Just a ???????

[mark126804]

Hi All,

With me being new, I think this is a quick question but I'm sure I'm opening a can of worn I am probably not ready for......but here goes.

I'm using Lifecolor acrylics, most of the time I thin them with water. I sometimes still get brush streaks. Is the problem the brushes...I use Talkon brushes, do I need to always thin with water. Thanks for the advice.

Mark

 

[housecarl]

I do Mark. I find several thin coats much better than a few thick ones.
Less of tendency to obscure detail,
Carl.

 

[Einion]

I don't think this is a big can o' worms, you're safe Just to check, you're getting streaks as in show-through of the colour underneath? If so that's normal until you build up to full coverage, which if you're thinning your paints for smoothness can often take a few coats.

If the problem is brushmarks - actual texture in the paint from the bristles - then you probably need to thin more. Taklon brushes aren't as fine as some natural-hair brushes but they can still do the job, there are even one or two top miniature painters who only paint using synthetics, no sable or Kolinsky at all. Myself I use nylon brushes for most of the bulk work at larger scales, including the bust you see in my avatar pic.

Einion

 

[mark126804]

Thanks for the help. Ill try and thin the paint more..


Mark

 

[Einion]

If you need some guidance on how much to thin, these should help:
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/paint-question.40344/#post-412469
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/struggling-with-base-coats.51203/#post-512349

Einion

 

[mark126804]

I don't think this is a big can o' worms, you're safe.....including the bust you see in my avatar pic.

Einion

Thanks Everyone for the help. And Einion...yes brushmark. So Ill thin the paint a little more. And I think after my 3-4 figure/bust, I might get the natural-hair brushes.

You know Ive always stuck with building A/C cause I thought it took real talent to paint figures ans bust, and I still think that. Now for me I glad Ive finally teied it. Im actually having fun. Now to develope a technique that works for me. I hope soon I can paint a figure as well as you masters on here.

Again thanks for the help.

Mark

 

[Einion]

Welcome Mark.

You know Ive always stuck with building A/C cause I thought it took real talent to paint figures ans bust, and I still think that. Now for me I glad Ive finally teied it. Im actually having fun. Now to develope a technique that works for me. I hope soon I can paint a figure as well as you masters on here.

If you have an airbrush it's well worth breaking it out for figs using zenithal spraying as it can really help both with quality of results and speed. It's of most help with busts and large-scale figures because of the larger surface area of course, but you can use the same technique all the way down to 1/35 scale figs successfully.

Einion