As someone returning to model making after a 40 year gap this succinct summary achieves in 5 minutes what others fail to achieve in 20-30m. Thanks for the info perfectly, summarised and delivered!
I told the wife months ago that i use make models as a kid. Built the last one about age 12. Im in my 50s now and she has bought me a model for christmas to make. Thanks for making me look like the pro i never was.
I don't have the space or money for an airbrush set at the moment, and this has been EXTREMELY helpful. Thank you so much for making this video as my painting techniques and skill will drastically improve!
Me too! I made loads of kits as a child. Those that I painted were never done right, because I didn't understand or learn about painting techniques, and was always in a rush to finish the job. I have a couple of kits to make now and will aim to do a better job, with the help of the "youtube library".
I haven’t been doing this hobby for too long and I only use acrylic hobby paint, but in my experience the thing about the brushes is wrong. From the little experience that I have I’d tell you that stiffer brushes (the ones recommended in the video) are definitely better for applying fine details, but to cover large surfaces it’s way better to use the more loose brushes. I realized this because when I started I used only the looser brushes, but then I got a pair of stiffer ones as part of a gift. After using both types both ways I’m confident enough in making this statement.
I always thought that brush painting the base coat for my models was the wrong way, since i always saw people doing it with air brushes or spray paints. Now my faith is restored! XD thank you!
I’m starting to get into scale aircraft building, and just yesterday I got a new pack of brushes, only choosing them because they seemed about right for modeling. I didn’t see this video until today, and I happened to choose some Gold Taklon brushes just like you recommended! Thank you for the great helpful tips, love your videos!
Greetings from L.A! Its awesome to see someone advocating brush painting. Especially since I can't afford anything else lol. And its really cool see someone as young as me so skilled and into the hobby. Its honestly really inspiring. Hope you keep up the amazing work.
Thank you! I learned from watching your video that I've been painting my airplane models the wrong way! Thank you for teaching me (and others) the right way to use enamel paints.
I am semi experienced. I've done most of my models as a kid, and until recently where I have managed to get proper paints and equipment, just slapping on similar paints and drybrushing here and there. And so far after some rough patches I'm starting to improve my quality. Despite that I still come to some of these "beginner" videos because I aim to do things with brushes, powders and washes, because I can't really afford an airbrush at the moment and have nowhere to do it. And it's a great place to pick up tips and tricks. Therefore I have to say, aside from you advice and tips about which make and makeup of the brush (Which I will have to look into as some of my brushes are a bit lacking for what I want to do) I do have to point out 2 things you do in this video that beginners should not do. 1 - DO NOT put your brush so far into the paint that it goes right up to the metal bit/ place where it joins the handle. This is one of the quickest ways to destroy a brush, because the paint gets into the place where the hairs are, and is extremely hard to wash out and it then dries and ruins the shape of the brush. (You should try and keep all your paint in the bottom half of the brush towards the tip, as this is where most of the "Work" on the brush is done) I know that you're buying cheap brushes, but with proper care cheap brushes can last a long time, and some people might not have £20 to spend on replacing all their brushes every 2 months, I know I certainly don't. 2 - DO NOT leave your brushes tip up after washing them, leave them tip down. This is for reasons similar to the first point. Some brushes have wooden handles, some have plastic, you could probably find glass handled brushes if you looked hard enough, but what they all have under the ferrule (metal bit) is the place that holds the bristles in. This might be glue, it might just be wedged, but it is still the same. The water underneath that ferrule doesn't dry quickly, and it can rot wooden handles leading to the brush falling apart, and in most cases with cheap brushes it will start to slowly degrade the glue keeping the bristles there, and it will quickly fall apart on you. This is from my personal experience with my brushes, and also from when I was searching around for brush maintenance and what types of brushes to use, and in addition to my experience it is a general consensus in the places I've seen. I used to leave my brushes flat because it was easier, but I recently had a brush cleaning session where I put some restorer/wax on them so I could store them. It's startling the amount of water you see on the brush plastic covers that comes out when you dry them tip down compared to flat or tip up, which means all this water was previously being drawn/drained/sucked into the part of your brush where the bristles are anchored. Needless to say from that point I am endeavouring to put my brushes tip down until they are bone dry. If they are bone dry store them however you want, although I would advise against resting them on the brush itself, as that is another way to a shagged brush. sorry for the wall, but I felt i needed to explain it all instead of just shouting two things seemingly with no reason.
I was looking through the comments to see if somebody had already pointed it out. It's indeed a no-go to dry your brushes upright. Not only for the reasons you mentioned but also because the water build-up will expand the bristles into the handle which will cause the brush to lose its shape. Simply making a small construction with blue-tack or some clips/clothespins to dry your brushes can save you a lot of money!
Wow - these techniques and tips can be applied to so many things. It's not so much about the actual models (target), but more about the brush types to use for the medium (target). I was really surprised by how helpful this video is. Many thanks - Saved, Subscribed, and Thumbs up 😄👍
These videos are so good, im just starting to do my first airfix's after theyve been sat in a draw for 3 years and this helps so much, I still need lots of practice but this answered allot of questions!
I am going to start on my first kit by Airfix and will try to do this slowly, though I know I will screw up here and there, but I hope I can do a decent job. Let's wait and see.
James Ong Swee Hin unless you actually melt the kit into a plastic blob, any “screw up” can be repaired. Hang in there, learn from your mistakes. In a few years I’ll be reading your reviews in Fine Scale Modeler😁
Thanks for this, Owen. The one thing I was missing in terms of brush painting was the correct brush selection. I'm anxious to try your techniques on a couple of WIP aircraft. I think my biggest challenge will be mottled cam patterns (e.g. Luftwaffe), but we shall see how those go.
Owen, I would agree that your channel along with Andy's Hobby HQ are two of the best on YT for model makers, but yours is better for anyone starting out (by a long way) as you rightly focus on brush painting and highlight smaller scales. I hope you continue the channel but also wish you well in your (NON YT) career!
I'm glad you think that as that was my aim with this channel :) When I was starting scale modelling I spent ages searching for information and it was either everywhere and confusing and contradictory, or not easy to find. I wanted this channel to condense it all into one space where it's accessible to everyone. So thank you for your comment and good wishes, I really appreciate it :)
Just got a Saturn v model. Never done this sort of stuff before and I sure as hell don't want to mess it up. I somewhat have confidence after only watching your 5 minute video. Tremendous!!!
BEEN MODELING MANY YEARS & Folks while you CAN make a model look nicer with an airbrush it IS outrageously more expensive in quite a few ways. The initial cost & time. So the expense of buying it, then all the products replacement parts, extra nozzles, needles and rare occasional gaskets. The Gun & Compressors. Paints & extra solvents.Vented fan spray booths& filters.The clean up time , set up time more area needed. Relatives that still complain of the smells. THE NEED TO STILL OWN BRUSHES! Listen I am probably STILL forgetting some things but you got the picture. I bought all that CRAP over the years. Now I am wanting to learn this technique for GOOD REASON! SO TAKE MY ADVISE,PLEASE! So your 1st few models may look like crap so what it takes time. Stick with it. Buy cheepies till they come out alright. Watch a ton of videos . that saves so much time and money. Then when you are happy with the results. BUY THE BEST FITTING MODELS YOU CAN FIND! IT WILL SAVE A TON OF TIME ON PUTTY SEAM GAP FILLING. Not necessarily the most expensive just research the best fitting model. I like excellent outside detail but I do not need the most accurate model with excessive fine parts. just the basics with a very nice fit as seamless as possible. Hope my advise helps some one. Keep on building and most of all HAVE FUN.
Ratios can be difficult for people to understand for many reasons. If you understand them, please engage and attempt an explanation. You may find that the way you understand them helps somebody else. That would be awesome.
I want to own an airbrush since i was 16, now im 30 but still dont own any. I got a chance to use my friend's airbrush and was terrible at it. I always believe i can do models by brush. When i see your videos, got me inspired & more confident to do it by brush. So Thank you Owen.
I'm an armor/tank scale modeller so it is always nice seeing hand painters on youtube too. I feel that it is far harder for hand painting gundam models since they are a lot smoother and less textured than tanks are. I also enjoy the channel Modkits on youtube for handpainting models too.
Didn't know how to take care of my brushes, as im new to models. I was wondering why my brushes were getting destroyed after one use, so this video is very helpful
As a beginner in modelling, I found the thinning technique to be extremely helpful! Immediately got rid of brush lines! (Though getting the ratio right is a bit difficult)
0:25 Acrylic paints and natural hair go together very well. Kolinsky sable or Siberian weasel bristles are AMAZING with acrylics, so please don't misinform people. Many painters use them, especially for painting minifigures. One of the best is Winsor and Newton series 7. If you will take care of your brushes, they will last for a long time.
I've just started to Model paint with miniature Warhammer miniatures. I'm about to paint a model plane with acrylics and this video has saved me from doing anything wrong, thanks!!
Wow, I've learned so much on this short video. I've been looking for this kind of video since I am a newbie in Gunpla painting. I've realized now why I have difficulty in removing the brush strokes in painting myfirst kit ;D I would like to know if I can use enamel thinner in acrylic paint and primer used in enamel. Thank you so much. Thumbs Up!!!
Darcy The Great. Fajardo i just got into customizing gunpla myself. Sooooo many gunpla videos assume you're already a pro and give you attitude if you don't have an airbrush. I have found other modeling communities far, far more helpful and welcoming to noobs. It's as if gunpla builders don't want to admit that they are dorks. We paint toy robots for fun. We're dorks, bro.
my tip for masking is used by professional painters. After putting on the mask then first layer will be the colour BEHIND the mask..that will ensure every small gaps is filled with the background colour and when you remove the mask only that colour would had slipped into the masked area....
He says 7 parts paint to 1 part thinner. This is because he uses a little dropper that measures by "parts". For example, if you have a 14 mL Humbrol enamel paint can, then you can put in 2 mL of paint thinner and you will get roughly the consistency of milk. TA-DA! On that note, I also recommend using Humbrol brushes. I have a couple from starter kits and they are surprisingly REALLY good. They are soft and work very well with enamel paint.
Using drops isn’t as accurate as a gradated syringe, but as long as you’re careful to make the same size drops, you just count: A mix of 1:4 means you put 1 drop of thinner in something (I use plastic spoons), and then you put 4 drops of the paint in. Mix with a toothpick and you’re good to go.
2:29 Uh I'm sorry Owen, but I don't agree with you on this one! ;) We don't get a better using enamel over acrylics, if you know how to use acrylics you can get a real good result! ;) You know I prefer acrylics, because the drying time is shorter :) Otherwise great video, as usual! :)
Broooo you save my money on buying Airbrush that is expensive.. Thank you so much i really like the video.. it just feel so relaxed and good presenting.. love it!! 💕
I'd like to apologise for the voice over quality (I don't think I positioned the microphone very well) and also I'd like to make a correction: at 2:29 I'd like to say that it is entirely possible to get great results with acrylics, equal to the finish of enamels, if applied in the correct way. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the video and find it helpful! :)
Quick Kits I've noticed that if you thin acrylics really well, you can brush paint them without getting brush strokes with a surprisingly good finish. The only problem is that the paint tends to run underneath masking tape
This was an awesome collection of model brush painting. The section on cleaning brushes was especially helpful for me personally. I can't thank you enough for this video!
Paint brushes are best dried lying flat, or if possible hanging with the bristles pointing down. The reason for this is to remove moisture as quickly and thoroughly from the ferule end of the brush, which helps stop the water loosening the glue that holds the bristles. You lose fewer bristles over time this way.
Thanks! I used to airbrush quite a bit and I still do occasionally but for some reason (actually I hate cleaning up the airbrush afterwards!) brush painting models is attractive to me these days. My biggest obstacle to overcome is to not hurry and try to cover in one coat. Must force myself to slow down and do three thinned coats!
thanks, I always wondered why the models I made as a kid were looking kinda fake when I painted them because I never used thinners. so thanks for the info.
Tamiya masking tape is quite useful. You get different widths. They make very narrow tape for masking canopies as well as wider tape to mask more complex paint schemes.
I'm here for painting my own small sculptures and this is the most helpful video I've found. So much good information in one video, not too long, not too short, and also kinda makes me wanna try model making haha
Thank you for the excellent video! I haven't built models since I was a teen back in the 80s. Been really anxious to start up again and get away from electronics for a few hours (that and my kids are showing interest also). These videos make it less intimidating to get started back up again (might even try some dioramas).
Thank you for the video. Some very useful tips. Also, the man made fiber brushes are vegan friendly. I don't use hairs from animals killed to make brushes. To get the pointed tip back on your brush after cleaning I simply flick the brush, a quick downward motion. I learnt this from 30 years as a dental technician.
Wow Owen thank you so much for this tutorial! I have 3 fully-built models sitting waiting to be painted, I didn't dare to use an airbrush on them. The good thing is I already have a collection of paints and brushes! Will proceed to paint them stat
Thank you for the tips, I just started model building/painting and your advice helped me paint my first aircraft, I didn't do any washes or anything, but it looks nice for a start model. I tried finding good tutorials but they were mostly for airbrushing. Your video helped me remove obvious brush strokes and I also did my freehand camo by watching you do it. I'm a wargamer so high details aren't my priority, however with your videos explaining things I'm confident I'll be adding some extra tidbits to my models. I've also got my hands on two copies of the same model (truth be told one is 1/72 the other 1/76) but I indend to do the other half a year from now to see how much I've improved over the time. Great work, keep it up. :)
This is great. I've been trying to learn model making as I go. Was trying to figure out why the enamel I was using was so patchy and thick and realised I needed to thin it. Been looking for a decent guide, Thanks.
Thanks for sharing, it truly helps me to get the max out of brush paint jobs. While I already have an airbrush, there are situations when the brush is still the best tool. Tips like stabilizing your favorite hand by using the palm of your free hand are really improving my skills. Great video!
Very very interesting to watch! I've been a miniature figure painter for years with acrylics, and have always sworn by Sable. That said I never touch anything as large or flat as a tank surface, but I'm going to look into the PH issue
Super Helpful for me. I am an amateur modeller mainly doing 1/72 scale models. My painting is okay but this has given me more hints and tips. Thank you :)
I moved to airbrushing some years ago and it is still my default setting . however, I have found this really useful and plan to try it out soon. Thank you.
Brilliant, I'm glad I'm not going to screw up my Wallace and Gromit Van. I'd love to buy and use a Air Brush, But I'm a novice on that and they're quite expensive for one project. So hopefully with these techniques I wont screw it up
Man I wish I could have found your videos when i did my first model a year ago! Great tips. Ive found it difficult to find good tutorial like videos for beginners in hobby modeling 😊
Awesome! I wanted this channel to provide the information I wish I'd had a few years ago and make it easier for people to find, so I'm glad you've found it now :) I'm glad you like them, thank you!
I have been tempted to use bottle paint for quite some time since I don't have an airbrush and cans don't have _every_ color that bottle and airbrush paints have. I learned a lot and will be liking and saving this video for reference.
Thanks for the tips,quiet easy to see my longterm errors when choosing brushes and the thinning formula...that will need practise...I want to build the new Honda CBR1000 RR-R and do it perfectly so this video will be my tutor.Thanks
