The back pack, utility belt and one of the arms are now all but complete and with so much of the base colour covered up the mini looks a lot closer to being finished. I't been the usual mix of easy and hard with the belt being a joy to paint and the arm a total pain! I'll be very glad when I've painted the last bit of dark brown on the remaining arm as the colour has been a pig to get right.
A major improvement to the ease of the task came with the delivery of some new paint brushes. I'm still sold on sable but they don't seem to last me any longer than my old brushes. This may say more about me than it does about the brushes though! This time around I've gone for a slightly larger brush size using a 1 instead of my usual 00. I've been able to do this because the sable brushes hold such a good point and a larger brush brings the benefit of having a larger reservoir of paint behind the tip. I found that a 00 sable had an incredible fine tip for precise work but really held very little paint.
Looking great! I can't wait to see him finished. I'm just loving how this diorama is progressing.
ReplyDeleteJust out of curiosity, what kind of a lifespan are you seeing with your brushes?
I think with larger brushes you may find they last longer. I actually use a 1 and a 2 for almost all of my painting, and I suggest that you pick up a 2, as you may find that it still holds quite a nice point, and that together with a larger reservoir makes it great to paint with.
With larger brushes, it's easier to keep paint out of the ferrule, and you can lose a few more hairs before they start to fail, so both of those things contribute to a longer lifespan.
I assume you're following the recommended care and maintenance instructions for your brushes (using brush soap for a good cleaning after every painting session, using brush cleaner every so often as needed, storing them properly, etc.?) You're such a fantastic painter that I would be quite surprised if you were neglecting this aspect, but then I was also quite surprised that you were doing all your painting with such a tiny brush!
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very subjective assessment. I'm referring to a period where a brush feels like it's responding to me in a way that is most pleasing and effective and so giving me the best results.
In the past I'd say that each brush is at it's best for use on one mini. Then it passed it's peak and was relegated to less detailed work. With the sable brushes I would say that they seem to be at their best for about two minis.
With the cheaper brushes I used to find that there was a period of 'breaking in' a new brush before it reached it's peak performance. The Sables are great right from the start.
As well as careful cleaning I've started to use a little hair conditioner on my new brushes now & again as I hear this can help to keep them supple.