Brush painting white.

[logical]

White is the one colour I hate brushing on. Never seems to go on without being streaky. On WW2 stuff it's not so much of an issue as a lot of the undercarriage on them is silvery. But modern stuff all seems to have white undercarriage And I can never be bothered to mask off and crack out the airbrush.

What's the best way to brush it on smoothly and evenly? Does white enamel brush better than acrylics?

[Darby]

I've just done some white hairy stick work. I started off with a Citadel white using a small flat brush. After one coat I gave it a second. Once dry I used white enamel. You can tell it's done with a brush but for the small spaces (A4 undercart and intakes) it's not bad. Once it's weathered it won't really matter to me. I'm sure there are others with their preferred methods but this is the one I use.

[Andy Moore]

I find some white paints brush much better than others. My personal favorite for brush painting is Vallejo off-white (70820). It's got good body to the paint so it covers well but it gives a nice smooth finish if you apply 2-3 thin layers over a primer. Humbrol enamel isn't too bad either but, as I always apply multiple thin coats rather than one thick one, working with acrylics is easier and quicker.

Of course if you want the quickest and easiest way, you could just use a white rattle can

Andy

[Discodaz]

Its funny I have the very same issues with white..every other colour seems to brush or spray fine in one coat.white never does regardless.i use enamels and have the same problem.i hate doing white parts.i find the metallics paint best.

But yeah,white is a pain

Daz

[logical]

It seems to be worse on bombs/missiles like the AGM-65's on my A-10a

[cruiserguy]

Hi Logical,

The best tips I have seen are to use a very light grey primer and several thin coats of white rather than one or two thicker coats. Like you I think white is a "pig" of a colour to brush, beaten only by red and yellow; the latter being the worst.

Best Wishes,

Will.

[Steve Noble]

Use Zero paints pure white and be bothered to crack out the airbrush. Brush painting never yields good results.

[ScarecrowJoe]

Use Zero paints pure white and be bothered to crack out the airbrush. Brush painting never yields good results.

Please. Are you serious? I love airbrushing but there are hundreds of excellent examples of brush only works, some of them award winners.

[andyramone]

Go check out Paul Coudeyrette's work and tell me brush painting doesn't yield good results!

I use a brush (an example of my technique can be found here - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234937289-tamiya-132-p-51d-passion-wagon-brush-painted/page-2)and white is the one colour I always use a rattle can for. There's just no good way of brushing white, it's too transparant sadly.

Get a can of Tamiya TS-27

Edited March 15, 2015 by andyramone

[Steve Noble]

Please. Are you serious? I love airbrushing but there are hundreds of excellent examples of brush only works, some of them award winners.

Very serious, are you..?? Brush painting will never yield the results of spraying. Why do you think airbrushes exist..?? A sprayed finish is always vastly superior to brush painting. People brush paint because they can't master an airbrush. No modeller worth his salt brush paints...

[Steve Noble]

Go check out Paul Coudeyrette's work and tell me brush painting doesn't yield good results!

I use a brush (an example of my technique can be found here - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234937289-tamiya-132-p-51d-passion-wagon-brush-painted/page-2)and white is the one colour I always use a rattle can for. There's just no good way of brushing white, it's too transparant sadly.

Get a can of Tamiya TS-27

You've championed brush painting saying it yields good results and then admitted you always spray white with a rattle can because it's too transparent..?? The original question was about brush painting white, which never yields good results, obviously because you spray it as well. So my original, serious answer stands, spray it with Zero white for the best and easiest finish.

[ScarecrowJoe]

Very serious, are you..?? Brush painting will never yield the results of spraying. Why do you think airbrushes exist..?? A sprayed finish is always vastly superior to brush painting. People brush paint because they can't master an airbrush. No modeller worth his salt brush paints...

Incorrect, but you have every right to be. Every modeller worth its salt can have excellent results with just a brush. Easier? Of course. Better? Nope! It depends on the modeller's SKILL and TALENT. With the proper technique and PATIENCE a smooth finish can be achieved with the brush alone...and yes with white too.

Edited March 15, 2015 by ScarecrowJoe

[buccymad]

now,now ladies! lets be logical about this,the guy asked for help,not a slagging match,we each have our own prefaired way of dealing with problems ,

lets try and assist mr logical(see what i did there )in his quest for a perfect white coat!(no pun intended) i once tried a method i heard of in a well know

american modelling magazine of pre coating ,by brush,the offending parts in silver before adding white,seemed to yeald good results for me anyway

[Julien]

You just have to build up thin coats. It can yield good results but does take time. As much as I love my brushes theire are some colours (White, yellow, dayglo) that go on better with an airbrush.

The citadel white is pretty good with a brush. Be warned enamel white will yellow over time.

Examples of the brush which came out pretty well.

If the paint goes on a bit thick or brush stokes show then polish them out with something like micro mesh.

Julien

[andyramone]

You've championed brush painting saying it yields good results and then admitted you always spray white with a rattle can because it's too transparent..?? The original question was about brush painting white, which never yields good results, obviously because you spray it as well. So my original, serious answer stands, spray it with Zero white for the best and easiest finish.

Firstly, please point out where I ever said Brush painting is BETTER than airbrushing?

White is the exception for me. Everything else I paint by brush, and like to think I get decent results. Of course airbrushing would be better, but to suggest I'm not a real modeller because I don't use an airbrush is actually pretty insulting. That's the standards that YOU hold, and they don't mean ANYTHING to me.

And lets face it here, we're talking about painting plastic toys. Neither of us can claim any moral high ground. What the hell do you care if I use a brush anyway? And why would you ever claim anyone who models is not a real modeller? Do you really think that's an appropriate thing to say to a fellow enthisiuast?

And once again, I refer you to Paul Coudeyrette. Please google him and think hard about wether you consider him a proper modeller or not. Dude can use a brush like most people use airbrushes.

Y'know Ive just returned from a 2 year hiatus from modelling. This is my first post in 2 years, and I'd just like to thank you for reminding me why I left in the first place. I'm off to find a more friendly modelling forum.

Edited March 16, 2015 by andyramone

[ScarecrowJoe]

Firstly, please point out where I ever said Brush painting is BETTER than airbrushing?

White is the exception for me. Everything else I paint by brush, and like to think I get decent results. Of course airbrushing would be better, but to suggest I'm not a real modeller because I don't use an airbrush is actually pretty insulting. That's the standards that YOU hold, and they don't mean ANYTHING to me.

And lets face it here, we're talking about painting plastic toys. Neither of us can claim any moral high ground. What the hell do you care if I use a brush anyway? And why would you ever claim anyone who models is not a real modeller? Do you really think that's an appropriate thing to say to a fellow enthisiuast?

And once again, I refer you to Paul Coudeyrette. Please google him and think hard about wether you consider him a proper modeller or not. Dude can use a brush like most people use airbrushes.

Y'know Ive just returned from a 2 year hiatus from modelling. This is my first post in 2 years, and I'd just like to thank you for reminding me why I left in the first place. I'm off to find a more friendly modelling forum.

Dont let these kind of attitudes bring you down man. Although new here I would ask you give this place a chance. People like that will always be around, is a matter of ignoring them.

Edited March 16, 2015 by ScarecrowJoe

[The James]

Horses for courses.

Change your paint is the best advice I can give you. Tamiya and Gunze airbrush beautifully, but I've never had good results with hand brushing either. Vallejo Model Colour is the best paint I've ever used for hand brushing and I've tried lots of different paints over the years. You can make brushed surfaces look like they were sprayed :-)

Edited March 16, 2015 by The James

[ScarecrowJoe]

ooops. Sorry! Nevermind.

Edited March 16, 2015 by ScarecrowJoe

[Beardie]

White is a swine but it is possible with care and good technique, always in thin layers built up and resist the temptation to take the brush back and forwards over the surface,

As for insulting brush painters I think that is rather unsporting and not at all helpful to the spirit of the hobby. I am a brush painter by choice despite being a professionaly trained user of airbrushes. The brush requires patience skill and control that the airbrush does not. The airbrush is used because it makes results easier and requiring of less skill and control and more of a mechanical and straightforward if laborious process (I always hated all the masking just to get straight lines which I could do in seconds with a good signwriting brush).

There is no doubt that if you want the most perfectly smooth surface finish without having to work very hard at it then airbrush is the way to go. If it is the hands-on enjoyment of slathering paint onto a model without having to plan everything out on the basis of what needs to be masked off and painted in what order then have at it with the old hairy stick.

[logical]

I found last night (while painting Tomcat wheel bays) that if i put 2 coats of gloss then a coat of matt over the top it gives a good coverage. I'm only brush painting the 72nd scale ones. Anything bigger will get airbrushed first before I pick out detail with a brush

Buccy I might try that method though. Would be good to weather the inside of wheel wells.

Julien those models look stunning.

The Citadel white I always used their Deneb stone (IIRC) undercoat first.

[Steve Noble]

White is the one colour I hate brushing on. Never seems to go on without being streaky. On WW2 stuff it's not so much of an issue as a lot of the undercarriage on them is silvery. But modern stuff all seems to have white undercarriage And I can never be bothered to mask off and crack out the airbrush.

What's the best way to brush it on smoothly and evenly? Does white enamel brush better than acrylics?

Seems earlier my postings were not well received, so I aim to put that right now and offer you advice about painting white parts either via brush or air brush. It seems from your post that in particular you're talking about aircraft landing gear..? Although I'm now predominantly an auto model maker, I spent many years building planes, so I know the problem you face. Whichever way you decide to paint them a primer is essential, especially if the parts are molded in grey or some other colour. White primer would be an obvious choice for this. Enamel white, in my opinion, will brush easily and flow out better than some acrylics. Although it can yellow over time and end up cream. Best acrylic I've used is Vallejo Model Colour. Build it up with a soft brush and many light coats. Have you thought about using the white primer and simply clear coating it..? Often works better than a straight gloss white. You could even dip the parts in Klear to give the gloss, another option. Generally it doesn't matter how you achieve the finish. My favourite way and easiest is to use a white primer, then over coat with lacquer paint, which dries very quickly and gives a great shine, or Zero paints Pure White, which is the best covering white I've ever used. Sadly though these two methods need air brushing but I think it's worth the extra effort for the finish you get. Hope this helps.

[Discodaz]

Wow,this was a shock...been here a couple of months now and never experienced anything other than friendly advice,so was surprised to read this.

We all have our preferred method of doing things.we are all entitled to our oppinions,be them right or wrong.

But..falling out over silly little differences of oppinions is nothing more than senseless.

For what it's worth.stating modellers that use a brush are not worth their salt is a little unfair.im no pro modeller by any stretch of the imagination.but I did a Lancaster for my boy just before xmas and brush painted it..you would have to really study it to work out it wasn't airbrushed.im not blowing smoke up my own bum here,im just stating even novices like me can get very very convincing results with a brush..

Like I stated earlier,that just my oppinion,rightly or wrongly.

Shake hands,and crack on

Happy modeling

Daz

[Albeback52]

Very serious, are you..?? Brush painting will never yield the results of spraying. Why do you think airbrushes exist..?? A sprayed finish is always vastly superior to brush painting. People brush paint because they can't master an airbrush. No modeller worth his salt brush paints...

Only just picked up on this thread. I am not surprised that some of your posts were not well received Steve. The statement above in particular comes across as arrogant, presumptuous, patronising and just a tad insulting. It might be argued of course that modellers airbrush because they cannot master brushes? I appreciate that you have tried to make right what you said but, you should not have said it in the first place!

Owning/using an airbrush does not make you a better modeller although, this appears to be the root of the fascination with these things. It's horses for courses really. We work best with what suits us best & there is no right or wrong way to go about our hobby. I would also like to state that I used to own an airbrush. I persevered with the thing for the better part of a year and achieved (admittedly) very good results. However, I gave it away because it gave no pleasure using it. Add to that the inordinate amount of masking & the endless cleaning and mixing/thinning often tiny batches of paint led to the conclusion the wretched thing was more trouble than it was worth. I reverted to brush painting. I am sorry if you find this method beneath you but please remember we are ALL modellers. Surely no modeller worth his/her salt would deem another as somehow inferior or second class simply because they did not follow YOUR preferred method of painting.

Allan

ps - Nothing personal Steve.We both enjoy a wonderful hobby but, on this, I think you were way out of order

Edited April 13, 2015 by Albeback52