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ive been on a painting week since i did my ankle in climbing and am unable to even do the most simple jobs at work.

this time painting has given me a bit of experiance and some good tips id like to share.

firstly : Look After Your Brushes.
they say a bad workmen blames thier tools but painting with bad brushes will not give you the best quality work.
wash your brushes every colour change, and before the colour drys on the brush. also dont dip your brushes into the paint so it gets under the metal section of the brush, it will set here and cause the bristles to fan out..
and stand them up so you dont flatten the points a cup or mug will work

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/14-Pcs-Acrylic-Nail-Art-paint-Brushes-Set-Brush-holder_W0QQitemZ250517058424QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Health_Beauty_Nails_Manicure_Pedicure_CA?hash=item3a53faf378

tip here good brushes dont cost a bomb... shop around, i found a 12 pack of fine detail brushes for 3£ in a local craft shop.

secondly: mix your own paints.
the range of paints and lots of painting guide point towards making your own paints. this is beacuse the paints made are big jumps in hues so as a result to get natural blends you have to make the inbetween colours. the main issue i had was i mixed on a palette so once the colour had gone i had to mix more but it was never the same mix.
so once you mix a colour you like mass produce it, GW do empty pot you can use. however i perfer the dropper bottles they allow for more control.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/15ml-BOTTLES-TWIST-TOP-RESEABLE-DROPPER-NOZZLE-X-30_W0QQitemZ350290095196QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectables_Bottle_Pots_ET?hash=item518eeaac5c

the transfer of paint maybe tricky but worth it.

thirdly: thin the paint.
a glop of paint painted will cover the detail no matter how much you shade and highlight it. so thin you paint on a palette. it doesnt need to be the 20£ thinner from private press, saliva and water work, just not as well.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Acrylic-Paint-model-craft-kit-paint-spraying-thinner_W0QQitemZ360116533938QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN?hash=item53d89e3ab2

forthly: learn the stages of painting.
in every white dwarf for as long as i can recall there are articals on how to paint. read these practice on the spare plastic sprue you get with every plastic miniture. i use the 5 main stages, undercoat -- with a good quality spray, foundation -- to start the colour of the model off, ink/wash -- this will darken the recesses and pick out detail, base colour - the colour you want the model to be and finally highlight --- something light.
in the foundation starter pack is a layering chart i cant do with out shows a number of great combinations.



finnaly: learn the techiques.
i mentioned the white dwarf articals, the web also boost and untold number of videos and pages on how to master painting. all inculde techiques such as dry brushing, highlighting, blending, nmm and airbrushing. id learn them in that order and always start slow.

http://www.youtube.com/group/WarGamerCommunity



thanks for reading hope it helped and include and comments on your own personal expericane

Shouldn't this be in the tutorial section?

i dont know how to move it now.

Just post the topic again there, and ask a moderator to close this one.

Fret not, we'll move this one.

Good points

I would also recommend a wet palette, which can be cheaply made rather than forking out at the art shops.

http://artbyserena.blogspot.com/2008/04/how-to-make-wet-palette-for-acrylics.html