Tools of the Trade

[SparrowMarie]

I'm going to be starting a blog series call Tools of the Trade. It's mostly going to go in depth into the tools used but will probably include a few tutorials. If you were reading something like this what kind of topics might you want to see? I'm taking all suggestions currently. This will mainly be aimed at novice painters but could be of good use to others as well, I think

[Sophie was taken]

Brushes (naturally), hobby knives, snips/cutters, pin vises, files, putties, glues...

 

Files especially.

[Cyradis]

Basing materials!

[SparrowMarie]

2 minutes ago, Cyradis said:

Basing materials!

 

This one will require a lot of research on my part. I know next to nothing about basing but I will definitely include it.

[Disserrma]

Paint: hobby v. craft; differences btw hobby brands; washes; inks

[Boaz]

 It would be nice to see different levels of the same tutorials together ... for example a single tutorial for basic hair, a medium and an advanced technique together to give the reader an idea of what is involved at different levels of detail ... not on every subject,  but a few that might naturally fit a multi skill level tutorial. 

[TheMandolin]

3 hours ago, Sophie was taken said:

Brushes (naturally), hobby knives, snips/cutters, pin vises, files, putties, glues...

 

Files especially.

I second the pin vise! I want to get one but have no idea where to start. Or then what pinning material to use and what sizes that comes in? 

[WhiteWulfe]

A level headed synopsis of dropper bottle vs paint pots! 

[Glitterwolf]

Using a dremel for several purposes on minis and bases.

[DragonWyrm]

10 hours ago, Disserrma said:

Paint: hobby v. craft;

vs. artist grade paint (I prefer artist grade paint, cleaner mixes)

Oil Vs Acrylic (I found that a lot of websites completly ignore that oils are still used on miniatures)
Artist mediums (e.g. liquitex glaze medium)
Varnishes (matt, satin, gloss, spray vs brush on, artist vs hobby)
Wet pallet (making your own, difference between sponge and wipes)
Colour Theory (important!!!)
Pigments in Artist Paint (e.g. PW6: Pigment White #6: Titanium White)

 

[SparrowMarie]

These are all great ideas, thanks y'all! I won't be able to do all of them as I don't have access to some of the paints/tools needed but I will do my best to cover as much as possible. I plan on making it a weekly series.

[Cyradis]

If you do oil vs. acrylic, add enamels in there too. 

[Cranky Dog]

Paint mixing, paint mediums and dilution:

• Water: The effect adding a little water (for a wash or glazing); or too much water (binder separation, pigment "rings"). Water hardness, distilled water, etc.
• The purpose of flow improvers/flow aids, wash medium, drying retarder, etc.
• Paint/color mixing. The basics of why it works, and the more complex reasons on why sometimes it doesn't.

 

The care and maintenance of brushes:

• How to clean and store your brushes
• How not to destroy your brushes (dry brushing, eye poking, paint thinners on natural hair.)

 

The counter intuitiveness of larger brushes to do fine detail.

Edited April 20, 2018 by Cranky Dog

[hungerfan]

1 hour ago, SparrowMarie said:

These are all great ideas, thanks y'all! I won't be able to do all of them as I don't have access to some of the paints/tools needed but I will do my best to cover as much as possible. I plan on making it a weekly series.

 

Once you have something down maybe guest appearances by people who can help out with content on the things you can not do.  There may be someone who is able to do it and loves to help share info to the community.

[Pillpeddler]

For beginners?  Use what you have or can easily get and afford.  Buying a set of decent acrylic tube paints on sale at your local craft store and learning to mix colors and thin appropriately teaches alot.

Paint and have fun!

And tooth picks and paper clips, always needed.