Miniature Painting Learning Plan

[dsmiles]

Good list, I can add another to Journeyman level...

 

Basic Gems (3, 5, and 7 layer gems)

[Cimmerian76]

Good list, I can add another to Journeyman level...

 

Basic Gems (3, 5, and 7 layer gems)

This is mighty handy. Added.

[Dontfear]

I would argue that for display level painting you shouldn't ever need to learn how to drybrush. If I am doing a display level piece I never drybrush, in fact I never really drybrush anymore at all. I used to but I have realized it is simply not a technique that works well for the polished end result that I like. Blending and the creation of contrast are the two most important skills to learn for display level painting. If your goal is display level start right and don't learn the "good enough" short cuts.

 

Now for fast and effective I would agree that drybrushing is awesome. I think it depends a lot on your goal.

[ShadowRaven]

I must disagree. While I am not a skilled painter yet, I feel drybrushing can have it's place, in display as well as tabletop. Not so much for highlights but for developing visual texture on surfaces. Stone especially, but concrete and even metals can benefit from it to create something that they eye picks up and tells the brain is rough or weathered.

[Cimmerian76]

I believe that drybrushing is a useful tool for the average painter. It allows them to build skills and confidence through the rapid completion of decent looking miniatures. I also don't believe that everyone who paints is looking for display quality. Beyond that, we will constantly be called upon by those around us to churn out commissions and gifts. These are often unpaid. A full toolkit means we don't have to turn down the quick jobs. Besides, I have Sparmytop on the list. Not everyone wants to progress beyond that.

 

I believe the average person who paints miniatures is looking to get decent looking models put together and painted to a tabletop level. Drybrushing is essential for this. If they then choose to progress to competition level painting, they can add advanced techniques. Most of us just want to push little toys around.

[Willen]

All of these are tools. You can get decent, even more than decent, result with dry or wetbrushing. Heck, if you want to go hardcore you should NEVER black (or brown, or whatever)-line. Your shadows should be deep enough to be all the separation you need.

 

And while I may (may) concur that drybrushing should not be the primary tool for a Golden Deamon winning entry, it can still teach you good things when you are starting. For example, how to use the edge of your brush, in a similar way as you are going to use, later, if you fancy, for edge-highlighting.

 

Ultimately, you need to walk before running. Base+Wash+Drybrush is the first little step to getting figmentia ;)

 

PS: also, you can learn about zenital lighting by drybrushing only in the right places for lights, and get a feel for correct light placement, quickly, before learning to do good blending.

[Jokemeister]

One more point to add is that you shouldn't treat each "module" as a complete and distinct module in itself if you are planning these steps as a series of tutorials for you to work through.

 

For example, stuff like colour theory could start with basic colour theory and then a separate module later on going into more advanced elements of color theory. Similarly for brushes, if you have a comprehensive lecture/tutorial on all brushes as a first topic - most of that stuff would go over the head of a newbie painter.

 

And yes, I am completely speaking from experience here.