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Hey all, as I mentioned in my other thread about sealer, I am in the midst of making my own 6x4 gaming table. (I promise I'll post some pictures when I'm done!!)

I just finished my first attempt at drybrushing after laying down my base coat and it came out pretty streaky. I am using a cheap 3 inch brush from home depot and trying to use the same method as dry-brushing miniatures, but it just doesn't seem to scale very well.

Things I have tried so far:
-Removing almost all the paint (just makes it take ages to have any color show up)
-Brushing in random directions (somewhat mitigates streaks, but the brush lines are still visible)
-Swirling the brush in a circular motion (but this still leaves brush strokes and seems very inefficient)

The surface is sand glued on plywood with a dark grey base (city-fight). I'm trying to dry-brush a lighter grey.

So, anyone have tips on how to dry brush large flat objects like tables? Special brushes? Special techniques? I'm open to all suggestions.

I just use cheapo decorating brushes.

re: First point. be patient to build it up

You could lighten the grey more.
When drybrushing you sometimes need to notch up the tone for it to be effective.

A flick of the wrist.
Lightness of touch is essential.
Again be patient if not already. Having a large area to cover might mean that you are trying to cover too much area in big sweeps. Keep flicking the wrist rather than braod strokes. Move the arm slowly whilst doing so.

hth

I dry-brush with a 2" or 3" (whatever's handy) painter's brush (like what you'd use to do a room in the house with). You *really* need to make sure you remove most of the excess or you get some pretty savage brushmarks on your terrain.

One thing I've found is stippling is very effective at masking lines. Just take a sponge and tear it in half. Then take the torn half and pluck out a few chunks by pinching and pulling. Dip in paint, dab off the excess like you would if you were drybrushing, and dab away at your board. Gives a really nice effect.

Thanks for the replies, guys, and nice work on that table, 1-up!

I've been employing a slower, more controlled dry-brush with a lighter color and that seems to have done the trick. Once I finish up the table I will get some pics up.

Is it one solid table or sections like the above pick
Solid you will need a drop cloth cause this method can be messy stand it up against a wall with cardboard covering the wall to prevent scratching the walls and any splatters from the paint.
You want more paint than usual for dry brushing using a large brush paint up and down lengthwise to the table use a piece of cardboard as a pallet and have at it.

Oh yeah I have plenty of drop cloths, paint, brushes, etc. It is one solid table with two sides. I successfully completed the first side (my grey city fight side) and I am currently waiting 24 hours for the base coat on the forest side to dry before I start drybrushing it.

based upon my experience doing tables:

1. Base coat with a dark color (I tend to go black for an urban table)

2. Buy large cheap brushed that you intend to ruin. Do drybrushing in circular motions working slowly and steadily: this eliminates the streaking you mention

3. Use spray cans to "dust" on some other color (a rusty brown or what not) and add visual depth. Less is more, you need to have some good finger control and move the can about above the surface.

4. Adding washes to certain areas (if it has fixed contours/features) will also add some depth and visual variety.

Three and four really help add some depth and life to a table. A lot of tables look too "flat" because of lack of using such techniques imho.