Wishing wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions! I do use craft paints for work like this, the cheapest ones I can find in a local shop of knick knacks... they don't have a huge selection, but decent enough.
I find it really hard to drybrush these relatively flat and smooth surfaces though. It's very difficult to both get enough paint on for it to be noticeable, but not just leave splotches of pure white. I'll keep fighting, but it doesn't feel straightforward - more like a neverending experimentation and trial and error. But hopefully at some point I will get to a result I am happy with.
A couple suggestions:
1. Maybe try drybrushing with colors other than white. I find that when I drybrush I get better effects if I either layout or mix a sequence of dark/medium/light colors, then apply them one after the other (even adding more and more white to the final color if need be). That way things aren't quite as stark as doing white on its own.
2. Wipe off almost all of the paint from the brush (more than you think necessary), then do multiple drybrush passes. the first couple times it'll look like nothing is changing, but if you keep at it you can gradually build up a nice, light highlight.
3. You might try changing your brush. I'm no expert, but I find I can get drastically different results by changing the shape, size, or density of the brush I use. For something mostly flat, maybe a brush with wide, loose bristles plus lots of light passes would be best.
Take all that for what it's worth, and I hope it gives you a couple ideas to try. Cheers!