Drybrushing
A fast highlighting technique where you use an almost-dry brush to catch raised edges and textures.
A controlled drybrush is the mirror image of a wash: where the wash finds every recess, a near-dry brush flicked across the surface catches only the highest points, painting your highlights for you. We load the brush, then wipe almost all of the paint back off — the brush should feel dry and leave barely a ghost on a paper towel — and drag it lightly across the texture. What little pigment remains clings to the raised edges and nowhere else. On fur, chainmail, stone, and rubble it produces in thirty seconds what would take an hour with a fine brush.
Best For
Recommended Paint Types
Step-by-Step
Dip the dedicated flat drybrush (or a worn-out old brush) in a colour 1–2 shades lighter than the basecoat — no thinning — then wipe it on a paper towel until a stroke leaves only a faint ghost of colour; when you think you've wiped enough, wipe once more.
Flick the brush lightly across the textured surface — fur, chainmail, stone, or the base, moving ACROSS the texture so only the raised points catch pigment.
Build the highlight in gentle passes — three whisper-light strokes beat one heavy one, and it's far easier to add than to take away.
Finish with a final, even lighter pass concentrated on the most raised, light-facing texture, where your light source hits, to push the very top of the texture brighter.
If It Goes Wrong
If the result looks chalky and scratchy, there was too much paint on the brush — let it dry, re-apply the basecoat over the worst streaks, and try again with the brush wiped drier; a too-subtle drybrush needs no fixing at all, just one more light pass.
Variations
Overbrushing is a drybrush with more paint left on the bristles — it coats the whole upper surface rather than just the edges, laying a basecoat and a broad highlight over rough texture in one heavier pass.
Pro Tips
Use a purpose-made drybrush — they have stiffer, splayed bristles that work better.
The key is LESS paint. When you think you've wiped enough off, wipe off more.
Drybrush in the direction of the texture (along fur strands, across chainmail links).
You can build up from dark to light with successive drybrushing layers.
Common Mistakes
Too much paint on the brush — this creates a chalky, messy look.
Pressing too hard — let the brush do the work with light pressure.
Using it on smooth surfaces like armor plates — it looks dusty and rough.
Using your good brushes — drybrushing destroys brush tips.