Have to say that your videos are great the way you explain just sinks in for me. I have watched countless channels trying to learn fundamentals like this thank you for the work you put in
After a long sabbatical, I'm getting back into the hobby and what a perfect video to watch. So much has happened in the industry the learning curve of getting the skills back has been larger than I thought. I had the " load and go" philosophy in using brushes. Now I realize the proper technique and care of brushes that is going to help immensely. Thanks for the best tutorial I've needed.
As someone just getting back into the hobby after a 25 year hiatus i find your videos very helpful! It also makes me realise just how little i knew way back in the mid to late 90's and explains a lot of the frustrations i use to run into when painting my minis. You have a great approach to teaching this stuff in a clear fashion, especially with how you explain and then give the practical examples. Thanks
Thanks very much. It really great to hear these videos are useful to people. There seems to be a lot of people coming back into the hobby again, after many years away. So it's especially good to hear these videos are helpful for them too. Appreciate you taking the time to comment
Similar boat. Just getting back into miniatures and scale models after about 25 years (with my son). What a difference having all these video guides makes to learning how to do it right. My first minis now look better than anything I ever did in the 90s.
Same here. Just looking at getting some paint stripper so I can repaint my 90's models. Didn't realise just how bad I was back then but then again it was a different time with no RU-vid
@@hellequim this is so brilliant to hear that my videos are helping you guys get back into the hobby. If there’s any videos you think would be helpful, please let me know 👍
What a excellent little series of helpful videos! Not just showing me but making me understand how paint works, investing in some proper items now and new techniques hopefully it will level up my nearly non existent shoddy paint jobs!
Beautiful work, mate. I'm introducing a friend to mini painting and this will be invaluable to him. Thanks for the comprehensive opening. It explains it all better than I could :)
Thanks for watching man. I’ve made a playlist of fundamentals videos which your friend may like to check out. They’re videos I wish I had when I started the hobby 👍
Amazing tutorial!!! I haven't seen many channels explaining the position of the hands which are key to having more control!!! thanks so much for that! 👏 I'd would add as a downside of natural brushes that they are made with animal cruelty when comparing them to the synthetic ones. I wonder if I'll see the day where synthetic brushes perform as well as natural ones 🤞
Thanks John It's only meant as a quick intro for people, but never hurts to cover the basics. More detailed and advanced topics can then be covered separately :)
Thanks for the sub man, much appreciated It looks like you're working your way through my full catalogue of videos. Really hope you enjoy them and find them useful
In the video it was a size 4. I just use three sizes. Size 4 for basing, washes, large areas etc Size 1 for details, layering, recess shading etc And then finally a size 00 for fine detailing and edge highlighting etc Hope that helps 👍
It kinda boggles my mind that 95% of the brush holders I see for sale are all more or less just cups that point the bristles upwards. Knowing well how they are meant to be kept and all.
Great video with clear and simple explanation !! Best tutorial of the net. I don't know if you'll cover that in another video but which size of brush do you recommend and for which use please ?
Natural brushes rule.Synthetic brushes Will hook after even a little use even if you care for them as if they were natural hair . And natural brushes will last weeks to months in oils or enamels as long as you don’t smash them when cleaning.And I use a hair conditioner after every use in that environment.
As someone trying to get back into the miniature painting hobby, these videos help give me confidence on how to put my best foot forward! Your explanations are incredibly easy to understand and I get the feeling that if I messed up, you'd tell me not to worry about it. It's all practice, and I appreciate your direction and watching your tutorial videos.
Thank you And yes, you’re absolutely right 🙂 I would say “don’t worry” Painting is a process and sometimes that process needs the odd mistake so you can learn from them. Hell, I’ve even had mistakes turn out better than what I actually intended 🤣 Stick with it man, you’ll get there. More importantly, enjoy the journey
All is not lost. By using brush soap you can draw paint out from the furrel Failing that, you can use some isopropyl which will loosen the dried paint and allow it to brush out from the furrel. If your brushes are natural bristles then use it sparingly, just a quick swirl in isopropyl, let it soak up the bristles and then use a gentle brushing action on your palm and the paint will start to be released. Rinse with clean water. Don’t let the isopropyl stay on the bristles, as it can damage them
Oh wow Brushstroke, you are a legend. You won’t believe how helpful this video was to me. Everything the beginner needs to know about the brush but afraid to ask. Again your videos are so clear and precise and really informative. Thank you so so much. 😊
This is so helpful! I didn't realize how many bad habits I had especially that my brush cleaning technique was probably making it worse. I really appreciate the level of detail you get into in your explanations. Thanks!
How do you feel about Dawn dish soap for cleaning? My mom is a master painter of 30+ years, actually knows Jo Sonja personally, and swears by it. Same technique as yours, just with Dawn. Thoughts?
Hey man, it's not a product I've ever used, but if it works then go for it! I'm not about to argue with someone of your Mom's knowledge and experience.
Brush control is something I struggle with, mainly because I have trouble keeping a solid foundation. But I will absolutely be able to use these the information to help improve my control more.
Stability is key. Without it, you’re just playing pin the “tail on the donkey” (now wondering if that has global context 🤔) Anyway, I’m really glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching 👍
I’m looking for that link you said you would post for the type of brushes you use and I’m not seeing it so I apologize are you able to provide it? I think your videos are fantastic you’re very informative and you don’t talk too fast which is helpful so you don’t have to constantly have to rewind. These are great videos, and well appreciated. Also, the Cleaning part of this video only showed a regular brush I’m still not fully clear on cleaning my dry brushes properly. And if you don’t already have a video for it, can you help with directing and explaining the best way to do a face on a miniature? Particularly the eyes, I seem to struggle with this every time
No problem, the link should be in the description under the heading "Brushes" But to save you hunting, here it is bit.ly/42NKGLH :) Really glad you're enjoying the videos and finding them useful. For cleaning drybrushes my approach is to simply use a texture board and brush the brush across it to work the paint out of it that way. No need to wash the brush or anything like that. This approach is also the recommended approach given by Artis Opus for cleaning their specific brushes. I dont have a specific video on painting faces at the moment but I do have one planned soon for painting 3 different skintones which will be focused on faces. In this video I did show how to paint a face and also importantly a little detail on painting eyes which you may find useful in the meantime ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Yd-Zb9AuRjU.html Hope that helps and stay tuned for more videos
I just started painting minis and have been watching lots of videos, but your videos are hands down the most informative. I love that you explain the why of things, even showing how to rinse your brushes. Thank you!
Thank you so much. Welcome to the hobby and my channel 🙂 I really hope my language is ok for you to follow.? I do try and add subtitles, as I wouldn’t stand a chance of watching a video in Argentinian 🤣
Questions about brushes. I've read that brushes are almost a lottery for quality. Even the expensive brushes can be DoA. Have you experienced that when purchasing your brushes?
Where I think it’s fair to say any product can have the occasional manufacturing problem, I wouldn’t say buying brushes is a lottery if you go with a quality brand. Im not saying problem brushes don’t happen with those companies I simply mean they have customer services which will ensure you get the brush you paid for. I’ve tried a lot of different brushes and brands, and the ones I like the most are Artis Opus. The bristle quality is superb and the customer service excellent. Treat your brushes well, and they’ll last for years 👍
Thank you Yes, I clean synthetics this way too. Brush soap will still dislodge paint from the bristles. Only difference really is the conditioners in the soap won’t have any effect on a synthetic bristle
I find that I tend to prefer synthetic brushes, though I do have nice kolinsky sable brushes too. The reason was not really touched on in the video. I like the "stiffness" of synthetic. There's more resistance through the brush and I like having that. Many natural brushes feel "too soft" for my own personal preferences. So, when I'm not doing incredibly technical things where I know I'd benefit from the natural brush despite my preferences, I mainly reach for my favorite synthetic brushes.
Brush preference I think is a very personal thing, which is why I try and encourage people to try as many brushes as they can to try and find their perfect match. A bit like Wizards in Potter having their wand choose them 🤣 You’re right about the stiffness of synthetics. It’s a trait I don’t like in them now you mention it. I knew I’d miss something out Oh well, hopefully people will take the advice and try try try
I'm just starting painting miniatures. Having made a few mistakes, I am watching just about everything I can find, to make sure there are no more disasters! I'm finding your painting guides hugely helpful. Thanks! (Not least that your background music is nowhere near as annoying as other YT vids.) Thanks.
This is such a comprehensive tutorial! As a beginner to mini painting and someone coming from an illustration background, it's also really interesting how the movement of the brush here relies on the finger joints whereas for digital/traditional illustration we're trained to keep the wrist and fingers still and move the pen from the elbow/shoulder for smoother strokes. Your videos are so helpful in understanding the fundamental techniques :D Thanks so much!
Thanks for watching Everything applies for metal miniatures just the same. I prepare and paint my metal minis just the same as plastic and resin. Only main thing to ensure with metal is that you clean off all release agent from them before priming and that you let the primer fully cure (usually 24hrs) before painting. Following this process I've never had a problem with metal minis Happy painting :)
Thank you. I got the racks years ago from a store on eBay. I don’t think that store exists anymore but you can usually find similar by searching for “Acrylic tiered nail polish display racks”
Excellent tutorial. I personally found using a shot glass of IPA, maybe a quarter full (depends on the paint session) works well to clean stiff brushes. Then I rinse them in water and wipe them clean with a microfiber clothe. Idk if IPA hurts the bristles. Havent noticed tbh. I use cheaper brushes any how. But I def will be doing the twisting motion to keep the tip from now on. 😅 Thanks again.
Raphaël brand makes the best synthetic brushes by far. They are better than most natural hair brushes. They also have a lot of different styles/technologies, for different purposes.
New, getting into the hobby, I really enjoy the care you take to deliver your tutorials. I may have missed this point, so forgive me if this is a repeat question. What kind of brush soap did you use from that set ? And what should those of us without that set be using ??
Only very little. Just enough to bring the bristles together into a point. You don’t want so much pressure that the bristles start to spread out and splay. Hope that helps
Just started the video but can you please a series on other paint brushes and techniques to use them. Your tutorial are awesome man thank you. And happy Halloween!!!! Should of finished the video before commenting
Yes, brushsoap will clean your synthetics for sure. The conditioner in the soap just won’t do anything, as synthetic bristles won’t absorb it like a natural fibre does. Brushsoap is the best stuff ever, so if you don’t have any yet, you should get some for sure 👍
Your tutorials are so good!! Thank you!! I am just starting out and trying to paint Stormcast Eternals, could you do a video of a bog standard eternal!? It would help so much
This is awesome! Do you have any tips on using and maintaining brushes with enamel paint? Is it just a matter of using the thinner instead of water or are there different kinds of recommendations?
@@l-pla Sorry, I was talking about the loading process. You mean the cleaning. I don’t see why not. I’ve not done it myself and I certainly wouldn’t mix with acrylic brushes. There’s really only one way to know. Buy a little pot and try. Other wise, you’re going to need to use your thinner first as a purger to loosen the paint in the bristles. Then rinse with clean water. Then do the water / soap Then rinse in water And repeat cycle again starting with thinner. Let me know how you go, so I can answer others who ask 👍
Brush soap must have saved me a fair bit of cash over the years. I have always worked soap trough my hands. My other half just thinks I am painting my hand.
It truly is magic stuff As I eluded to in the video, I’m not always the best at cleaning at the end of every session. But brush soap is always there to save the day 😀
Just started to check your channel thanks to Google algorithm. So far, thank you for sharing this the easy way. Really on the point. Very helpful for a starter like me. Appreciate it!
Haven't painted in a while since busy schedules has taken over my life, and I have to say this is one of the best guides I've seen. Thank you for making these awesome guides.
Just wow... By far, the best tutorial I found about painting with brushes my minis! I'm new at the hobby, and yet with this video, I learned almost everything about the brushes Tysm TYSM! ❣️
Thank you for watching and checking out my channel. I'm really glad you enjoyed the video and found it useful. I wanted to try and cover the basics and include some bits which often never get explained and a lot of people have to find out the hard way. Happy painting :)
Good question, and no, there’s no problem. The answer is it simply rubs off next time you use it. If you like you can always give it a quick wipe with some wet paper towel before you start, but it’s really not a problem. It’s just like a bar of hand soap when you wash muddy hands.
Great video, as good as your other previous tutorials! I'm always learning something new each and every time 😄 I've just a question about brush control, since I still haven't figured it out by myself... is it better to do smaller o longer brush strokes when painting flat surfaces and/or painting the base colour? 🤔
Thanks man Really appreciate the support With regards length of brushstrokes, I would say I prefer to go with as long a stroke as a can on a surface, up to the length of the movement in my finger bend if that makes sense? That way you get as smooth and even coverage as possible in as few strokes as possible. If you're having to move your brush hand in order to complete the stroke though, then you've gone too long
@@BrushstrokePaintingGuides Thank you, it makes perfectly sense! 👍🏻 I'll definitely try this out to get a nice smooth finish, which I'm still struggling with from time to time
Your content is an absolute treasure trove of hobby knowledge!! Could you please cover the tools you personally use next, - clippers/cutters, knife, drill, sanding sticks/files etc!! 🤞👍
Thank you. Really glad you’re enjoying the channel. I can’t guarantee it will be the next video, as I’m already working on more content but I can certainly put a tools video on the list for the future 👍
A point on the brush soap, once lathered up and in the bristles you can also leave the soap in it and reshape the bristles, let the soap harden and this sort of retrains bristles back into shape and all you need is water to get soap out and there you have a reshaped brush.
Thanks for commenting, youre absolutely right. I did neglect to mention leaving some in the bristles will help maintain the tip whilst stored and it also helps condition the bristles 👍
Im brand new to the hobby and working on my first project. Your channel is probably the best pound for pound I've come across so far. Every video is a certified lesson, no wishing im going to get an answer. Just class
I really like how thorough you are in explaining things. It helps catch all those little tips and tricks (or techniques) that are so useful and which one might otherwise not think of. I also really like how you take the time to explain why to do something, and how it works rather than merely the steps themselves. That seems really useful in building up a base of understanding which will both make it easier to learn the techniques and to apply them to any unusual circumstances that might show up.
Thank you, I tried to include the things I wish I’d been told when I first started painting. Really good to hear you thought it was useful. Please help spread the word and share it to others you feel would benefit from it. 👍
Really great videos. Been back in the hobby since mid 2020 (thank you Mr. Covid) but only just decided to properly focus on really improving my painting. Been using a wet palette for about a year now and 2 weeks ago started to "upgrade" my brushes from Citadel to Artis Opus. Although comfortable with wet-blending, glazing etc., I've been watching lots of "basics" painting videos, as I reckon the best way to tackle advanced techniques at an advanced level is to fully understand the basics. I must commend your tuition as although I'm already doing these things, it's very interesting to understand WHY I'm doing them. My biggest problem / challenge in painting comes in terms of generating enough contrast. To be fair my NMM is pretty poor but I've only done 2 models with this technique so confident it'll improve. If you have tips or intended videos on these things, 'twould be very helpful. Anyway, monologue over. Thank you and bravo!
Thank you very much for taking the time to comment. It’s great to hear my videos have proved useful to someone who’s been painting for a while. I totally agree, understanding and mastering the basics is the key to improving your painting. Once you can accurately apply a paint to the location and consistency you want, then there really isn’t anything else. Nmm etc aren’t really techniques, they’re simply outcomes from applying the correct colours to the correct location. Thanks again for checking out my channel, much appreciated. Oh, and yes, there’s more to follow for sure 😉
I would really like a video where you show your painting setup and perhaps share your thoughts, why you seem to be landed at citadel. That you use the brushes that are dedicated to you is clear, but I would really like to hear your opinion on paints, accessories and sources of models you prefer. Perhaps you have even some models to show, that you don't painted in a video-tutorial? And thanks for the great guides, I just watched your whole series and the amount of detail, the great presentation and clear explanation is really good. Thank you!
Thanks so much for checking out my channel, really appreciate it. It’s great to hear you found them useful. As for a video on painting setup, tools, paint preferences etc, I think that’s a great idea and I’ll certainly see what I can do 👍
