Monday, August 22, 2011

New brush time. How about Windsor and Newton Series 7s?



This is just a brief interjection before I get on with part 3 of my Orcs and Goblins posting.

I'm painting up my Deathwing now and I've come to realise it's time to buy some new brushes. My current set have been going for over a year now and while they're in decent shape, they're forking quite a lot not, making it hard to keep the detail painting going. My GW brush forked a while ago after just a month or so of use, so that's no help.I've heard rave things about the Windsor and Newton Series 7 brushes and wonder if it's time for me to invest in a set of them.

Does anybody have any experience with these brushes and what sizes to pick up? I was thinking of a size 2, a size 1 and a size 0 so I would have a range to work with.

Thankyou

Pete



6 comments:

  1. They are worth the money. I have been using a Size 0 for a while now, and the difference it makes when doing highlights and detail is remarkable. Much more control of paint flow and precision in the tip.

    I have just picked up a 000 to see if that helps with eyes and ultrafine detail.

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  2. Glad to hear it. I'll be sending off for these very soon, probably today I think.

    Do you think that Sizes 2,1 and 0 are a good selection or will there be a lot of overlap between them?

    Also, do you follow any particular brush care routine with them?

    Thanks

    Pete

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  3. (Sholto here - having to post anonymously due to work PC)

    Personally, I would avoid the size 2, since you don't need that kind of quality brush for basecoating. Use a normal brush for coverage, and switch to your W&N Series 7 for the detail and highlights.

    I uses Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver for all my brushes, and it really does keep them as new. It can even rescue ones that are starting to go, although it is not magic and cannot restore a brush that is tip-curled or been used for dry-brushing.

    Oh, don't use W&N Series 7 for dry-brushing! :)

    I find a magnifying glass with integral daylight bulb invaluable with these brushes. Really help me get the tip where I need it to be.

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  4. Sholto, you naughty work person ;-)

    Sounds like a plan to me. Size 1 and 0 it is then I guess. I might hold off on the magnifying glass, good tool though it is, simply because I'm not sure how long I'll be settled here in Slovakia.

    Where did you get your brushes and did you pick up the brush cleaner at the same place?

    Thanks,

    Pete

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  5. Personally I use a 1 and a 00, beause the size seperation is more disticnt. the 1 does almost everything, the 00 does well, eyes, and the rest of the jobs are done by suicide synthetics. cheap crap brushes for drybrushing and other ruinous tasks.

    it all depends how you paint, and what will suit you best.

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  6. That sounds like a good idea to get some separation between the brush sizes.

    At the moment I'm trying for the first time to paint highlights over the entire model. By that I mean that I sprayed the Deathwing bone, washed them in Sepia and I'm now painting the bone highlight back on everywhere while leaving the wash in the crevices and so on. It's slow work but I really like the look it's achieving. Not having a reliable point is really putting a dampener on the experience though.

    Pete

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