I think if you try that pattern you are setting yourself up for heartbreak.
it's not that bad.
I have an OLD brush for it. Originally it was a size 0 WnN7Mini, now after it lost many hairs... maybe it's a size 4/0 or so. Following the advice on the Marike Reimer DVD, I didn't throw it away and use it for freehand details.
Also on an advice I'm trying to do the patterns with a brown pen (Faber-Castell Pitt artist pen, they are basically artist inks in a pen-form).
It has a brush form, but very rigid, so the end point funtions more like a pen, but with pressure it's a bit like a normal brush.
(
http://www.faber-castell.de/art-und...tt-artist-pen?page=1&sort=asc&itemsperpage=36 )
The patterns were basically finished today, but because of my hands they need a lot of touchups with a brush + base color (and a relining with the 'pen' after that), so now I'm playing with that (base color, straighter line, base color again, etc etc)
After I have everything it'll get a quick seal with a varnish and only then I plan to darken the hollows with VMC-SepiaInk and light it with VMC-WhiteGlaze. I tried it on the small part and looks good (for me anyway).
poor bust, it's a mix of paints and inks now (GW-Washes, VMC and VAC paints (for the coat mainly), Rackham colors for the flesh (because I had only those by me last week), now the Farbel-castell pens (patterns)). I just hope there will be no need for pigments too
I don't know if it will be heartbreak or heartache but go for it, looking good.
it'll be a heartbleed

(sorry couldn't resist, I still find that 'bug' funny)