As a follow up to yesterday's post on line highlighting, it was mentioned in the comments that it's possible to use the side of your paintbrush to highlight the edges of your model.
This is absolutely true. But... there are a few things you'll want to make note of before trying this particular approach.
Tips for line highlighting with the edge of your brush:
1. Stray bristles are problematic.
You should already be working with a good paintbrush for this so you won't need to worry about stray bristles that stick out from the sides. If you happen to have one or two, cut them away before giving this a go.
2. Pressure is everything here.
Using this method, you really need to be aware of how much pressure you are applying to your brush and on the model. Too much and the paint will spread down both sides of what you're trying to highlight.
3. Watch the tip of your brush!
This may be the biggest one. Even though you're using the side of your brush (and most likely up near the tip) you need to be careful you don't hit any other parts of the model with your brush tip while you're working.
4. Make sure your paint consistency is correct.
This is up there with watching the tip of your brush. The previous method is somewhat forgiving, but this approach really does require you to have a good consistency of paint so that it goes on just right.
5. Check the model's edge first.
And last but not least, some model edges are just not made for this approach. The best ones are the super sharp edges. If it's the least bit rounded, you'll end up with a wide highlight and not the crisp one you want.
Thanks for the feedback guys!
Make sure to check out these posts as they might help:
Basics: Line highlighting made simple
