Quick Tip: Realistic Weeds from Cheap Paintbrushes

In this Model Making Quick Tip, I share my personal spin on one of the oldest tricks in the modeling book, making weeds from old paintbrushes. It's all about variety!
Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave
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[@dougkinney3207]

Love your tips, thanks for showing

[@loispadgett6306]

Hi Dave thank you for such a great tip. Time for me to go shopping for cheep brushes. GOD BLESS 🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖

[@Johnny-tt8zc]

Awesome tip. I have a diorama with a car carrier on it that these will look nice on.

[@andrewway3404]

Great tip!

[@roncalverley]

Great Tip. Thanks!

[@stevemellin5806]

Wow what a great idea .. thank you . Have a great weekend

[@andrewpalm2103]

Thanks for this very helpful tip. I could use a few more tall weeds on my HO layout so I'll give it a try if I can find a cheap brush with finer hairs. Cheers from Wisconsin!

[@jamesapowell3506]

My absolute favorite spray paint. My go-to color is Euskadi Green. It’s perfect for mosses!

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Love those 94 Montana Colors

[@andreasatlars4281]

I had a bit of a moment watching this. I've tried this in the past, but the bristles just collapsed. It never occurred to me that I should wait a little. Thanks for this great tip.

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

If it's any consolation, it took me awhile to figure it out too!

[@royreynolds108]

Neat.

[@craiglowrey9550]

I really like seeing creative people, such as yourself, using "stuff" to imitate nature. I've used your technique for dead grass, weeds, for many years. It's natural cuz...it's NATURAL 🤭 Thanks for your tips.

[@michaelsullivan3581]

So nice and easy! And they look real too! Real nice!

[@transitrail0930]

Excellent as ever. Strange Adam savage tested had a similar video on their channel the other day, but they glued the whole brush to a base before cutting off the handle. Your technique seems more logical.

[@davevan8864]

Kinda what I do....but I was trying to do it ON the layout.....your way looks easier. Thanks

[@lynnmccurdythehdmmrc2561]

Have to say, one of the best. I'm preparing to build a desert scene module, and this will fit right in. Thanks.

[@tomeasley5979]

Dave, what a cool idea! They turn out awesome. I surely do appreciate these tips. You have a very creative mind but more than that you have a willingness to share your ideas with us.Very inspiring.

[@caseyvillemodelrailroad3877]

Great looking weeds there... lije tbhe glue tips...

[@TheOnlyBongo]

If you have good carving, whittling, or dremel skills, there could be some use for the cheap wooden handle for something. Planks would be unruly but they'd look great if they were carved into wooden statues like the type you see being carved with chainsaws at craft fairs. The metal sheath holding the bristles in could definitively be cut up, bent, and spray painted for trash and scrap metal around the layout.

[@lesterolson5526]

The handle of that paint brush can be turned into a fishing lure. For your friends who are into that.

[@danielbanks7500]

Love this! I use those cheap brushes as well! I have used refill ink for alcohol markers because I really like the wicking the hair does to the ink. Gives a nice effect wile being able to see the original color still. I will have to try that in combination with the spray paint! I think that will give some awesome results!

[@dkaustin98]

Nice job on the weeds. How many paint brushes have you been through so far? By the way, some guys are using the cheap handles as modern bridge piers under their highways. The wide part of the handle with the curve looks just like some of the modern concrete piers. If you have a friend who is modeling a modern era he might want to have the wood handles. They have been cutting of the tip of the handle square to plant on the plywood, painting a concrete color and weathering the handle to represent poured concrete piers.

[@caseyvillemodelrailroad3877]

Like The ...

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Great tip!