Why Smoothness Shouldn't be your Goal
Hi everyone,
When I was early in my painting journey, I kept hearing great artists say that smoothness doesn’t really matter.
And for the longest time, that made no sense to me.
If smoothness isn’t important… what is?
I would see these beautifully expressive pieces with visible brushstrokes, rough textures, gritty surfaces and they felt alive.
Whenever I tried something similar, though, it just looked messy. I didn’t understand what separated expressivity from sloppiness.
In my new tutorial, where I paint the grey Space Wolf armor on Arjac Rockfist, with a heavy emphasis on textures - but the result is anything but sloppy.
Before painting, I also look at real reference to understand the material I want to capture - how light behaves on worn metal, how color shifts inside greys, and what kind of story the armor should tell.
And here’s what I want you to take away:
What matters more than smoothness:
Depth of color - subtle temperature shifts (like purple into yellow-greys in this case) that make the surface feel rich
Believable texture - brushstrokes that describe the material consistently across the model.
Value contrast - clarity that makes the lighting read, even when the brushwork is intentionally rough
Not painting smooth doesn’t mean painting without control.
It means focusing on impact over polish, using texture deliberately, and understanding the logic behind the surface you’re trying to paint.
This lesson is all about that balance. I hope you'll want to check it out.
Spacewolf Armor - Ajar Rockfist painting guide episode 1 (YouTube)