Dry brushing is one of the easiest ways to add highlights, texture, and depth to miniature models. Whether you’re painting fantasy figures, tabletop miniatures, rocks, armor, or terrain, this technique can help bring out small details without requiring advanced brush control.
The best part? You only need a little paint, a suitable brush, and a paper towel to get started.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how dry brushing works, how to do it step by step, and how to avoid the most common beginner mistakes.
What Is Dry Brushing?
Dry brushing is a painting technique that uses a brush with very little paint on its bristles. Instead of applying a solid layer of color, you lightly sweep the brush over raised areas of a miniature.
Because the brush carries so little paint, it mostly catches the raised edges and textures while leaving the deeper areas darker. This creates natural-looking highlights and makes details easier to see.
Dry brushing is especially useful for:
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Armor and clothing: Highlight raised edges, folds, and surface details.
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Rocks and stone: Bring out rough textures and uneven surfaces.
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Hair and fur: Emphasize strands and raised sections.
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Wood and terrain: Reveal grain, rough surfaces, and small details.
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Bases: Add highlights to sand, dirt, gravel, and other textured materials.
It’s a quick way to make a miniature look more detailed without painting every highlight individually.
What Do You Need for Dry Brushing?
You don’t need an extensive collection of supplies. A few basic tools are enough.
1. A dry brush
A dedicated dry brush is a good option, especially one with a rounded or slightly spread-out head that can cover raised textures evenly. You can also use an older brush with suitable bristles, provided it’s still in good condition.
2. Paint in a lighter color
Choose a color that’s lighter than the base color of your miniature. For example, use light gray over dark gray stone, or a lighter brown over a dark wooden surface.
3. A paper towel or palette
You’ll need somewhere to remove excess paint before touching the miniature. A paper towel works well for getting started, while a palette can help you control the amount of paint on your brush.
4. A miniature with a dry base coat
Dry brushing works best when the underlying paint is completely dry. If the base coat is still wet, the colors may mix or become patchy.
How to Dry Brush Miniatures Step by Step
The technique is simple, but the key is using less paint than you think you need.
Step 1: Let the Base Coat Dry
Start with a miniature that has already been painted with its base colors. Make sure the paint is completely dry before moving on.
For example, if you’re painting a stone wall, begin with a darker gray base coat. The darker color will remain in the recessed areas, helping the lighter highlights stand out.
Step 2: Load Your Brush With a Small Amount of Paint
Dip just the tips of your brush into the paint. You don’t need to coat the entire brush head.
If your brush looks wet or has a visible blob of paint, you’ve probably picked up too much.
Step 3: Remove Most of the Paint
Gently wipe the brush back and forth on a paper towel or palette until very little paint comes off.
This is the most important step in dry brushing. The brush should feel almost dry, but it should still leave a faint trace of color when you test it.
Pro Tip: Test your brush on a spare piece of textured material or an inconspicuous area before working on the miniature. If the paint leaves a thick, solid mark, remove a little more.
Step 4: Brush Lightly Over Raised Areas
Use gentle, quick strokes across the raised surfaces of the model. You can move the brush back and forth or use small circular motions, depending on the shape and texture.
Avoid pressing too hard. Let the bristles skim the surface rather than pushing paint into every recess.
As you work, the raised areas will gradually become lighter while the darker base color remains visible in the grooves.
Step 5: Build Up the Highlights Gradually
If you want brighter highlights, repeat the process with another light layer. You can also use a progressively lighter paint color for a more pronounced effect.
For example, start with medium gray over a dark stone base, then use a lighter gray on the most prominent edges.
Working in several light passes usually gives you more control than applying too much paint at once.
5 Common Dry Brushing Mistakes to Avoid
Dry brushing is beginner-friendly, but a few small mistakes can make the result look messy.
1. Using Too Much Paint
Too much paint can cover recessed details and create thick, chalky patches instead of subtle highlights.
How to fix it: Remove most of the paint before you start. Test the brush first and add color gradually.
2. Pressing Too Hard
Heavy pressure can push paint into areas you intended to keep dark, making the highlights look uneven.
How to fix it: Use light strokes and let the bristle tips do the work.
3. Choosing a Color That Is Too Bright
Jumping straight from a dark base color to pure white can make the highlights look harsh, especially on large surfaces.
How to fix it: Start with a color that is only a few shades lighter than the base coat. Save the brightest highlights for small areas where you want extra contrast.
4. Dry Brushing Before the Base Coat Is Dry
Working over wet paint can cause colors to blend in ways you didn’t intend.
How to fix it: Give the base coat enough time to dry before applying your highlights.
5. Using the Same Amount of Pressure Everywhere
A heavy, even application across the entire miniature can make the model look dusty or overly pale.
How to fix it: Use lighter strokes on delicate details and concentrate more of your work on the areas you want to highlight.
Tips for Better Dry Brushing Results
Once you’re comfortable with the basic technique, a few adjustments can help you achieve a cleaner finish.
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Work from dark to light. Begin with a darker base color and gradually add lighter highlights.
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Use less paint than you think you need. It’s easier to build up color than to remove an overly heavy highlight.
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Follow the surface texture. Brush across raised details so the bristles catch their edges naturally.
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Use a suitable brush size. A larger brush can cover broad terrain quickly, while a smaller brush gives you more control around individual details.
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Clean your brush regularly. Paint buildup can make the bristles clump together and reduce control. Follow the care instructions for your brush, and avoid leaving paint to dry in the bristles.
If you’re still choosing tools for your project, see our guide to [How to Choose the Right Brushes for Miniature Painting] for more information about brush shapes and their uses.
Is Dry Brushing Right for Every Miniature?
Dry brushing is excellent for textured surfaces and raised details, but it isn’t the best choice for every part of a model.
It works particularly well on stone, fur, rough clothing, terrain, and armor with clearly defined edges. However, it can look too rough on smooth surfaces, such as polished helmets, bare skin, or glossy armor.
For those areas, carefully placed highlights or thin layers of paint may produce a smoother finish.
You can also combine techniques. Use dry brushing to bring out the texture of a rocky base, then add a few individual highlights with a regular detail brush.
Final Thoughts
Dry brushing is a simple technique that can make a noticeable difference in miniature painting. With a suitable brush, a lighter paint color, and a little patience, you can bring out raised details and add depth without painting every highlight by hand.
Remember the three basics: use very little paint, brush lightly, and build up the highlights gradually. Practice on a spare model or textured surface first, and you’ll soon get a feel for how much paint and pressure work best.
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