Cerridwyn1st

The Reaper website does not have their Master Series brushes available for order. The game store that carries your Reaper minatures can order these for you if they don't carry them. That's how I got mine. I'd suggest the Master Series brushes over standard Golden Taklon Reaper brushes. They are Kolinsky sable and will last you a lot longer than synthetics will. If your local art store has Windsor & Newton Series 7 for $10, then get those. Reaper Master Series will be about the same, $10 - 13, depending on the size of the brush. Most stores sell WN7s for $15 and up. You can get them cheaper per brush through mail order, but the costs of shipping kind of kill the discount unless you are buying a lot of stuff at once. Testors has sable brushes manufactured in England for about $5 per. If your game store carries Testors Dull Cote, they may be able to get brushes for you as well. I haven't tried the Testors brushes, though. Happy hunting. As you can see from Cade13's post, miniaturists often be-bop from store to store to get the stuff they really like. I use my local game store, Michaels, Redi-Arts, and a modeling hobby store to get most sof my supplies. If all else fails, there's always the internet.

Thanks. the site search for series GG had no match. I went to Michael's yesterday to get another GG - They were sold out! Horrors!

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it, since it helps a lot. On my last sale I received feedback from all my buyers. I mailed most of the figures using Ebay's addressing software, which notifies the buyer that the item is being sent. It also gives you space to include a personal message. I left seller feedback when I was paid. For the one item that I had to schlep to the Post Office and pay shipping there, I emailed the customer to let him know that the item was on its way. I did have an issue this time. One item was broken in shipment. I offered to repair it, but the customer said he'd prefer to take care of it. It wasn't the first time an item had arrived damaged. I gave him the names and colors of the paints I used (in case he needed to patch up the paint job) and also refunded part of his shippnig costs. He didn't ask for a refund, but I felt it was only fair. I've never had anything arrive broken before, and since it was an overseas shipment, it just wasn't practical to send it back for repair. A couple of people left feedback with no further prompting. To the others, I sent a note saying I wanted to be sure the item arrived in good condition and that they were happy with it. After the "I just want to make sure you're happy" message, the ones that I hadn't heard from posted feedback. Maybe that's the key - let customers know that you want feedback to be sure THEY are happy, not just because YOU want an improved rating. Thanks all for letting me know your experiences. It helps a lot in figuring out what to do, how, and when. I guess in future I'll use the process I worked out this time. Post feedback imediatley. Notify the buyer when the item is shipped and send it when you promised (I have on my ads that items are sent first business day after receipt of payment). Wait a reasonable amount of time, then ask ONCE "is everything OK? Did you like the fig?". After that, drop it.

This is a link to the Lowe Cornell Red Sable GG: http://www.lowecornell.com/ecommerce/detai...74&browsehair=2

As much as I love Tamiya for a white primer, if I were going to pime something in black, I'd probably use Duplicolor flat black from a discount store, pretty much for the reasons you mention.

I really appreciate you saying that, Glyn. It helps me a lot. I don't think Thierry uses exact percentages either. But it makes a great way to explain it to people so they can understand. In actuality, you blend on your brush as you go along and do it by how it looks. Thanks for sharing about the Knight of Balance. I think I'm finally getting to the point where I've developed enough brush skills that I have a fair chance of doing this. I think that's the real bug-a-boo for things like eyes and NMM - brush skills. It isn't that the techniques are all that difficult, but until you have some pretty decent brush skills, it won't work. And it takes a year or more of consistant practice to build those skills. I've been painting a little over two years and I've spent about the last six months really pushing the envelope to develop new skills. Maybe that's what we should be telling newbies - not so much this technique or that one, but practice, practice, practice, and be patient with yourself. Don't give up; it will come.

Hey, Crusoe, thanks for the tip on Artbrush. I'll have to check them out. And you are right - Kalish does have Sable Filberts. :drool: Brush names can be kind of wierd. Sometimes you'll see Cat's Tounge used interchangably with Filbert. Some break it down into "almond filberts" and "round filberts". In that case, an "almond filbert" is the closest thing to a Cat's Tounge. Almond filberts are a little longer and have a sharper point. Round filberts can be a bit shorter, and have a more rounded point. I've got a Raphael Sable Round Filbert #2, and the bristles are really a little short for mini use. It was a long-handled brush, and I cut it down. I still like it, though, in spite of its shortcomings (pardon the pun. ) It is good for basecoating in very tight spots - good coverage and precise control all in one. I mentioned a couple place you can get these on the "brush preferences" thread and gave links. Jerry's Artorama has a dizzying array of brushes, sizes, and materials. Renaissace Ink has four sizes of Cat's Tounge in Golden Taklon and two in Red sable. I haven't tried Ren Ink's sable Cat's Tounges, but I have a Mini and (I think) a #4, and I really like both. Yeah, guys, I have a lot of brushes - from the fabled WNS7 (six in all, various sizes, two are miniatures) to Royal Langnickel Big Kids Brushes (12 real hair brushes, plastic handles and ferrules, $1). Some of the cheapest brushes I own are used about as much as the most expensive.

That's a hoot, Orchid. I had a crazy artist boyfriend in college; that's where I started. Then I had a crazy husband who was also into calligraphy, and did it even more. I haven't done much calligraphy in a while, but I still have pens, nibs, ink, paper, and a drafting board, so you never know. The best pen handle I ever had was a Conte'. It has a little lever on the side that releases the nib. Just awesome! I've never seen `em stateside, my first husband bought two in France, years ago. I know I still have at least one, somewhere.

That's cool, Glyn. I think the LC series GG 6/0 is a great brush. With a list price of $2.75, it just can't be beat. I plan on picking up a couple for my painting workshop in the near future. Good quality brush for beginners, and cheap enough you won't cry if they trash it. I use my LC/GG almost as much as the WNS7. I find these days I alternate between my 000 mini and the GG. As someone who has both, Glyn, I can tell you that if you HAD WNS7, you'd still use your LC's. I haven't tried their other red sables, but if they are as good as the GG, they are a pretty darn good brush for a whole lot less than the Series 7. I really do need an S7 miniature brush, 000, for stuff like painting flesh between the lashline and eyebrow. I can't get anything that tight with the GG. Enchantra mentioned the LC American Painters. I've used these brushes too, especially thier #2 and #4 flats, which are more like brights because of the short bristles. I have also used some of the small rounds and spotters. The golden taklon just doesn't hold up to the beating I give them. The GG, in contrast, has seen heavy use for months and still looks great. Since they are about the same price, I'd rather use something that can take a lickin' and keep on tickin', even if it's shared with others (just clean & condition it yourself.

At $20 (or $16 for the "cheap" one) plus S&H I'm hoping for experienced input. Barring that, my addiction to brushes and pens will have me ordering before the years out, even if I think I'll put it up after a couple of rounds with it. Hey, I said it's an addiction, didn't I? I don't recognize the first one, have to run over there next! Thank you! $20.00 a pop for the brushes? Sheese, maybe we should wait for the cheap knock-offs. Yeah, I admit it, I'm a fellow brush & pen addict; if you don't try them, I probably will. You're welcome for the brush info. Jerry's is pretty cool, but thier S&H prices are kind of high. They send you a HUGE catalog with the first order, which may be the reason for the huge S&H... Orchid, do you calligraph? That really makes you crazy for pens and the like. Though I must admit I haven't done it in years.

Wow, OR, I've never seen anything like that before. Why don't you try a few and let us know how they work out? For Filberts, you can get long-handled ones (like a Raphael) and cut down the handle. There are some short handles, but you really have to look. Try http://www.jerrysartarama.com and search "filbert sable". Rennaissance Ink carries a few sizes, in Golden Taklon and Sable. Only two sizes in sable, sorry. http://www.renaissanceink.net/paint_supplies.htm Hope this helps.

I've never had this problem. I generally do 2 or 3 very thin layers. Do you wash your minis before priming? This may be a product of the dust and mold release agents on the mini. I generally take a soft toothbrush with just a bit of liquid soap and give my minis a good scrub and rinse before I prime them. Not a bad habbit to get into. Even if you get the primer to stick with cleaning the mini, it won't adhere as well with the mold release agents on the mini and your primer and paint job will be less durable as a result. Hmmm, maybe... I do wash my minis before I prime, but it's usually just dump them in my hand, run hot water and soap over, then let dry. I usually don't scrub. But I'll give that a try. Thanks for the tip.

Hey, Chas, you might check on a sewing desk at WalMart. It has nice cubbies underneath, and a leaf you can raise to add space. I was thinking about this myself, but I don't have room in my bedroom. Maybe when I get my own house. Also, if you really hate the lights, wally-world has nice little desk lamps for about $5. Be careful with them, though - the stupid bulbs cost about $2.50. I went last night, trying to find another lighted magnifying lamp like the one I got for under $20 - no such luck. I hate that - you find something you really like, and you can never find it again.

Well, there's a good use for all that swag - a paint rack. I like the Brick and Board support for it, too; gives lots of room for WIP, etc. After looking at this thread, I made some changes to my work area. I was crammed into a tiny wooden desk with a drafting table sitting unused right next to it. So I cleared off the drafting table and moved my painting stuff over there. That leaves the small wooden desk for assembly, filing, etc. A lot of my painting stuff stays in my tacklebox and comes out for use when needed. So you won't see a lot of paint pots on my desk; they are in a removable tray in my tacklebox. Since I take stuff out to the painting clinic every weekend, it seems pointless to completely unpack in between. I kind of doubt I'll post pictures, my room is a disaster. Maybe if I removed the bed, I'd have more room for painting....

A Cat's Tounge is sort of a flat brush, but it has a rounded tip instead of straight. Gives more control when used. It works really well for basecoating as well as overbrushing, because the semi-point lets you get into nooks and cranies, and paint against edges that wouldn't work as well with a flat. Brights kind of work like in between a cat's tounge and a flat. Brights have a flat shape but shorter bristles, giving greater control. As far as the amount of paint and consistancy, it's kind of yes to both. You don't want your paint too thin, and you don't want too much on it, either. A little more than drybrushing, but less than for basecoating. Consistancy is kind of between right-out-of-the-bottle and thinned enough for basecoating. If it seems too runny, let it sit on your pallet for a little while, mix well and try again. The paint that wouldn't do what you wanted may work better after it "rests". The big thing here is just to practice. You will get a feel for how to load your brush, what consistancy to use, how best to stroke it on, etc., as you do it. Hey, anything worth doing is worth screwing up a few times until you can get it right. Oh, and Damon: Brush lickers, indeed. What, the chemicals going to your head?

One caveat regarding Tamiya and thinned paint - if it's too thin, the primer is so slick that the paint will shimmy around and not adhere. Make that first coat just a wee bit thicker, then thin on subsiquent layers. For me, the Tamiya is worth the extra money. The biggest limit on my painting is my time. Screwing around with inferiour products wastes a lot of time. Bad, incomplete application. Needing multiple layers of primer. Having to shake the crap ouf of the can and the surface is STILL grainy. I paint my stuff to sell and show off, and the surface is only going to be as good as what is underneath. BUT, I can relate to people who don't want to go to those extremes. Face it, if you are painting stuff for your friends to knock around, and you're doing it just for fun, you don't want to waste a lot of time tracking down stuff at different stores, etc. Yes, craft paints look grainy and most department store primers don't give you a really smooth base. Wal Mart clear spraypaint is shiney as all get-out. But if you are painting up an army for the guys and you need it by Saturday afternoon, then craft paints and shiney topcoat are quick, convienient and cheap to buy, and will work quite well for your purposes.

This is from Thierry Husser, former Rackham painter. Please excuse the English, is native language is French. ********************** For the swords: First, I paint all with Intermediate Blue 903 (Vallejo Model Color), after I make the luminous points with Pale Grey Blue 907 (Vallejo Model Color). After, I connect the two colors by successive layers of very diluted paint. After, I put a little bit of White 951 to reinforce the glare. For the rust and wear, I use a little bit of green and brown. I hope you understand all I want to say. Thierry Non-metal metal blend link: http://www3.sympatico.ca/jleblanc012/etape-nmm.jpg ********************** The referenced link will take you to a photoshop example of how he does this. Please keep in mind that the purportions mentioned are not exact; Thierry blends the colors on his brush and paints as he goes. I tried this method last night and was just amazed. IT WORKED! I've spend months agonizing over NMM, thinking it was so hard and took so long and, well, was just BEYOND ME. This way is so easy! I did a sword that looked great in about an hour. I painted the whole thing with 903, then ran 907 halfway down the sword from the top. Then I blended the two as shown on the link. I finished by glazing the "bright" edge of the sword with 907 and the "dark" edge of the sword with 903. I trailed a bit of off-white down the high part of the curve from the tip to about 3/4 of the way down and added a "glare point" near the tip. There are a couple of minor flaws I'd like to correct, but other than that it's very nice. I'll shoot pictures of the WIP tonight if I have time. The piece I worked on does not have the "glare point" set in the middle with blends moving outward on either side. It assumes that the glare point is almost at the tip, so the shading pretty much runs the lenghth of the sword. This would be much easier to execute than the curved surfaces of armor or the the glare of a sword held parallel to the ground. Still, I feel as thought I've made a technical breakthrough, and I'm very happy to have gotten this information. I didn't actually have Intermediate Blue 903 (Vallejo Model Color), but I think the mix I came up with is pretty darn close.

Yeah, I still remember the game where a "friend" was dopping minis in the palm of his hand. Just bang `em all together, why don't you?

You would think that sandable primer would mess up all the details, but it's more like it flows into the nooks and crannies and all that. Miniaturists probably don't apply the stuff thick enough to obsure detail. Well, at least if the know what they are doing... Yah know, this is the Reaper forum, and you can buy paint on primer from the web store... :) Seems like I had the Devil's own time finding white, flat primer at Walmart. I finally found some Rustoleum Flat White primer and I thought I'd found the Holy Grail. I stopped using the WalMart flat white spray paint cuz I heard that, not being primer, it would chip easily. I also used to use the Walmart clear varnish. But of course, shiny minis are a sin, so I stopped doing that, too. Ah, the good old days, when $2.00 was all you needed to prime and finish a boatload of minis.

OOHH, Kalish makes Kolinsky sable Cat's Tounges -- MUST HAVE!!!

Even Kolinsky comes in different grades. Windsor and Newton uses the stuff that isn't quite good enough for the Series 7 to make the Cirrus 110 line of round brushes. They are still kolinsky sable, but not as high quality as series 7. I have one, and it isn't a bad brush at all. It is much less expensive and easier to find - available in the brush bins at Michael's. But you better be VERY careful if you go this route. Because the brushes are of lower quality and price, the don't get the pampering that a Series 7 gets while in the store. READ - they are in the big brush bin and get beaten up unmercifully. So take the time to check your brush and make sure it's a good one before you buy. Just to be on the safe side, once you get it home, clean and condition it. After washing, stroke some of your brush cleaning soap (like from the Masters cake brush soap), shape the bristles and let them dry. That way, you can make sure your brush is in optimum condition before you use it.

Hey, thanks guys, I didn't know there was a name for it, I just did it. So GW calls it "overbrushing"? Neat. Funny that they call it the same thing I kind of made up for myself. By the way, Lars, that was BAD.

I don't always use the tip of my brush for painting. Sometimes I use the side. If I want to get a very small amount of color on a small piece that's raised on the surface of the mini, I'll stroke it with the side of the brush bristles. This is especially effective for adding metallics on things like buckles and such. Sort of like drybrushing, but there is usually more paint in the brush and I use the side of the brush insteadof the tip. I also do this with a Cat's tounge to get the raised areas with broad color, like adding highlights to hair. Hold the brush nearly horizontal to the surface of the mini, and stroke gently. Does anyone else do this?

The thing that impressed me about the Reaper Master Series brush was that it had a razor-sharp point in the package. When I took it out, I found there was no glue or binder in the brush - that beautiful point was all natural. It was very soft and had wonderful spring. When dry, my Vallejo looks like something from the $1 bin at Michaels. It points up nicely when wet, but unlike the Reaper brush doesn't retain it when dry. What I didn't like about the Reaper brush is that the handle is crooked. Didn't notice this until I was holding it top and bottom between my fingers and rotated it. Doesn't seem to affect how it paints, but it's annoying all the same. The price on Master Series brushes is between that of Vallejo and Windsor Newton: more expensive than the first but cheaper than the second. I'd especially recommend them if you are having problems finding WN or don't want to go online. As I said before, if your local retailer doesn't carry them he or she can most likely order them for you. I probably mentioned this before, but if you don't have a couple of good Cat's Tounge (aka filbert) brushes, try a few. Better control than a flat for base coating your minis. Can do some of the broader highlighting/shadowing with them to.

Aren't there some sable brushes in the GW line? You'd think those would last a while. Testors also has some sables, $5 at a model shop. Haven't tried them. You should see the handles of my WN7's. They are obviously "well loved" But the bristles are still pristine. I fastidiously clean my brushes after every use and keep them capped. But if a brush can take the beating I dish out and still look great, then it's worth whatever you pay for it.