silly question

[Jeff]

Ok, I am working on, and trying to get some bench time and am chugging away on a multitude of projects.....today's little get away from reality was a 1/48 scale Bell Kiowa, converting to a Jet Ranger BIII..................... the question is, ..................... as I was slopping a little paint on the seats....................................... how much of a kit do you guys actually paint or detail with a brush? And what sort of brushes to you guys use? I have a few of those little micro brushes, and find they can come in handy,I also have an assortment of fairly decent brushes, but have had little luck or no luck at all with the  old toothpick trick...... but how much of a kit do you guys 'brush' paint? For me it actually depends , if I can get a lot of it shot with an airbrush still on the sprue, I do, if not then it becomes an adventure with the brush......................just wondering if I need to up grade some skills....

[TJTX]

My goal is to use a brush as little as absolutely possible.   I'd did that best on my Corsair and it shows.  On my current B-25 all I've brushed is control knobs.  I'm just never happy with brush results for anything bigger. 

[Jeff]

Yeah, that's kind of where I was going, but some of the fabulous builds here show some incredible skills, and I am wondering about masking etc, so it got me to thinking maybe more brush stuff that is known.....  I just sometimes find it a pain to get the airbrush out and fired up... lazy?

[Martinnfb]

A lot, I actually suck really bad in airbrushing and regular brush is my saving grace. It boils down to the paint and thinner. I use to use ModelMaster for quarter century, but just recently switched to Mr.Color. 

[Martinnfb]

Needless to add, that my role-models in terms of finish is Chris Wauchop and detailing Wolf and William  

[BlrwestSiR]

I'm the opposite of Martin. I airbrush as much as possible as my brush painting skills have either gone out the window or never made it in the window in the first place.  

I've even masked off ejection seat pull rings

Carl

[Martinnfb]

brush, 1/72

[Jeff]

wow, you guys............................ see , what I mean when I say there is huge talent here, yeah Martin , my heroes too........Chris is more of a pro, in my mind, but then Wolf and William... they are in a class of their own................. I only dream of talent like that, and try as I might , I don't even come close...... oh and for the record, I'm a Model master paint guy too, have been for eons..... it seems to work for me, but I have bought some of the stuff that will take me to the dark side.. LOL!!!  paint that is.....

[harv]

I'm the same as Carl (big shock). Suck at brush painting. Like ab painting and getting better at.... Harv

[[CAT]CplSlade]

When I was much younger, all I did was brush; I couldn't get the hang of airbrushing but then there was no internet to look up video tutorials.

Once I returned to modeling less than a decade ago, I became determined to learn to use one and now that is mostly how I paint everything. About the only thing I use brushes for now are instrument panels, some small details, and weathering.

Everything here is AB except the IP

All AB except the tool handles and sighting poles. The silver on the gun carriage is colored pencil.

[Clunkmeister]

It took me years to become proficient with a double action airbrush and I’ll be darned if I’m going to put it down now!  So I try to airbrush everything.

But....  except for exhaust streaking, I usually weather with a brush.  Rain streaks, etc, pinwashes, and dot filters, always and only with a brush.   And obviously, you can’t do fine details such as cockpit tiny detailing with an airbrush....

[Clunkmeister]

I’ll add one thing to the discussion here.  I’ve noticed that for me at least, I’ve become progressively crappier at brush painting.  I’m not sure, but I think it might actually be the paint formulation. It seems to need much more reducers just to make it flow.

[mozart]

I airbrush as much as possible but detail with a brush. When I was in Kyoto last year I discovered Bunseido brushes, just superb. I have a 5/0, 3/0 and 2/0. I'm trying to improve my figure painting skills and these brushes certainly help.

Max 

[Bomber_County]

I must admit and with glacial bench time, I predominantly brush. Recently invested in a compressor and dual action brush. Which will be a permanently residing in the garage with booth.  This should force me to use it . The trouble is being always short of time, to set up and clean down is a almost my total bench time. 

For brush selection I always buy Windsor and Newton sables in various sizes, just keep them clean......

[Jeff]

Well, maybe I should clarify  my position...... well not really,, I don't want you guys to think I paint the whole kit with a brush, I actually have 3 airbrushes , that I use a lot, except for the dual action one...... still trying to get that baby under control, so far I have had good luck and success with the Badger airbrushes, and all mine are siphon and not gravity feed, as I am trying to step into the dark side with acrylics, I feel I might need a gravity feed airbrush, but don't want to break the bank doing that...... I use the brush for mostly the smaller details and like Ernie, I am finding I am sucking at the brush thing now too..... as an example, it seems to me that the semi gloss black ( Model Master enamels, which I am a die hard user with excellent results ) I use, always shows terrible streaks and doesn't cover as what I precieved it used to..... when I look at the incredible work ALL you guys post, I look at mine and want to barf..... because my results are far less than what I was hoping for, at least in my eyes.... I have been dabbling at this hobby for longer than I want to say, and it seems to me that I am not really progressing to the levels I was or am seeing here... I'm not crying ( yet) but I am just trying to figure if I'm doing something very different from you guys, and for the most part, no I'm not......... I am loving the feed back here as it is giving me lots to think about and to try.... always good to get different ideas and techniques......... this is very interesting....

[1to1scale]

I actually use everything, paint with Tamiya and AK for airbrush, Vallejo for brush, I use oils, clay washes, pastels, etc. I dont lock myself into any one thing, I use what gives me the best finish or result. on small stuff, its hard to mask for airbrush, so I brush paint.