"How to paint soft feathered blotches without an airbrush?" Topic

I can do stippling but I need something finer, softer, for small color blotches on small models (10/12mm).

I've seen mention of make-up brushes.

Maybe just thin the paint a lot?

Any other ideas?

Thanks

How big are the blotches?
If they are big enough, you can paint the centre in the solid colour and then do a border in a more dilute version of the colour.

Wedge-shaped make-up sponge might work.

I do Zulu shields with strips of foam cut off the cushioning from blister packs.

For 15mm I have some cardstock with small holes cut in it. I hold this over the model and then hit it with a quick spritz from a can of spray paint. Sort of a poor man's airbrush, but it gives good results.

Not sure exactly the effect you're after, but small dots of oil paint, then smeared with a cotton bud / q-tip / makeup sponge may get what you want.

Use carefully variants of thinned paint.

I so several layers of diluted paint to achieve the look. I do this by hand and usually it takes 3 to 4 layers to get the result I am looking for.

Here are a couple examples of my method on aircraft and tanks.

Here are a couple of pictures of a GHQ SM-79 in progress. The camo is hand brushed using thinned layers of paint to give it the sprayed on look.