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Hi guys!

Just started painting, and I really wanna better myself.

First question:
Sometimes when I paint, a little grain (I dont know what it is) or strand from the brush gets on the mini. And sometimes I dont notice it before its too late, and it kinda destroys the look of the model. How do you make sure this doesn't happen?

Second question:
I am having REAL difficulties highlighting the model realistically. It almost always looks murky and bad drawn. I can't seem to blend the colours very good, the end result is always very bland. I have tried to follow this guide religiously:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsdjBtZJJ2k

but I still fall too short. Its the layering and highlighting that gets me. I thought to myself that maybe I base coated to heavily or even layered too heavily. Any tips?

if youre getting brush strands in your paint, its because you have bad quality brushes.. with brushes you get what you pay for. its worth getting a decent one. highlight techniques like layering/feathering and wet blending will only come with practice. patience is key. build up your layers. the more layers the better.

Keep a pair of tweezers nearby when you paint, it means you can quickly remove anything that sticks to the paint.

To begin with, sadly practise is the only way to get better. Don't get too hung up on each result. There will be things you like about it and things you don't. Key is to move on and do more.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
Keep a pair of tweezers nearby when you paint, it means you can quickly remove anything that sticks to the paint.

To begin with, sadly practise is the only way to get better. Don't get too hung up on each result. There will be things you like about it and things you don't. Key is to move on and do more.

Yeah, this

If you have a cat, you end up an ace tweezer guy! Try to have fun, and the most important thing, IMO, is to try to get the best models done that you can in a timeframe that you're happy with, and set your expectations accordingly. Not only will you get better with practice, but speed will hop right along too.