Stippling/Stappling...

[Tommy]

 

Can anybody describe the process/idea/method of stippling (or stappling - I'm not 100% sure how it's spelt)? I'm thinking it's somewhat different from what I thought it was...

 

Tommy.

[prophet118]

stippling is a drawing technique, where you basically draw with dots... lots of dots

[ecs05norway]

Yep. Lots of little dots.

 

I once read about doing it by dipping a toothbrush in paint, and running a toothpick along the bristles.

 

The problem is that you have very little control over where the paint ends up. It'll splatter all over the mini - and everything around it.

[Hendercrazy]

The process ECS05NORWAY just described with the toothbrush is called spattering. Very difficult to control. Especially with placement unless you use some kind of masking.

 

Makes for some really nice effects and texturing though.

[Heisler]

When painting, stippling can be done a couple of ways. On an already applied wet paint, using a brush that you don't much care for, simply jab (a series of short, sharp motions) at the paint with the end of a brush, chip brushes work best for this since they are flat across the top instead of coming to a point. You can also use the same technique by putting paint on the brush and gently "jabbing" it at the surface of the miniature. Jabbing is a harsh word but that's the best description of the action.

 

I use stippling on carousel horses to remove brush strokes and paint streaks from the surface. It can be used for a variety of effects with a little effort. Vikinglodge has really pulled it off very well on one of his pieces.