Dethtron's taking a week off this time around and has graciously entrusted me with another entry into the storied tradition that is Gaming on a Budget.
The other day, Dethtron and I were were having a chat about the direction of Gaming on a Budget series. It seems to be a huge hit with the fans and something we hope we can keep going as long as possible. As good as it's going though, there's a bit of frustration. We can't seem to get past terrain making and hobby supplies!
I think the reason for that is that once you get past buying a kit or a figure, EVERYTHING else is an expendable. All that paint, glue, plasticard and sand goes away in the process of making the things you need to play. Hell, even your tools will eventually deteriorate and fail - they too become expendable.
And then you have the fact that all of these materials expenditures and so forth are very much a hidden cost. A new player buys that $35 box of space marines and finds out that in order to do things up right he needs another $35 (probably a lot more) worth of stuff he didn't even know existed. Hell, I get caught out on supply costs and I've got 17 years worth of experience and an established hobby room behind me.
That's where we pick up with today's topic: spending money to save money. Its part getting the right tools the first time around and part preventative maintenance - but all long term and all about saving money.
Paint Brushes
The paint brush is perhaps the single most important tool you're going to be using when you get a miniature ready for the table. It's also becomes a very personal choice if you start getting serious about them. You're gonna be using your brushes constantly and it behooves you to make some good choices.
I'm a Windsor and Newton man, myself. I have a lot of them and I would recommend them over almost anything else to anyone who wants a really, really good brush.
But I'm not gonna sit here and say that spending $10-$20 on a single paint brush is for everyone. Some people just aren't all that serious about painting. And as much as a great tool will help improve your work, its not magic. You don't need a great brush, you just need a good one. You'll get better results and, importantly, you'll spend less money in the long run as better tools generally last longer.
So, you need to spend money to save money.
Tip #1: Spend more than $3 on a Brush
The cheaper a brush is, the more likely it is to fall apart. duh. Even if you're not getting some sweet, sweet Kolinsky sable (which is fine), don't get the cheapest damn thing you can find. Any paint brush will eventually wear out. The cheaper the brush, the faster that happens. You're not actually saving money if you have to replace your equipment twice as frequently. I have more than couple brushes that are over 3 years old and still aren't showing signs of needing to be replaced. But some of that is because I take care of my tools.
Tip #2: Take Care of the Damn Things!
Nothing shortens the life span of a brush like faster than going out of your way ruin them. Which is what not taking care of them is, essentially.
- Never leave them in water for hours at a time - it bends the bristles and does awful things to the wooden handle the brush likely has.
- Never let paint dry on them - again, this ruins the bristles
- Don't get paint on or in the point where the bristles meet the ferrule - it's hard to wash the paint out and once it dries it can ruin the point.
- Do not use your good brushes for dry brushing - IT RUINS THE BRISTLES! Notice a trend here?
Go buy some brush cleaner. A small container of the stuff is like 5 bucks and will last for a looooong time. My tiny tub of brush soap has literally saved me from saving to buy a brush for over a year. And I still have 90% of the tub left.
Brush soap is especially important if you're using natural fibers. The brush is made out of real hair. It needs to be washed periodically. Like you're own, personal hair. Brush soap is like a shampoo/conditioner that can extend the life of a brush to almost ridiculous levels (in conjunction with #3). Hell, brush soap can sometimes rescue a brush you thought was fucked. Some more info can be found here.
Tip #4) Save Those Old, Crappy Brushes
You can all relax now - we're past the point where I want you to spend money. Now we're on to the sweet, sweet freebies you're used to. Those old and damaged brushes are great for all kinds of things. Dry brushing being the biggest one. If you have to dry brush, use a tool you don't care about. Like the old, crappy brush that was never the same after the ink experiment. Old, crappy brushes are also great for terrain making and make great glue applicators for basing.
Essentially what I'm advocating here is spending a bit more money than you might want upfront so you don't end up spending much more down the line. This hobby is expensive enough without pissing your money away on preventable things.
Here's a representative breakdown:
All you really need for a solid, starting collection is about five brushes of various sizes - lets go ahead and use the descriptions of the GW brushes since they're muchmore descriptive than 'size 1'* A detail brush, 2 'standard' brushes (your workhorses), a base coat brush and something to paint tanks with.
If we decided to be cheap, and spend about 3 bucks on a brush, we're looking at $15. BUT... those will wear out very quickly. Lets assume that we'll need to replace them at the 6 month point (with heavy use).
Cheap-o brushes: $30/year
Now lets pretend to spend money on some really good brushes.
We'll get the same selection and spend about $8** bucks per for some good Kolinsky sables and some brush soap (another $5 - varies by brand). But here's the thing - we'll need to replace them far less often. Lets say once every two years (with heavy use - and yes, this is a reasonable assumption)
Good brushes with tlc: $45 initially, but only $22.50/year.
You see? Savings. And you get some great tools out of the deal (and fewer trips to the store).
And here's the thing. If you're really careful you can get more than two years out of a brush. Plus, that brush cleaner isn't gonna get used up nearly as fast. Over another two years, you could be looking at a savings of $10 bucks a year.
Just remember to keep the beat up brushes around for scut work.
Paint like the wind!
-----[Foot notes]---------------------------------
*remember - brush sizes are not standardized.
**as with many things in life, some truly phenomenal deals can be had online. Most art supply stores hover around a 50% discount on brushes.
