Notts Hobbies Drybrush Set – Affordability to try a new technique

Drybrushing isn’t a new technique in the miniature painting hobby. For years, hobbyists have done the same technique, where they use a brush with a flat tip, grab some paint, wipe off a ton of it on a paper towel, which is aimed at removing moisture from the paint, and then use said brush to help highlight sharp edges, terrain, vehicles, etc.

Roughly 5 years ago, a new variation of the technique appeared, where artists used larger brushes with softer fibers, similar to makeup brushes, and instead of wiping their paints on paper, they wiped it on a textured surface, or a dry palette. This new version of drybrushing results in a softer finish, allowing for an easier way to do OSL, NMM, skin tones, and in some cases, entire models. An artist can achieve airbrush quality results without using an airbrush, which is a fantastic feat. Naturally, brush producers jumped in, and you can find brushes for this technique from all of the producers, and at all price levels.

Notts Hobbies has a drybrush set that provides great value for the cost, but there are some drawbacks that I would improve upon. Let’s dig in.

For $45, you can acquire the “Complete Drybrush Set”, which includes 3 brushes, a dice bag, a dampening sponge, soap, and a dry palette. This is a wild deal, considering that the next comparable set that contains all of these runs around $128.

The 3 brushes run the size gamut from small to large, but if I’m honest, it’s kind of hard to tell. The radius of the small and medium brushes is the same, and the only way to know the difference is the height of the bristles and the amount of bristles. I wish that the brushes had markings on them to let you know what one you had. A big positive is the length of the brushes, which makes them easier to hold for those of us with bigger hands.

The dampening pad is very generous, but it’s made out of a bigger sponge material, which is a double-edged sword. On one hand, there’s a ton of room to use and the sponge is washable, which is great. On the other hand, I had to recharge the pad with water consistently, due to the specifics of the room I paint in (FYI, a tip for painters…get a humidifier and keep it near your station).

The soap is also generous, and could quite be one of the best soaps I’ve used in my hobby journey. It smells wonderful; it cleans and moisturizes the brushes, and it really does a great job of cleaning your brushes.

The “texture palette” is basically a flat piece of wood with a burned image in it. Like most similar products, I tend to find this the weakest part of the modern drybrush movement. I would suggest taking some texture paint and adding it to any “texture palette” you have. This way it does a real good job of removing paint.

So when it came to painting, I had a few issues with the brushes. Because of the sizes, I couldn’t really do the amount of detailed painting I’ve come to expect with other dry brushes. Also, because the bristles are taller and not so tightly packed, there’s a fair bit of cleanup you’ll have to do with these brushes. As you can see on our friend Hydra Bob, while I was able to get a nice basecoat down for the greens, I had to do a lot of cleanup on the boots and other areas.

On my second test model, a base for Marvel Crisis Protocol, this wasn’t an issue, as a base tends to be more flat, and since it’s not the focus for a model, you can get messier with it. Reflecting, perhaps that’s what these brushes are best for, considering my personal painting style.

At the end of the day, I think Notts Hobbies brushes are great for the price, but painters looking for a tighter brush might want to look elsewhere. I do think that their Drybrush Set is a fantastic deal for what you get, and is a great starting point for anyone getting into this aspect of the hobby. Check out their brushes and other products at https://nottshobbies.co.uk/. and get 10% off at checkout!