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I have used lots of different brushes over the few years I have painted, from cheap hobby lobby stuff to expensive crap from GW.

I fell in love with Army Painter brushes and had to get a new small dry brush. I got one and put it in the water for the first time and hairs split right down the middle (looks like it got tangled in the ferule)

So I emailed Army Painter and they replied quite quickly and sent me a new brush within the week.

How awesome is that?

I still buy my brushes at the local arts and crafts store for half the price of Army Painter.

But it is good to hear that with their stupidly high prices they have good customer service.

Johnny-Crass wrote:I still buy my brushes at the local arts and crafts store for half the price of Army Painter.

But it is good to hear that with their stupidly high prices they have good customer service.

I used to as well. I don't know if I am just that rough on brushes, but for some reason the Army Painter brushes last me 3 times as long for 2x the price.

Or perhaps the price makes you more aware of how you're handling your brushes? In either case use what best for you.

I hesitate to ask, but what sort of price are Army Painter charging for brushes these days?

Lordhat wrote:Or perhaps the price makes you more aware of how you're handling your brushes? In either case use what best for you.

That could have something to do with it.......



The brushes run about $6 a piece for the small ones.

I've been getting the Army Painter brushes for under £3 each, wouldn't call them expensive. Glad to see that they will sort out any problems though

Are they synthetic or sable, Vermillion?

I buy mine dirt cheap at the local hobby store. Good qualities and last long enough

Dysartes wrote:Are they synthetic or sable, Vermillion?

I believe they are sabol (don't hold me to it though)

IIRC, their 'wargamer' brand brushes are sable (and they're pretty good, though not up there with the likes of Series 7's), and their 'hobby' brand brushes are synthetic (and cheaper, meant as introductory brushes).

I'm a big user of their wargamer brushes, every other brush I've used hasn't held up, with bristles coming out and irregularity to their shape. I've painted two whole armies using just one wargamer brush, no issues.

darefsky wrote:

Dysartes wrote:Are they synthetic or sable, Vermillion?

I believe they are sabol (don't hold me to it though)

Yes, most are sable, some are specifically synthetic for certain jobs such as the monster brush having synthetic bristles which are meant to help control the flow of paint .

I love army painter dips and sprays, but everything else is expensive add ons.

The dip is amazing stuff, I'm using it to paint some bulk orcs & goblins at the moment. Just paint in strong colours (so mostly foundation paints), use a pair of pliers to give the orc a bath, then shake vigourously. Very, very fast and the only thing you have to worry about is the shading pooling which isn't too much of a problem TBH.

I couldn't recommend it enough if you want to batch paint a lot of tablestop standard minis.

Pacific wrote:The dip is amazing stuff, I'm using it to paint some bulk orcs & goblins at the moment. Just paint in strong colours (so mostly foundation paints), use a pair of pliers to give the orc a bath, then shake vigourously. Very, very fast and the only thing you have to worry about is the shading pooling which isn't too much of a problem TBH.

I couldn't recommend it enough if you want to batch paint a lot of tablestop standard minis.

Could you provide me with the paint names you use and the process for O&G? Thanks . I've got 100 boys to paint!

brainscan wrote:

Pacific wrote:The dip is amazing stuff, I'm using it to paint some bulk orcs & goblins at the moment. Just paint in strong colours (so mostly foundation paints), use a pair of pliers to give the orc a bath, then shake vigourously. Very, very fast and the only thing you have to worry about is the shading pooling which isn't too much of a problem TBH.

I couldn't recommend it enough if you want to batch paint a lot of tablestop standard minis.

Could you provide me with the paint names you use and the process for O&G? Thanks . I've got 100 boys to paint!

http://www.thearmypainter.com/gallery_presentation.php?GalleryId=82&page=2

++EDIT++ Ninja'd by Henners91, that method looks a lot faster!

Just use the colour you want to finish with as a rough approximation - so, for example I used the foundation (Knarloc green) for the skin, Mechrite red for my armies colour, scorched/bestial brown for leather areas (or Graveyard earth), boltgun metal heavy drybrushing for metal. Then use 'strong tone' dip (which is the medium one).

For dipping, it's probably best to go with a row of no more than 10 at once. Dip by the base using pliers, (be careful I lost a good orc in the bottom!), then pull out and flick very firmly. I had to do it outside in the garden, this part makes a real mess! After I have got through 10, I go back to the first one with a brush to soak up areas where the dip has pooled. TBH, that is the only thing you have to be careful about (except the aforementioned swimming models).
I've also started doing a very small highlight after the dip on some places (like the orc skin - just a tiny bit of goblin green mixed in with knarloc green), but that's not strictly necessary if speed is a priority.
Afterwards, you might get a little bit of a gloss finish on the model, so you can use the Army Painter matt varnish spray which will flatten this a bit.

Hope that helps, although there are some quite good video guides though and various blogs (with more detailed instructions) which could probably tell you more!

Glad to hear about Army Painter.

For me, I tried everything from the cheapo brushes ($1/each) to the ones from GW and other wargamer specialty shops.

However, I received a set of W&N Series 7's for Christmas (http://www.dickblick.com/ rocks btw). I'll never look back. Those brushes alone took my painting ability to a new level.

Even considering my somewhat shaky hands and garbage depth perception at short distances; they still let me put the paint exactly where I want it... and the brushes have stayed perfect. No bent points, no splitting.

I got one series 7, a size 0. Within 2 months, after extremely good care, its split right down the middle. A mid-range kolinsky sable 000 brush I bought at the same time is still going strong, as are two Army Painter sable brushes I bought about a year ago.

Series 7's are great to use, but that left a bit of bad feeling towards them.

I use Minwax to dip with. I think its cheaper than the army painter stuff, but it does the same thing. Dippings great, especially when you have a horde to paint.

Back on topic. I have to branch out and start trying some of these other drybrush brands you mention. cheap dry brush really dont do a good job.

darefsky wrote:

Johnny-Crass wrote:I still buy my brushes at the local arts and crafts store for half the price of Army Painter.

But it is good to hear that with their stupidly high prices they have good customer service.

I used to as well. I don't know if I am just that rough on brushes, but for some reason the Army Painter brushes last me 3 times as long for 2x the price.

Any good brush lasts a long time if you take care of it.

Brush cleaner and totally cleaning them out is the key to long life.

I use masters brush cleaner.

When I first started painting, I killed a few brushes cuz I thought I had to use really hot water with the soap (man I was a silly n00b)

I think I am abusive to my brushes... I only use water, I beat 'em about and clean 'em with my fingers. They constantly lose bristles, though their points are still there. All of my brushes are Citadel.

I kind of want to look into paint cleaner and proper brushes because A. My skills have come along and B. Bristles dropping off on the model you are painting and getting stuck under the paint have a habit of ruining *many* models of mine.

Personally, I think their dip is the same thing as Minwax. It behaves and smells the same, but costs four times as much and comes in far fewer shades.

I do so love their spray primers though. I've had far better results from their cans than anything else and will spend that extra bucks for it.

I know very little on the subject but some folks have said that wood varnish does the same thing (albeit much thicker).

Henners91 wrote:I think I am abusive to my brushes... I only use water, I beat 'em about and clean 'em with my fingers. They constantly lose bristles, though their points are still there. All of my brushes are Citadel.

I kind of want to look into paint cleaner and proper brushes because A. My skills have come along and B. Bristles dropping off on the model you are painting and getting stuck under the paint have a habit of ruining *many* models of mine.

The vast majority of people that I know that have been in the hobby for a while (about 25) have all told me to stay away from the GW brushes. Now I have no personal experience with their brushes but I don't personally feel like taking the $10-$20 gamble on it.

Apparently the newer ones arent overly bad. Saying that I still wouldn't use them unless desperate, and by that, I'll use synthetic cotmans first! The older red handled ones used to die within 2 weeks of me getting me them and during the two weeks, points lost, bristles falling out... You get the idea. Was enough to put me off for life. Funny thing is if the manager of the GW I got em from all those years ago never thought that was a problem they knackered so soon. When i stopped buying them and reccomending the art store however suddenly he was quick to replace them ><.
But yes, stay away from GW brushes unless really desperate, or no where else is open to buy the brush and you need it there and then

Pacific wrote:The dip is amazing stuff, I'm using it to paint some bulk orcs & goblins at the moment. Just paint in strong colours (so mostly foundation paints), use a pair of pliers to give the orc a bath, then shake vigourously. Very, very fast and the only thing you have to worry about is the shading pooling which isn't too much of a problem TBH.

I couldn't recommend it enough if you want to batch paint a lot of tablestop standard minis.

Too Expensive. One can cost $30USD here where you can get a can of Minwax Polyshades for Under $10USD. Same with brushes $6 for a brush where you can get a whole set for that price.

I do not use the dip, but their primer is amazing. I don't see a huge difference in most primers, but the AP primer seems thinner and with a more powerful propellent.

just picked up a couple brushes, hope to test them out later tonight or tomorrow.

As for brush price, there is NO WAY a $6 set of brushes is going to be anything but garbage, they will lose their point quickly and fray or warp. High quality sable brushes are worth the expense, but as someone with an art background, I am used to paying much more for good brushes, so $5 or $6 seems like a bargain.