we have Galleria in the States, as well as Liquitex and Winsor (oils). Some Acrylics are alcohol based and when dried out a bit of alcohol can thin and restore. Brushes. The house brush can be costly on paint. I look for thin house paint brushes as cheap as I can buy em. I'm gonna destroy them. The long hair brushes ... dirt cheap... $5-$7 here. We have a shop here, Hobby Lobby, that gives 45% of with a coupon found on their app. Fine finish brushes. It really depends on what you are doing. I rarely need a great fine detail brush for lovely surfaces. My best terrain usually looks bashed up. I like a 1" long stem camel hair craft brush for dry brushing. after a few mountain pieces I've chopped them down to to stubby blending tools lol> or for slapping glue down. I wish I could buy a pack of only 1" brushes. Love the idea of tearing up a sponge wand. Base coats. I buy glue by the gallon... I also buy black exterior paint by the gallon :)
thank you for doing this video. I am just starting out and am having issues with brush strokes showing up on flat plastic surfaces on stuff from the recycle bin. You have given me some great ideas to fix that.
Used a toothbrush to apply a Ambush Pattern to WW2 German Armour. Really good for fine drops but practice before you start, the drops get smaller the longer you use it.
Windsor & Newton actually make a nice brush cleaner that's saved quite a few of my brushes from dried acrylic. A bottle costs about $10, but it's pretty worth it if you're using decent brushes.
It works well. I've heard people say it's gotten years old acrylic out of their brushes, but that's hearsay. I have a very very fine brush that dries out pretty quickly, I use the WN stuff with that one mostly, but I've used it to reshape some brushes too.
Hi Mel, Been having a bit of a binge watch on some of your 'basics' videos today and watched the excellent 'The science of acrylic paints for hobbyists' a bit earlier. So, now I'm confused (it doesn't take much) .... In said video, you mentioned that Humbrol Acrylic Thinners *may* be something to think pretty carefully about before spending our hard earned pocket money on. What made you change your mind, did the product change? The other thing ....is it worth paying for a 'professional' type flow improver or is washing up liquid good enough for most terrain? Loving these videos - Probably going to have to watch them several times over so that it all sinks in (eventually) ;)
Love the videos. Something you mentioned is using dish soap because of the flow additive. I wonder if it is something like what is in dishwasher rinse agents like "Jet Dry" or it could be a alternative to dish soap that wouldn't cause bubbles?
I'm thinking of making quite a large forest scene, but am at a loss at what to use for the forest floor, things like leaves, dirt and twigs, what would you recommend for this? Also thanks for putting the video up it clears up some other questions on what paints/ brushes to use :)
TheTerrainTutor Do you mean mixed herbs as in the seasoning? If so that's genius! Also, sorry for the stupid question but by blended twigs do you just mean like small twigs and stuff, or is there an actual scenic product for that?
***** Yeah, mixed herbs from the supermarket, yeah, twigs in a blender, yes there's scenic stuff like that, but that's what it is. Also, get some birch seeds mate
When you say water based you mean like water color paints because when I hear water based I think of anything that can be thinned with water like most acrylics as apposed to oil based that need solvents to thin? Sorry, just got confused by that pop up towards the beginning. Thanks for all the great videos and info.
Hi Mel...thanks for the video! It was great. Handful of questions here. First off, there seem to be a lot of people asking if Elmer's Glue All (the old kid's school glue with the orange bullet tip) is actually the same formula as PVA. I've heard yes and I've heard no...I understand it's got some extra stuff in it. Do you know for sure? Also there used to be a white craft glue called Sobo on the market that I used as a kid with good effect..do you know anything about it? Second question: In your washing up liquids or dish soaps as we call them here in the US the flow improvers are surfactants. They reduce the surface area of water and improve the flow but they can also attack some adhesives and binders. My stepfather did vinyl cutting for commerical signs for a while and they sometimes used watered down dish liquid to help place the letters. This also drastically decreased the life of the adhesive. Have you run into that problem using it as a flow improver? And thirdly: I spend as much time concocting various mixtures as I do crafting lately and I've run into so far really two useful mixtures. The first one is Mod Podge which if you arent familiar with it is a craft glue and sealer, thinned down with enough Pledge floor shine to make it slightly runny so it self levels. It dries to a tough glossy finish that can be colored to tint things, though it's not an exact science. The second was adding white glue to paints which you covered. But I digress. I have experimented with using Isopropyl alcohol to thin down acrylic craft paints to make washes a couple times being that it's a rather good solvent and evaproates quickly. Have you ever heard of anyone doing that? I noticed it tends to cause some fine grained clumping and takes a lot of mixing to get it even and regular. I'm not sure that there are any pros over water. Well then I hope that this wasn't too much trouble. Thanks again for the great information and as always love your videos. Cheers
Chris Melvin I have used iso alcohol for years to strip paint from figures when I didn't like my paint job, had to strip a figure that had a rough life, or when I bought a used one that was half finished. It does a fair job and doesn't seem to affect the plastic even when I have soaked the figure in it for days. Once I forgot about one in a jar and it was in the iso for over a year and no damage. It does weaken Super Glue. Could your clumping problem be because the pigments in craft paint are not finely ground?
Chris Melvin I don't know on the Elmers mate, never seen it in the UK. Lots of US terrain builders use it, so i'm guessing its good. Never had any problems using detergent flow aids. The thinned down mod podge is a good one, I'll try that. Alcohols are always good carriers although I prefer acrylic thinners. Hope that helps :-)
Thanks for making this, timely for me as I'm hoping to get started on my 32(!) tablescapes tiles this weekend. I was thinking of going with Army Painter Leather Brown spray as a basecoat, although I'm not sure it would be dark enough. Would it be worth going for that and then shading it down before drybrushing, or just start with a darker colour and drybrush? Would it be worth sealing with a matte varnish spray? Cheers mate.
Here's a real dumb thought; what about make-up brushes? There are so many different styles of make-up brushes with different trims and lengths. What could they be used for?
Alderick van Klaveren very awesome for weathering powders, and you gotta love the wierd looks of the staff when your in a make-up store buying a shit load of the pads and brushes ;)
Don't throw away your old brushes, they can become really nice stamps to make brick patterns and so on in foam. Example handcannononline.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/brick-stamping/stamps.jpg
speaking from experience: do not use real cheapo acrylics on your models! - I tried it to save money when I first started out, and it does not look good, turns out quite plastic-y, like a cheap toy....they're fine for terrain though, just not on your models ;)
Hands down!
This is the most comprehensive tutorial on paint, brush, and medium I have yet seen
+foofighterubu Cheer bud :-)
Jerryd James "Do you remember"
Best Line Ever... "You have to be slightly braver to shave a badger than a hog"
Rob Harper Quite probably mate ;-)
TheTerrainTutor Personally I'd rather shave a badger than a hog, those things are nasty!
we have Galleria in the States, as well as Liquitex and Winsor (oils).
Some Acrylics are alcohol based and when dried out a bit of alcohol can thin and restore.
Brushes.
The house brush can be costly on paint.
I look for thin house paint brushes as cheap as I can buy em.
I'm gonna destroy them.
The long hair brushes ... dirt cheap... $5-$7 here.
We have a shop here, Hobby Lobby, that gives 45% of with a coupon found on their app.
Fine finish brushes.
It really depends on what you are doing.
I rarely need a great fine detail brush for lovely surfaces.
My best terrain usually looks bashed up.
I like a 1" long stem camel hair craft brush for dry brushing. after a few mountain pieces I've chopped them down to to stubby blending tools lol> or for slapping glue down.
I wish I could buy a pack of only 1" brushes.
Love the idea of tearing up a sponge wand.
Base coats.
I buy glue by the gallon... I also buy black exterior paint by the gallon :)
+foofighterubu Thanks for the info bud, I'm envious of how cheap everything is stateside
thank you for doing this video. I am just starting out and am having issues with brush strokes showing up on flat plastic surfaces on stuff from the recycle bin. You have given me some great ideas to fix that.
+Karl Hoppe Awesome mate, hope it helps :-D
Used a toothbrush to apply a Ambush Pattern to WW2 German Armour. Really good for fine drops but practice before you start, the drops get smaller the longer you use it.
Nice job, really nice over view of paint / brushes
andrew nimmo Cheers matey
Windsor & Newton actually make a nice brush cleaner that's saved quite a few of my brushes from dried acrylic. A bottle costs about $10, but it's pretty worth it if you're using decent brushes.
Jacob Sherlock I forgot brush cleaner, I use master brush soap. So is W&N brush cleaner pretty good?
It works well. I've heard people say it's gotten years old acrylic out of their brushes, but that's hearsay. I have a very very fine brush that dries out pretty quickly, I use the WN stuff with that one mostly, but I've used it to reshape some brushes too.
Lotsa info there Mel, I'm gonna have to watch this again to let it all soak into my head! Thanx, Bill. > (goes to soak his head, then shave a badger)
Bill D. in Iowa Good luck shaving that badger mate!
Flow aid is a surfactant. It decreases the surface tension between two mediums. New word!
Love it!
Good one mate, nice tips
***** Cheers bud
Hi Mel,
Been having a bit of a binge watch on some of your 'basics' videos today and watched the excellent 'The science of acrylic paints for hobbyists' a bit earlier.
So, now I'm confused (it doesn't take much) .... In said video, you mentioned that Humbrol Acrylic Thinners *may* be something to think pretty carefully about before spending our hard earned pocket money on.
What made you change your mind, did the product change?
The other thing ....is it worth paying for a 'professional' type flow improver or is washing up liquid good enough for most terrain?
Loving these videos - Probably going to have to watch them several times over so that it all sinks in (eventually) ;)
No bristle loss ones most time are dipped in adhesive on the back side. Its advantage goes away the first time you use solvants to clean the brush.
Excellent topic.
Kurtus Brown Cheers mate
Love the videos. Something you mentioned is using dish soap because of the flow additive. I wonder if it is something like what is in dishwasher rinse agents like "Jet Dry" or it could be a alternative to dish soap that wouldn't cause bubbles?
Tyler McDowell Jet dry works great, typically any soap will act as flow aid, it just to be fluid enough not to effect the paint mate
I will have to give it a try. Just want to say great videos and a lot of good information.
Great Video again. Thank you!!! :-)
MetalMatze87 No worries matey
More 'Bosese. "Stable hair"- he's obsessed!
nice tips.
Brabo Painter Alias Alexander Zijlmans thanks mate
I'm thinking of making quite a large forest scene, but am at a loss at what to use for the forest floor, things like leaves, dirt and twigs, what would you recommend for this? Also thanks for putting the video up it clears up some other questions on what paints/ brushes to use :)
***** Grab some mixed herbs and mix it with a little brown wash, a few blended twigs and you should have a good start :-)
TheTerrainTutor Do you mean mixed herbs as in the seasoning? If so that's genius! Also, sorry for the stupid question but by blended twigs do you just mean like small twigs and stuff, or is there an actual scenic product for that?
*****
Yeah, mixed herbs from the supermarket, yeah, twigs in a blender, yes there's scenic stuff like that, but that's what it is. Also, get some birch seeds mate
When you say water based you mean like water color paints because when I hear water based I think of anything that can be thinned with water like most acrylics as apposed to oil based that need solvents to thin? Sorry, just got confused by that pop up towards the beginning.
Thanks for all the great videos and info.
Barret Musselman I was wondering the same thing.. Acrylics and latex paints are water based. I'm confused as well..
Barret Musselman You can get craft paints which are water based, they're typically for young children, I was referring to them mate. hope that helps!
***** You can get craft paints which are water based, they're typically for young children, I was referring to them mate. hope that helps!
TheTerrainTutor
Ah, gotcha.. I actually use some of them for base coats. They have some neat colors here.
Hi Mel...thanks for the video! It was great. Handful of questions here. First off, there seem to be a lot of people asking if Elmer's Glue All (the old kid's school glue with the orange bullet tip) is actually the same formula as PVA. I've heard yes and I've heard no...I understand it's got some extra stuff in it. Do you know for sure? Also there used to be a white craft glue called Sobo on the market that I used as a kid with good effect..do you know anything about it?
Second question: In your washing up liquids or dish soaps as we call them here in the US the flow improvers are surfactants. They reduce the surface area of water and improve the flow but they can also attack some adhesives and binders. My stepfather did vinyl cutting for commerical signs for a while and they sometimes used watered down dish liquid to help place the letters. This also drastically decreased the life of the adhesive. Have you run into that problem using it as a flow improver? And thirdly: I spend as much time concocting various mixtures as I do crafting lately and I've run into so far really two useful mixtures. The first one is Mod Podge which if you arent familiar with it is a craft glue and sealer, thinned down with enough Pledge floor shine to make it slightly runny so it self levels. It dries to a tough glossy finish that can be colored to tint things, though it's not an exact science. The second was adding white glue to paints which you covered. But I digress. I have experimented with using Isopropyl alcohol to thin down acrylic craft paints to make washes a couple times being that it's a rather good solvent and evaproates quickly. Have you ever heard of anyone doing that? I noticed it tends to cause some fine grained clumping and takes a lot of mixing to get it even and regular. I'm not sure that there are any pros over water.
Well then I hope that this wasn't too much trouble. Thanks again for the great information and as always love your videos.
Cheers
Chris Melvin I have used iso alcohol for years to strip paint from figures when I didn't like my paint job, had to strip a figure that had a rough life, or when I bought a used one that was half finished. It does a fair job and doesn't seem to affect the plastic even when I have soaked the figure in it for days. Once I forgot about one in a jar and it was in the iso for over a year and no damage. It does weaken Super Glue.
Could your clumping problem be because the pigments in craft paint are not finely ground?
Chris Melvin I don't know on the Elmers mate, never seen it in the UK. Lots of US terrain builders use it, so i'm guessing its good. Never had any problems using detergent flow aids. The thinned down mod podge is a good one, I'll try that. Alcohols are always good carriers although I prefer acrylic thinners. Hope that helps :-)
Yeah. Thanks. I appreciate all the hints. Keep the good stuff going!
I'm new to building terrain and was wondering if Acrylic Paint is suitable to paint plaster cloth with or would I be better to use Emulsion
+Tim Washington They're both essentially the same, I typically use emulsions for everything but my detailing mate
intresting stuff
james and his stuff thnks mate
Thanks for making this, timely for me as I'm hoping to get started on my 32(!) tablescapes tiles this weekend. I was thinking of going with Army Painter Leather Brown spray as a basecoat, although I'm not sure it would be dark enough. Would it be worth going for that and then shading it down before drybrushing, or just start with a darker colour and drybrush? Would it be worth sealing with a matte varnish spray? Cheers mate.
tim192837645 you should be fine, do your basecoating first, then drybrush then wash as required. Matt varnishing is a must mate
Nice video Mel, how's the shed coming along?
Jack Penn Shhh ... it's still to cold outside, don't remind her! ;-)
Haha! Good luck!
Here's a real dumb thought; what about make-up brushes? There are so many different styles of make-up brushes with different trims and lengths. What could they be used for?
Alderick van Klaveren very awesome for weathering powders, and you gotta love the wierd looks of the staff when your in a make-up store buying a shit load of the pads and brushes ;)
Alderick van Klaveren As +DerRontje says, good for powders but too soft for drybrushing etc mate
Don't throw away your old brushes, they can become really nice stamps to make brick patterns and so on in foam. Example handcannononline.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/brick-stamping/stamps.jpg
Makkeru Yeah, I saw Dredd do the same on his Afgan build, not got round to trying myself yet mate
I'm guessing, but do you mean sable hair or stable hair? I don't wanna drop a LOT of money on sable if it's not right :)
It is sable hair; look for "Kolinsky". They aren't actually made from a sable, but it was once something's fur.
You get a like just for the badger shaving comment :)
Jon Simpson I chuckled myself on that one mate ;-)
What would we do without Wilko's Mel :)
Groganard Go to home bargains mate ;-)
can we use Enamel paint ,,,,,,,,,,,, thank you
Siddharth Sekhar They're not really suitable for terrain work to be honest mate
speaking from experience: do not use real cheapo acrylics on your models! - I tried it to save money when I first started out, and it does not look good, turns out quite plastic-y, like a cheap toy....they're fine for terrain though, just not on your models ;)
TG ZoBo Although, I've seen some pretty good armies painted with emulsion ;-)
airbrush is overrated, the whole set cost around 500 bucks-1k, i can achieve similar result with a 2 bucks paint brush and a little patient.
***** I think it has it's place but it's not essential mate, that's for sure :-)
synff... synn.. syvvff....... FAKE brushes XD I rolled on the floor there +1
DerRontje LOL, nice SDE koboid club in your avi mate :-)
TheTerrainTutor Thanks :) keep up the awesome vids!
Lichen.
Spenser Clark Lichen :-D