and then stroke a piece of 3x5 file card until the brush contains the amount of paint required and then stroke it on. It just takes practice to get it right. (note: several years ago I started using white instead of silver for paint chipping on 1/72 models and find it looks as good if not better than silver. Plus there is less chance of contaminating the brush with the silver - nothing like painting on a color and finding flecks of metalic silver in the finish)

yeah thats the only thing I could think of Quincy... I do the same as you... mix it well, coat the tip of the brush (about 25%) then brush it out on scrap paper it and brush...

On my 1/48 SBD I am doing now I decided to use light gray to drybrush some spots on the body to simulate fading, and surprise!!! it ended up looking like a good silver! as in wear had abraded the coat... it kinda surprised me! I'll have to go back and drybrush some blue/gray over it to tone it down but I may be on to something! I dont imagine it would work as well over a olive drab coat but who knows? might even show up more!

the only thing I use silver, aluminum or steel for is drybrushing the floors of the cockpit where the rudder pedals go and interior areas... simulates shoes/boots rubbing along the tracks in flight... I saw it in a reference photo for an SBD when I was researching this build and I am sold on it! after looking at the WWII color pics I was amazed at how much wear was done in this one area.

For a silver NMF plane I would think white would work possibly? (try it on sprue or such first) I would stay away from the acrylics for drybrushing too... just personal experience.

A substitute might be a silver artists pencil, shave some silver off then load it into your brush and brush it on... ever since I started using it for instrument panels and chips in the paint I am a believer! I imagine it would work well for what you are doing too, and you could add pastel chalk to color it for good effect.

I like the artist pencil method. It's easier to use I think.