Dry Brushing Raised Detail on Armor and Figures

After a wash, bolts, straps, folds, and hatch edges can still read flat under the bench lamp. Dry brushing picks out those raised surfaces without repainting the whole part.

Load a stiff brush, wipe almost all the paint off, then flick the brush across the surface so paint catches on the high points. It works on armor edges, stowage straps, figure folds, helmets, weapons, and raised groundwork.

Dry Brushing Raised Edges and Small Details

• Start darker than the final highlight. Use a color only a little lighter than the base coat for the first pass. On olive drab, that may mean a slightly lightened olive. On field gray, use a gray-green step rather than jumping straight to pale gray. Figures can take a little more contrast than vehicles.
• Use a stiff brush with a flat or worn tip. A soft pointed brush holds too much paint and bends into the recesses. A small flat brush, old round brush with the point gone, or short-bristled brush gives more control. For one buckle, strap end, or raised dial, a Flex-I-File Super Fine Micro Brush can place a tiny touch where a regular brush is too broad.
• Load the brush, then unload it. Dip only the tip in paint. Wipe it on a paper towel until the brush seems almost dry. Test it on a thumb, scrap plastic, or the inside of a hull. If it leaves a stripe, there is still too much paint in the bristles.
• Brush across the detail, not along it. Flick the brush lightly over the edge. Cross the raised part so the bristles catch the top. Do not press. Pressure drives paint into recesses and turns dry brushing into a rough overcoat.
• Build it in small passes. One pass should barely show. Several passes are easier to control than one heavy pass. Rotate the model so the stroke remains comfortable. On armor, hit hatch rims, fender edges, bolt heads, tow eyes, track guide horns, and molded tool clamps.
• Work from darker to lighter. Stop after the first highlight if the subject is a vehicle in service. Use a second, lighter pass only on the most exposed edges. On figures, reserve the lightest color for the tops of folds, elbows, knees, knuckles, and cap edges.

When Dry Brushing Goes Too Far

The usual failure is a chalky surface. That comes from too much paint, too light a color, or brushing every surface the same way. A tank with every edge outlined in pale paint starts to look frosted, especially in smaller scales.

If the effect is too strong, let it dry and glaze over it with a thin coat of the base color or a darker filter. Follow the directions on the paint bottle for thinning. On figures, a wash after dry brushing can pull the contrast back into the folds, but it also darkens the highlight. Test before doing a full squad.

Dry brushing also leaves texture if the paint dries on the brush. Clean the brush often. Use a second dry brush for the lighter pass rather than trying to rescue one loaded with half-dried paint. Stop before it looks chalky.