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Does anyone know of a good tutorial for people who know how to use a brush, but aren't getting the final product they're aiming for?

There is a virtual mountain out there of stuff on the internet to help you get better. YouTube is full of videos.....

Off the top of my head:

MiniWargameing
Awesome Paintjob
HandCannon Online (they use PP figures but painting is painting).

Post up some pics of your work, ask for feedback too. Other than that what specifically are you looking to get better at?

Much like a crap mmo, you need to grind levels in real life too.

Practice practice practice

Also, if you were the dude buying an airbrush, check out buypainted on YouTube

 darefsky wrote:
There is a virtual mountain out there of stuff on the internet to help you get better. YouTube is full of videos.....

Off the top of my head:

MiniWargameing
Awesome Paintjob
HandCannon Online (they use PP figures but painting is painting).

Post up some pics of your work, ask for feedback too. Other than that what specifically are you looking to get better at?

I know how to paint a model confidently with a good interesting colour scheme, bash kits pretty decently, and do all that good stuff. But I'm crap at highlighting, and I usually just nuln oil something until it looks good. I want good models you know?

drybrush. I'm in the same boat as you mate, but i've only just discovered drybrush. one or two nice dry-brushes make a model go from meh, to good table top quality.

 the shrouded lord wrote:
drybrush. I'm in the same boat as you mate, but i've only just discovered drybrush. one or two nice dry-brushes make a model go from meh, to good table top quality.

Thanks for the tip m8.

Avoid drybrushing whenever you can. The only times you should really use it are in high texture areas (fur, ground, tank treads, etc.) or an area that will mostly be obscured but partially visible (inside of a tank, aircraft cockpit, etc.).

If you are going to do it, do it right. Make sure your brush is bone dry; absolutely no moisture on it. Wipe all of the paint off the brush to the point where dragging it along the model leaves almost no paint. Use that to build up successive layers of paint to prevent brush marks: the cardinal sin of dry brushing.

Exalt on ScootyPuffJunior's words: extensive and "uncontrolled" use of drybrushing is the 'dark side' of painting.

Getting shades and highlights with a smooth, gradual transition is (for me, at least) a process requiring mainlu one ingredient: patience.

The best method (the best working for me, mind you) is the glaze-layering method. In short, after basecoat, wash and re-basecoat, you do many layers with darker tones to define shadows, and then with lighter to define highlights.
The long part requiring patience is that "re-basecoat" and the layers for shadows and lights are evry diluted, to a watercolour/glaze consistency; ten or more progressively smaller, transparent layers of tones that will define the gradients.
More than that, with a relatively light - and thinned enough - colour, a gradient may be built from a dark base (e.g. several blood red glazes on a scorched brown base... whatever they are called now).

 Taserdus Marg wrote:

 darefsky wrote:
There is a virtual mountain out there of stuff on the internet to help you get better. YouTube is full of videos.....

Off the top of my head:

MiniWargameing
Awesome Paintjob
HandCannon Online (they use PP figures but painting is painting).

Post up some pics of your work, ask for feedback too. Other than that what specifically are you looking to get better at?

I know how to paint a model confidently with a good interesting colour scheme, bash kits pretty decently, and do all that good stuff. But I'm crap at highlighting, and I usually just nuln oil something until it looks good. I want good models you know?

I'd also recommend looking into 2 brush blending. It will give you smooth transitions and you can effectively manipulate the look of the model with brighter into darker colors, its a pain in the rear to learn (I'm still messing around with it), but the end results are fantastic.

Maybe try a wet palette? Supposedly one of the best/highest ramps to your paint skills. You can make your own, like so;

 darefsky wrote:


I'd also recommend looking into 2 brush blending. It will give you smooth transitions and you can effectively manipulate the look of the model with brighter into darker colors, its a pain in the rear to learn (I'm still messing around with it), but the end results are fantastic.

I share your pain. Even with retarder, I couldn't get consistent results with acrylics. I switched to artists oils, and wow, what a difference. I wouldn't use artists oils for an entire model, but for PWs and other small areas, it works sooo much better than acrylics. The down side is the length of time it takes to cure before you can top coat, but the upside side is bolder, more vibrant color, and much smoother color transitions. The almost infinite open time also allows you to use one brush, and the added benefit of being able to take your time. Plus, if you screw up, it wipes right off.