Are you dry brushing to get that white/grey texture? It looks really nice and I want to try it. Also, what are you using to get the wash on the A wings?

I dry brush the Imp stuff with Citadel Administratum grey, as it is a good colour match to the movie stuff I think. Just take your time with it and build it up in certain areas after washing. For the A-wings I used a smallish flat brush to try and apply the wash in one sweep.

I love your fleet shots, and it pains me to point it out, but IG88 is backwards...

Spotted IG just after posting the pics, haha. Liberty is nearly done, and have added a bit more colour to Home One. Pics to follow soon, with a slightly more crowded group shot.

Liberty done, and probably my new favourite. Also added a bit of colour to the MC-80...

First rebel command tray done (ship only so far)

First Imp tray is still a WIP

Great work with that Liberty!

What was your base color for it under the dry brushing?

Thanks mate. I blasted it with a can of humbrol dark brown 29 before washing and drybrushing etc. Tamiya hull red was used for the stripes.

love your ships

Some new stuff...

Showed my space-whale some love:

Finally caved about uniform Imps:

New stuff arrived:

New paint for some X's & B's:

For what looks like a base, wash, drybrush work flow looks solid. I personally prefer to base coat after wash and get rid of any pooled wash on surfaces I didn't want (scraping the bucket for criticism is all, to give you something). This brings up the contrast between panel lines and panels a bit more, which may or may not be desirable. I also personally freaking hate dry brushing so I try to do it as little as possible. So really no criticism, the differences are expected outcome and prefered mechanical bits. But you did ask for some, so I tried.

Thanks for the input. I don't really have a set method, as am still trying different techniques.

I am also still using my Dad's Humbrol enamels and his old brushes. Need an upgrade soon! Any recommendations? GW stuff is good I believe. Only have a few of their washes and paints.

GW paint is a bit thick and comes in awful pots (I hate them), but their washes are fantastic. This is ofcourse fixed by thinning the paint, so only a slight annoyance. I grab all kinds of paints, but most of my experience is with Vallejo, which has great colours, but some may lack a bit of durability. The best paints are the ones you can get easily and replace.

Cool. What about brushes? I have heard a lot of people talk about Windsor & Newton brushes.

How well do you look after your brushes now?

Because, here's my Opinion:

I mean, it is a serious consideration... Cost of brushes versus actual care of brushes...

I cannot keep nice brushes in my house... Every once in a while, my kiddo will find my paintbox, and end up mashing bristles...

So I don't have nice brushes in the house. I have okay brushes in the house - most of the time, I'm content with using GW brushes - specifically their Small Layer and Small base... I have an Articifer Layer that I havn't opened yte (and had for about 6 months), because I'm, again, too afraid to have it out when my kid grabs it, being a $30 brush...

If you can look after brushes, which includes, but is not limited to:

- Not overloading.

- Never touching undiluted paint.

- No paint on the Ferrule, Ever

- No drying of any sort on the Bristles

- No heavy pushing or bending of bristles

- Proper cleaning and drying with brush soap

- No contact with liquids other than Water, Paint and Brush Soap

Then you might be ready to join the circles that use the Kings of Brushes.........

Because Windsor Newton brushes are very good, but they're very expensive Kolinsky Sable brushes. They take care, they take time, but they will hold a point when looked after.

If you don't look after them, then you're getting $2 usage out of a $30 brush.

If you look after a cheap(er) brush (little will help with super-cheap Walmart brushes) well, then they'll last you... I have a couple of Gold and Yellow tipped GW brushes that are almost 4 years old now - but that's because they blend a certain durability with a certain level of performance - if they were a nicer brush in performance, then mashing them would have killed them - but I was able to soap and care them back to useable...

In short.

A Nice Brush will serve you better than a Cheap Brush. And you'll be amazed at how much better you are with it.

But you'll be wasting money if you don't look after it.

Thanks Dras. I try to look after my brushes, but not to the degree you mentioned.

I may look at middle of the road brushes then like GW. No Walmart in the UK unfortunately!

Thanks Dras. I try to look after my brushes, but not to the degree you mentioned.

I may look at middle of the road brushes then like GW. No Walmart in the UK unfortunately!

Still the equivelant, of cours e- the cheap 50c brushes you can get in some newsagents, fabric stores, craft places, etc. Usually in packs of 15 different sizes.

They do have their uses, don't get be wrong... (I love super-long horsehair bristles for long, thin lining)... But they're not living more than a day or two of use.

Personally, I don't use the Winsor Newton brushes (7 series) as the hairs are too short. I prefer the control of longer 'normal' brushes, something like a raphael 8404 size 1 is pretty ideal for me, even for fighters. The point very well, get everywhere they need to, good snap, etc. But as above you need to take care of them, and they will still eventually die.

Kolinsky Sable, not sure we actually see much of that anymore, despite what is advertised. Very difficult to find in NA, even US, as shipments of it will be blocked/ turned back under CITES. Involves the hair of a weasel that 'does not do well in captivity', pair that with CITES and I'm sure you get the idea.

Dry brushing and nice brushes are also never to cross paths .

All I generally care about in a brush - does it hold a nice fine point and does it hold a reasonable amount of paint. Finding brushes that do both of these can be tricky. Even worse paired with paint that will dry on the tip in 20-30 s in dry as heck Canadian Winter.

And that's where I am. 0 Humidity, means never even looking at undiluted paint, as it'll dry between pot and pallete if I'm not careful.

And that's where I am. 0 Humidity, means never even looking at undiluted paint, as it'll dry between pot and pallete if I'm not careful.

I find a wet palette to be a necessity, effectively. If I want to have a chance at using paint before it cures...

And that's where I am. 0 Humidity, means never even looking at undiluted paint, as it'll dry between pot and pallete if I'm not careful.

I find a wet palette to be a necessity, effectively. If I want to have a chance at using paint before it cures...

That's with one, and pre-watered Pots.

Hothgary's a *****.

Hobbycraft (uk) will serve you well for brushes. I still have some from a pack of 5 i got for under a tenner. Only two were usable shapes mind, but they have served me well.

I pretty much exclusively use GW brushes now. The yellow and orange sizes. I have a much smaller brush for some other applications, and some battered ones for dry brushing.

I've painted miniatures for around 15 years now, and (horrible confession time) I mostly clean my small brushes with my mouth. Rare I use water, even to thin paints with. I paint on the sofa using my thumb as a palette (sometimes a bit of paper in more recent years). So my whole technique is 'a bit rough' to say the least but it produces what are in my opinion good results for me.

I usually buy a new brush every 1.5 years or so.

It's interesting how different everyone's processes are but if I had to paint sat at a desk under a lamp it would kill it for me.

I mostly clean my small brushes with my mouth

So what is the best tasting brand of paint then?