Small brush strokes

[boogieoompa]

I've been painting for a while and wanted to start trying my hand at some free hand but I am unable to get my brush strokes to be smaller than that of a spotter. I can do writing fine but often times when making a longer line the line looks uneven as the bristles increase or decrease the line width. Is there a trick that I dont know about one of the minis that immediatly come to mind is from Artur http://coolminiornot.com/199405. In that case how in the world can you get lines that small and that even? I was wondering if there was a tool, tried using a field down toothpick and a few other non brush items but never really got close that amount of consistant detail.

Any help would be great.
Thanks

 

[Chrome]

If you look at the picture very closely you can see that his lines are uneven as well, I believe it is mostly a matter of practice(as everything else).
Tried PM:ing and asking him how he did it?
I think a good way of 'cheating' would be to take a thin piece of plasticard, make a tiny ruler out of it and use that as support to get the lines as straight as possible... I it also easier to draw lines if you already have a line to follow, perhaps a thin line from a very sharp pencil or something similar...

 

[drokle]

You could also try using a very fine art pen like a rapidograph wich you can fill with any kind of ink you want.

 

[freakinacage]

yeah they are a tad uneven in places. mind numbing though. i couldnt do that good!

 

[GunjiNoKanrei]

I think it has a lot to do with consistency of the paint and how much paint is in the brush.

To do work like this you want a brush that has a very good point, but also has some volume so it holds a certain amount of paint - maybe a size 1 or 0. The paint needs to be thinned - but not too much - so that you get a constant flow and can easily release the paint from the brush while still getting good coverage.

Stopping the bristles from increasing and decreasing while drawing a long(er) line is probably just a matter of practice. It is important that you keep the same amount of pressure (roughly at least) on the brush for the whole brushstroke.

For other freehand application varying the pressure can be an important feature. For example some of the swirl patterns often found on Rackham miniatures. Here different thickness in the lines is wanted and achieved by varying the pressure on the brush. This is what makes brushes much more powerful than pens for example.

 

[Wren]

I don’t have tips for teeny tiny lines (other than general practice leads to greater brush control, blah, blah), but for slightly wider lines like pirate pant stripes and so on, I find it works best for me to do two lines. Paint one line along the length, only worrying about the outside edge. Then flip the mini and paint another line next to it, only worrying about the other outside edge. The middle takes care of itself. Not sure that made sense… Say this is the line - // - I’d paint the left side first only worrying about making the left edge as even as possible, then the right edge.

A tip I learned from someone else is to use artist tube water colour paints for tricky freehand. You can ‘erase’ mistakes with water, then spray with sealer to set it once you’ve got what you want. Takes the pressure off a bit!

 

[Einion]

In that case how in the world can you get lines that small and that even?

Practice, practice, practice.

I was wondering if there was a tool, tried using a field down toothpick and a few other non brush items but never really got close that amount of consistant detail.

This is really a job for a brush (and a good one is key) but by all means try pens, they might work for you. But be aware of the clogging potential using normal paints. Once clogged many pens are very difficult to clean out properly using conventional means.

Einion

 

[boogieoompa]

I've tried using pens and they seem not to work quite as well as a brush but than again I've never tried the rapidgraph... ill check that out at the art store next time I'm in the area. Practice... ugh afraid of that answer lol, jk. I've practiced quite a lot but I seem stuck at a certain line width perhaps I should go buy an expensive 0 size brush (most of mine are only like $5). I might try using plasticard (or maybe a candy wraper) as a straight edge, that might actually work.

Thanks

 

[daGoz]

You can always try 'Post-It' notes for your masking. They are very low tack, and won't pull up your base coat anywhere near as often as masking tape can.
For a brush to draw long, even lines with, I would recomend a 'liner' available at art supply stores. The diameter of the bristles is the same for the size (ie a 0 liner is the same as a 0 normal brush) but the bristles are much longer. This enables you to hold enough thinned paint for a long line. Best used horizontally so that gravity doesn't pull all your paint to the tip in a big drop. It takes a while to get used to, but once you get used to it you can go like the wind. I normally use one to paint the lines on panels and the like when bulk painting a squadron of gun drones or the like.
And most importantly - practice:weep:

 

[Einion]

Practice... ugh afraid of that answer lol, jk.

So often that's the answer

I've practiced quite a lot but I seem stuck at a certain line width perhaps I should go buy an expensive 0 size brush (most of mine are only like $5).

A good brush can absolutely help (and here's where many think that Kolinksy can't be beat, even if it's not a teeny one).

BTW, be aware that technical pens (Rapidograph and similar) are not intended to be used with acrylic or vinyl paint, and they clog often enough just using ink. I don't think they're a realistic option for a few other reasons too - gouging of paint surface, tricky cleaning... plus the price. Although you can get them a lot cheaper from online suppliers they retail for $30 and up!

Einion

 

[freakinacage]

for long straight lines like that, i would recommend riggers. the are long bristled brushes that keep the paint wet when painting long thin lines