"Getting better at freehand" Topic
7 Posts
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Gunfreak | 12 Jan 2017 4:53 a.m. PST |
So I suck at freehand painting, Not only painting but my handwriting is so bad I generally avoid doing it, and only handwriting I do is to sign for things. Normally my lack of freehand skills is a none issue, Mostly doing 1700-1815, the only freehand I come across are grenadier mitres and regimental numbers. But I can kinda survive that, even if I'd like my mitres to look better. But when doing medieval, I feel my lack of skills, doing the caparison, shields and surcoats is pain, and takes away from what would be a fairly good paint job. I know you can find generic shield transfers, but there are only a few surcoat/caparison transfers not only would it get quite expensive but there would be a lot of knights that looked the same. I can't paint a straight line if the entire world depended on it. |
Grelber | 12 Jan 2017 5:58 a.m. PST |
Yes, when I was 12, my teacher threatened to send me back to the 8 year old class to learn proper handwriting. My freehand is wretched, too. I did paint two armies of ancient Greeks, each hoplite with a different shield design, and I did get better as I went along, learning various tricks, like how to make the brush give me an acanthus leaf pattern. Practice may not make perfect, but it does make better. For medieval warriors, do not try to do the Cadillac logo, with a shield quartered and two of the quarters quartered again. Simple is good. Grelber |
whitejamest | 12 Jan 2017 7:58 a.m. PST |
Yeah, straight lines are a challenge for anyone I think. As Grelber says, it does get easier with practice. I remember years ago when I was painting some knights on caparisoned horses, I found it helpful to draw a few lines in pencil first. It was a lot easier to control than the paintbrush, and then I had a bit of a guideline for the painting. |
olicana | 12 Jan 2017 12:41 p.m. PST |
Sometimes it's easier not to paint the line; painting the areas either side of it to leave a straight line between is often easier. Counter intuitive, I know. |
CeruLucifus | 12 Jan 2017 10:05 p.m. PST |
Don't know if this will help you, but there is a kind of brush called a liner. It has very long brush at end. I mostly use these for blacklining but occasionally I paint freehand lines and it is much easier with this kind of brush. This is on 28mm miniatures. |
etotheipi | 13 Jan 2017 8:15 a.m. PST |
Some people will react negatively to this suggestion, but paint absorbs ink. If you are OK with moving from painting only to multimedia art on your minis, ultra fine felt tip pens are a great way to do detail. I use them for some stripes, pinstriping, tartans, plaids, and equipage straps. Not a panacea (or an anathema, IMHO), just a different tool set. |
Oh Bugger | 15 Jan 2017 5:55 a.m. PST |
Yes that's right enough. I use them betimes to tidy up painted detail. |
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