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I disagree with the stance taken that drybrushing is an inferior technique. Drybrushing has many merits and is REGULARLY utilized by many painters who have mastered so-called advanced techniques such as wet blending and washing/glazing. The key is having a thorough understanding of the strengths and limitations of the effect. A sloppy "dusty" effect is the result of a combination of too much paint on the brush, imprecise application of paint, and an overly stark highlight. Properly layered on, successive drybrush layers will have minimal noticable effect on its own, but will have a cumulative effect over time. A key to the layered drybrush approach is to use a SOFT brush with very little paint and to apply many subtle layers.

Drybrushing is an excellent way to paint textured surfaces such as hair, fur and turf. I use drybrushing exclusively for these areas. The key is to start with these areas so that any overbrush will be covered by later applications of basecoat and highlight. For directed drybrushing of detail areas such as hair, switching from an old brush to a dedicated drybrush (e.g. GW's small drybrush) will immediately help the results as one will gain a lot more control to where the paint is going.

On large featureless surfaces such as tanks, drybrushing is an great way to highlight the model. The key is that a large soft brush with little paint is needed. (i.e. make sure most of the paint is wiped from the brush before you start) While I haven't tried it yet myself, it has been suggested to me by many advanced painters to use a cheap makeup application brush. As it is both large AND soft, it is ideal for producing the subtle highlights desired.

Drybrushing is also an excellent way to apply wear, dirt and corrosion to the edge of metalic surfaces as the areas that will catch the brush during the drybrush process are the natural points of wear. Key here again is to use the right type of brush so that you can control where the paint goes.

Finally, if the highlights produced by the drybrush are too stark, it is possible to "tone" down the highlight and remove some of the dusty effect by the application of a wash. This will retain the highlight, while blending away much of the dustyness. In terms of speed painting, there isn't much that produces a better effect in very little time than a careful drybrush followed by a wash.

There we are. Aside from our - rather petty, in hindsight - argument, Keezus has made a structured, in-depth post which you should read, and read again. It sums up all the Uses and Secrets of Drybrushing, and I myself have learned a thing or two from it. Thanks, Keezus!

I agree with all the above uses of Drybrushing. I am no averse to using it myself for hair and fur.

When painting smaller areas such as SM arms, pads etc... blending gives a much smoother effect.

As the op said; he might not be able to use such techniques yet, but he'd like to know about them and their differing uses.

I think we've done that now

Edit: Addendum to the above re: drybrushing.

Softer brushes alows for better control of shade when drybrushing.

Stiffer brushes alows for better control of placement when drybrushing.

====================================

Regarding technique, I think that the following progression is a good one for developing highlighting technique for a beginner:

1. Drybrushing (highlighting)
2. Washing / Glazing (shading)
3. Edgelining (highlighting)
4. Wetblending (highlighting and shading)

Also, looking at a colour wheel and understanding colour interactions can drastically improve the outcomes of your painting scheme without any improvement in technique.

I agree with everything keezus said, it would have been impossible to paint my Celestine's wings without drybrushing.

But I believe for a newcomer learning edgelining is a pre-requisite to learning the more advanced techniques and therefore their time is much better spent on learning said technique. Where as drybrushing is just a handy tool under your belt.

I've just seen too many gamers who have an army full of half-assed drybrushed marines and have said, "Ah well, that'll do" and they never end up improving.

Zarkin , what method do you think were used on these. which ever you feel is accurate

The thing is , im not debating with you whether dry brushing is better , or high lighting via lining is better.

What im saying is , Dry brushing allows new painter to experience the fundamentals of :
-layering color
-mixing color
-shows how the color progressively gets lighter almost like a real light.
-most importantly , shows how the raised area behave as high light while creases behave like shades and shadows.

Lastly , to repeat what Popsicle says : generally looks better and faster to do.
because realistically , we have all seen the Tron type of high lighting , and i dont believe for a moment that
will be considered better than dry brushing.

LunaHound wrote:Zarkin , what method do you think were used on these. which ever you feel is accurate

The thing is , im not debating with you whether dry brushing is better , or high lighting via lining is better.

What im saying is , Dry brushing allows new painter to experience the fundamentals of :
-layering color
-mixing color
-shows how the color progressively gets lighter almost like a real light.
-most importantly , shows how the raised area behave as high light while creases behave like shades and shadows.

Lastly , to repeat what Popsicle says : generally looks better and faster to do.
because realistically , we have all seen the Tron type of high lighting , and i dont believe for a moment that
will be considered better than dry brushing.

Ah god, im getting sick of this argument. Imma use my willpower and not respond after this.

That list of yours (above) can be easily transposed to the advantages of edge-highlighting for beginners:


Edge-highlighting allows new painter to experience the fundamentals of :
-layering color
-mixing color
-shows how the color progressively gets lighter almost like a real light.
-most importantly , shows how the raised area behave as high light while creases behave like shades and shadows.

AND

-gives the newcomer the much needed foundation of fine motor controls needed to tackle advanced techniques

Why not spend your time practicing the technique that is going to make you a better painter? Sure its hard, you'll make mistakes, it'll take time, but you'll improve beyond your wildest dreams.

Zarkin wrote:

LunaHound wrote:Zarkin , what method do you think were used on these. which ever you feel is accurate

The thing is , im not debating with you whether dry brushing is better , or high lighting via lining is better.

What im saying is , Dry brushing allows new painter to experience the fundamentals of :
-layering color
-mixing color
-shows how the color progressively gets lighter almost like a real light.
-most importantly , shows how the raised area behave as high light while creases behave like shades and shadows.

Lastly , to repeat what Popsicle says : generally looks better and faster to do.
because realistically , we have all seen the Tron type of high lighting , and i dont believe for a moment that
will be considered better than dry brushing.

Ah god, im getting sick of this argument. Imma use my willpower and not respond after this.

That list of yours (above) can be easily transposed to the advantages of edge-highlighting for beginners:


Edge-highlighting allows new painter to experience the fundamentals of :
-layering color
-mixing color
-shows how the color progressively gets lighter almost like a real light.
-most importantly , shows how the raised area behave as high light while creases behave like shades and shadows.

AND

-gives the newcomer the much needed foundation of fine motor controls needed to tackle advanced techniques

Why not spend your time practicing the technique that is going to make you a better painter? Sure its hard, you'll make mistakes, it'll take time, but you'll improve beyond your wildest dreams.

'Fine Motor Controls' ought to come with Practice. Having done 50 Models using Dry Brushing, he'll have plenty of Control; he'll have experienced the variable results of Dry Brushing, whilst all the time improving his accuracy, and therein, his end result. You're right, Pure Highlighting will also teach him the 4 Things above, but they will cost him more time, more disappointment, and more painstakingly hard work. [b]Nobody wants to be thrown in at the deep end. In the Hobby World, it's the same. Go in at the Shallow End, and you'll learn to Swim and be Confident, and move in Deeper in your own time. Dry Brush, and you'll learn to Paint easier.

Bah!

Throw him in the deep end! If he's too weak to swim he doesn't deserve to survive!

MMMMWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Zarkin wrote:Bah!

Throw him in the deep end! If he's too weak to swim he doesn't deserve to survive!

MMMMWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Do you really want to take advice from him?

I decided to go for a mix of both techniques on my model. Since they are Angels Sanguine, one half is black, whilst the other half is red. I used line highlighting on the red half and drybrushing on the black half. Although the red came out well i'm not quite sure about the black highlighting. I used shadow grey and it seems to be too bright. Am I using the wrong colour for it?

khaineflakes wrote:I decided to go for a mix of both techniques on my model. Since they are Angels Sanguine, one half is black, whilst the other half is red. I used line highlighting on the red half and drybrushing on the black half. Although the red came out well i'm not quite sure about the black highlighting. I used shadow grey and it seems to be too bright. Am I using the wrong colour for it?

Its hard to say without seeing it. But im guessing the transition is too strong

Lol sounds to me he found line highlighting better.

Ah VICTORY

Its quite sad that instead of helping OP improve, that this has been turned into some sort of competition. *sighs in disbelief.

Well enjoy w/e victory you got lol

I'm surprised that in all the posts (unless I missed it as I glazed over during the "my method is better" debate) no one mentioned the tools of the trade. Quality paint brushes really are important. A clean rinse every time. If you can afford it, use separate brushes for your metallics. At very least use a completely different rinse pot. Ensure your brush is completely dry before going for another load of paint unless you are intentionally trying to wet blend or dilute a wash. Make sure your brushes are clean and dry each time you finish painting. Replace your brushes when they start to fray.

Simple things, but important nonetheless. They apply regardless of drybrush or pure highlights.

Most of the post here have some merit. But the bottom line is just PAINT. Everyone (except for the gifted few who have innate talents for things like this) has screwed up. It is what it is. Sacrifice a model, gain experience. In most cases the model can be stripped / repainted w/o much (or any) loss of detail.

You'll develop your own style after a while. Make use of the resources you have available online, they are amazing. YouTube cannot be understated, it's where I started to learn how to do highlights. I've been painting miniatures for years and have less overall artistic skill than most of the people here have in their left pinkie finger. I never figured it out by the 4 panels provided in the GW painting guides, and I never learned from anyone in person. I started painting again about 8 months ago and decided I wanted more detail / cleaner lines. I went through a lot of mediocre stuff fluff before I watched some truly inspiring videos, and armed with that information I promptly set out to ruin a squad of Khorne Berzerkers. But I learned something on each one, and the last wasted soul in that squad didn't look quite as sloppy as the first. I am still learning to hone the technique, learn from each mistake, and ultimately build confidence as results improve.

That said, in the same timeframe I also painted an army of 425 zombies (yes, I said 425, it's not a typo) for WFB with drybrushing and washes in less than 3 months. I painted every one of them myself. Golden Demon award? No. Absolutely sick and terrifying horde on the table that garnered respect and admiration of fellow gamers that I stuck to the task and came out with decent-quality gaming models and the satisfaction that I was playing a 100% completely painted army? Yes.

In the end it's all about what you want and how you want to get there. Results vary with application, experience, base skill, and dedication. In any case, good luck w/ your new addiction... er, I mean "hobby". Yeah. Hobby. I can stop anytime I want. Really. I just don't want to right now.