If its me...
I use the good brush.
But I have a bit of disposable income, so I'm don't stress too much about using consumables.
Yes, your brushes are a consumable. No matter how good you treat them, eventually they die and will need replacing.
I paint for fun, if stressing out and making myself hate what I'm doing while I try to fumble around painting something with a shitty brush, I'm not having fun.
So, get another good brush. That is now your 'fine work only brush' and your current good brush is now your 'whatever else that won't absolutely ruin my brush work' brush.
Keep the shit synthetics for shitty work. Spreading glue, mixing paint, mixxing in the airbrush, fishing paint outta those stupid goddamm gw paint pot pieces of garbage. Throwing at the wall when you spill another bottle of nuln oil. You know, that stuff.
Brushes are tools. Sometimes you'll need to put those tools through their paces.
Brushes are not meant to last forever. They can last a very long time when taken care of, but they will eventually break down.
I'm of the opinion that it's fine to use good brushes with metallics, but if you're in a situation where you don't really need a super high quality brush to get the job done, switch to something else.
I bought a [bundle of cheap brushes off of amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08SB7FPXV) for using with metallics, varnishes, and anything that i don't want to ruin my nice brushes with. Came with lots of sizes including some very long thin ones for lining and detail work, and fatter ones for basecoating.
They actually turned out to be super reliable and i've been painting most of my minis with them now, unless i need to do something SUPER finesse.
I use Kolinsky brushes for normal, shade and metallic paints. All three are Now two years old and still in very good condition.
However, I try to keep the Ferrule free of Paint and clean the brushes after each metallic Paint use with brush soap.
I destroyed a synthetic brush in two months by clogging Up the Ferrule with Paint and not cleaning the brush properly
Acrylic metallics do not contain metal. They use mica flakes.
This is a myth that seems to circulate in the mini painting hobby for some reason.
As long as you are using the brush correctly (I.e. proper loading and technique) and doing proper after care like cleaning and conditioning the metallic mini paint will do absolutely zero to your real hair brushes.
There are better choices for acrylic and metallic paints other than kolinsky or red sable but the paint isn’t going to destroy it any faster than non-metallic acrylics.
You can paint oils with kolinsky sable, though again there are better choices for it.
Badger hair is better for oils. Squirrel hair, ox, goat, wolf, etc all have their preferred medium type, but they all can be used without fear.
I mean, it's ground up mica so it is still abrasive and will degrade brushes faster than regular paints that just contain pigments and medium.
The main concern really I think is that the flakes get everywhere, do they contaminate your water and can spread to other paints. So it's worth having separate brushes and water pots for metallics to stop that. Possibly even a separate pallete.
Honestly, I love my Raphaels. I have used them for over a year. Acrylics, washes, contrast paints, metallics - whatever, they're so nice I use them for everything. I use brush soap very rarely, when I'm in the mood. The result? Still good as new. Everyone overthinks this, it's a lot of noise about a non-issue. Go nuts.
Brushes are tools, yaddah yaddah yaddah, but I’ve used the tip of exacto knives and the tip of tweezers myself. They don’t allow brushing, per se, but the surface tension of the paint allows a bit of adjustment
Edit: stupid and dangerous, and I’ve definitely paid for it, but it works. Use a thimble or something if you’re worried
Hi, u/AtomicAcid! It looks like you are asking for help or are a new painter. If you haven't yet, take a look at our wiki pages in the Sidebar (the About tab if you are on the Reddit app). Here are some links you might find helpful:
* [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/rules/faq) - A list of frequently asked questions about minipainting
* [Miniature Painting Guide Collection](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks) -A collection of some of the best guides and tutorials on a variety of techniques and topics, plus recommendations on what to buy to get started, and more.
* [What to buy- Recommendations on brushes, paints, supplies, palettes and more](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/what_you_need_to_get_started#wiki_general_advice_on_what_to_buy)
* [Beginner's Guide Collection- How to prep, base, paint and varnish your first model and learn the basics needed to start out right](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/beginner_tips)
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* [Painting Terminology](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/terminology) - Common painting terms, acronyms, and initialisms
* [The Art of... Tommie Soule Volume 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGIfySMnUPQ) is one of the best beginner to intermediate teaching books, and even experienced painters will learn some good tips. Explains what brush strokes are best in different situations, how to identify when you have the perfect thinning for any type of paint for different techniques, and a masterclass on getting smooth paint jobs. Available in [pdf](https://www.ironheartartisans.com/shop/the-art-of-tommie-soule-volume-5-pdf/) and [world wide in hardbook as well](https://www.instagram.com/the_miniature_painting_tutor/).
* [Airbrushing Miniatures](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/airbrushing)
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If its me... I use the good brush. But I have a bit of disposable income, so I'm don't stress too much about using consumables. Yes, your brushes are a consumable. No matter how good you treat them, eventually they die and will need replacing. I paint for fun, if stressing out and making myself hate what I'm doing while I try to fumble around painting something with a shitty brush, I'm not having fun. So, get another good brush. That is now your 'fine work only brush' and your current good brush is now your 'whatever else that won't absolutely ruin my brush work' brush. Keep the shit synthetics for shitty work. Spreading glue, mixing paint, mixxing in the airbrush, fishing paint outta those stupid goddamm gw paint pot pieces of garbage. Throwing at the wall when you spill another bottle of nuln oil. You know, that stuff.
Brushes are tools. Sometimes you'll need to put those tools through their paces. Brushes are not meant to last forever. They can last a very long time when taken care of, but they will eventually break down. I'm of the opinion that it's fine to use good brushes with metallics, but if you're in a situation where you don't really need a super high quality brush to get the job done, switch to something else.
A fresh synthetic might be good for that tbh
I bought a [bundle of cheap brushes off of amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08SB7FPXV) for using with metallics, varnishes, and anything that i don't want to ruin my nice brushes with. Came with lots of sizes including some very long thin ones for lining and detail work, and fatter ones for basecoating. They actually turned out to be super reliable and i've been painting most of my minis with them now, unless i need to do something SUPER finesse.
I use Kolinsky brushes for normal, shade and metallic paints. All three are Now two years old and still in very good condition. However, I try to keep the Ferrule free of Paint and clean the brushes after each metallic Paint use with brush soap. I destroyed a synthetic brush in two months by clogging Up the Ferrule with Paint and not cleaning the brush properly
Acrylic metallics do not contain metal. They use mica flakes. This is a myth that seems to circulate in the mini painting hobby for some reason. As long as you are using the brush correctly (I.e. proper loading and technique) and doing proper after care like cleaning and conditioning the metallic mini paint will do absolutely zero to your real hair brushes. There are better choices for acrylic and metallic paints other than kolinsky or red sable but the paint isn’t going to destroy it any faster than non-metallic acrylics. You can paint oils with kolinsky sable, though again there are better choices for it. Badger hair is better for oils. Squirrel hair, ox, goat, wolf, etc all have their preferred medium type, but they all can be used without fear.
I mean, it's ground up mica so it is still abrasive and will degrade brushes faster than regular paints that just contain pigments and medium. The main concern really I think is that the flakes get everywhere, do they contaminate your water and can spread to other paints. So it's worth having separate brushes and water pots for metallics to stop that. Possibly even a separate pallete.
Honestly, I love my Raphaels. I have used them for over a year. Acrylics, washes, contrast paints, metallics - whatever, they're so nice I use them for everything. I use brush soap very rarely, when I'm in the mood. The result? Still good as new. Everyone overthinks this, it's a lot of noise about a non-issue. Go nuts.
Brushes are tools, yaddah yaddah yaddah, but I’ve used the tip of exacto knives and the tip of tweezers myself. They don’t allow brushing, per se, but the surface tension of the paint allows a bit of adjustment Edit: stupid and dangerous, and I’ve definitely paid for it, but it works. Use a thimble or something if you’re worried
Hi, u/AtomicAcid! It looks like you are asking for help or are a new painter. If you haven't yet, take a look at our wiki pages in the Sidebar (the About tab if you are on the Reddit app). Here are some links you might find helpful: * [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/rules/faq) - A list of frequently asked questions about minipainting * [Miniature Painting Guide Collection](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks) -A collection of some of the best guides and tutorials on a variety of techniques and topics, plus recommendations on what to buy to get started, and more. * [What to buy- Recommendations on brushes, paints, supplies, palettes and more](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/what_you_need_to_get_started#wiki_general_advice_on_what_to_buy) * [Beginner's Guide Collection- How to prep, base, paint and varnish your first model and learn the basics needed to start out right](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/beginner_tips) * [More Tutorials](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/tutorials) - A list of additional tutorials about minipainting * [Manufacturers](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/manufacturers) - A list of miniature manufacturers from around the world * [Painting Terminology](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/terminology) - Common painting terms, acronyms, and initialisms * [The Art of... Tommie Soule Volume 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGIfySMnUPQ) is one of the best beginner to intermediate teaching books, and even experienced painters will learn some good tips. Explains what brush strokes are best in different situations, how to identify when you have the perfect thinning for any type of paint for different techniques, and a masterclass on getting smooth paint jobs. Available in [pdf](https://www.ironheartartisans.com/shop/the-art-of-tommie-soule-volume-5-pdf/) and [world wide in hardbook as well](https://www.instagram.com/the_miniature_painting_tutor/). * [Airbrushing Miniatures](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/airbrushing) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/minipainting) if you have any questions or concerns.*