Airbrushing Basics (A Thread for Beginners and Returners)
- Thread starter CB2001
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Ronan87
Sr Member
Re: Airbrushing Basics?
I'm currently using a $300 Iwata with a generic compressor attached to an air tank. I replaced the valves, filters, tubing, etc with better quality parts.
First, don't cheap out on your airbrush. Get a good one, double action (push down on trigger = air, pull back = paint, FULL control), cup with cap (or you will spill at first and waste paint... lets not talk about the mess) and available replacement parts (needles get bent easily, nozzle opening can also be damaged easily). I recommend Iwata since it's the only brand that worked and kept working with very little issues (keep it clean!). You can go cheaper of course, but don't get those Chinese/generic brand airbrushes, you'll spend more time fiddling with them than doing any airbrushing, and when a part break you are SOL.
Badger, Mr Hobby and Paasche are good cheap airbrush brands.
Compressor with a tank or you won't get a constant air feed. Don't bother with the 'stealth' compressors, they just make a LITTLE bit less noise, and cost 2x more.
Stick to one type of paint, learn how that paint reacts with its thinner. Every paint is different (brand, type, color) and weather can affect it. Practice makes perfect, aim for a milky constituency.
Work in multiple layers, don't try to cover a part with one coat, and keep the airbrush moving! NEVER let the airbrush stand still when operating or you will have a run/drip.
Practice, practice, and practice.
Always clean your airbrush after EVERY usage. You don't need a sonic cleaner, but you'll need lint free rags/paper towels. Use the same thinner as the paint you just used to clean your airbrush. For acrylics you can cheap out and use Windex (blue one).
After a couple good usage, let the parts soak overnight in a cleaning bath. Careful with the orings, i personally clean them but don't let them soak in anything too long.
It takes time and practice, but the results are second to none
I'm currently using a $300 Iwata with a generic compressor attached to an air tank. I replaced the valves, filters, tubing, etc with better quality parts.
First, don't cheap out on your airbrush. Get a good one, double action (push down on trigger = air, pull back = paint, FULL control), cup with cap (or you will spill at first and waste paint... lets not talk about the mess) and available replacement parts (needles get bent easily, nozzle opening can also be damaged easily). I recommend Iwata since it's the only brand that worked and kept working with very little issues (keep it clean!). You can go cheaper of course, but don't get those Chinese/generic brand airbrushes, you'll spend more time fiddling with them than doing any airbrushing, and when a part break you are SOL.
Badger, Mr Hobby and Paasche are good cheap airbrush brands.
Compressor with a tank or you won't get a constant air feed. Don't bother with the 'stealth' compressors, they just make a LITTLE bit less noise, and cost 2x more.
Stick to one type of paint, learn how that paint reacts with its thinner. Every paint is different (brand, type, color) and weather can affect it. Practice makes perfect, aim for a milky constituency.
Work in multiple layers, don't try to cover a part with one coat, and keep the airbrush moving! NEVER let the airbrush stand still when operating or you will have a run/drip.
Practice, practice, and practice.
Always clean your airbrush after EVERY usage. You don't need a sonic cleaner, but you'll need lint free rags/paper towels. Use the same thinner as the paint you just used to clean your airbrush. For acrylics you can cheap out and use Windex (blue one).
After a couple good usage, let the parts soak overnight in a cleaning bath. Careful with the orings, i personally clean them but don't let them soak in anything too long.
It takes time and practice, but the results are second to none
robn1
Master Member
Re: Airbrushing Basics?
I've never had trouble with gloss, acetone is a recommended thinner for some enamel brands. Mineral spirits is also good, but it's a little heavy and oily. I prefer acetone for spraying. It can eat plastic, but most of it will evaporate in the spray before it hits the model. Test to be sure. Even Testors' enamel thinner can eat plastic applied full strength.
Re: Airbrushing Basics?
I would actually advise the opposite. When someone is first starting out with airbrush I would recomend a cheap throw away brush (under $40) so that they can play with it a little and get a feel for it and if they do something wrong they arn't out a lot of money.
The expensive airbrushes are good when you want to get to the point of drawing very fine lines, but for anything less than 1/8th of an inch then you may as well use a regular brush on a stick.
Double action is more precise, but if you set your pain/airflow with your compressor and playing with sheets of paper/cardboard, then it's all set and you just push on/off and don't need to be thinking about paint/air flow while trying to make your motions.
Acrylic is the way to go for the most part IMO since clean up is as simple as soap and water or windex. That said, you will need to prime most plastics with enamel to make them work. I tell everyone that you can use model primers for very thin primers, but when you are first starting out just use rattle cans from a hardware store. They are cheap and good for starting/practice models.
Lance (my manager) is the source for most of my info. Here is a link to his site Airbrush Art by Lance Russwurm
I would actually advise the opposite. When someone is first starting out with airbrush I would recomend a cheap throw away brush (under $40) so that they can play with it a little and get a feel for it and if they do something wrong they arn't out a lot of money.
The expensive airbrushes are good when you want to get to the point of drawing very fine lines, but for anything less than 1/8th of an inch then you may as well use a regular brush on a stick.
Double action is more precise, but if you set your pain/airflow with your compressor and playing with sheets of paper/cardboard, then it's all set and you just push on/off and don't need to be thinking about paint/air flow while trying to make your motions.
You can cheat not having a tank by using extra long lines. The air in longer lines absorbs the pulses. The volume is personal preference (or roommate/spouse), but you can cheat by putting under a desk or cutting a half box around it so the sound is dampened, just be careful of heat and to not restrict the air going into the machine.
:thumbsup This times 10. Even use cardboard or scrap plastic. I'd recommend finding a model or something that you aren't concerned with and painting it a few different ways different times.
Acrylic is the way to go for the most part IMO since clean up is as simple as soap and water or windex. That said, you will need to prime most plastics with enamel to make them work. I tell everyone that you can use model primers for very thin primers, but when you are first starting out just use rattle cans from a hardware store. They are cheap and good for starting/practice models.
Lance (my manager) is the source for most of my info. Here is a link to his site
Airbrush Art by Lance Russwurm
mvmagic
Well-Known Member
Re: Airbrushing Basics?
There really is one thing that cannot be repeated enough: practice, practice, practice as many have pointed out!
The two most common mistakes I've seen are not thinning the paint enough and not being patient, in other words painting too thick layers. Usually just one heavy layer.
And you really can't be too anal about cleaning the brush. Do it after every use like Ronan87 points out. You can get sonic cleaners cheap, but its up to you whether you wanna use one or not. I've read somewhere windex corrodes something, but cant remember whether it was the chrome or the o-rings... I use Iwata's own airbrush cleaner myself.
This is merely a tip... I've airbrushed with every paint I can find and as a result of that, I stick to Auto-Air Colors and Wicked Colors even when doing models. Wicked Colors have great spraying qualities, though they separate if mixed so I use them "as is". For custom colors I use Auto-Air sealer white which I tint with their transparent colors. It is a bit more work, but results are really great. For brush work (weathering etc) I still use normal Tamiya or Vallejo acrylics.
There really is one thing that cannot be repeated enough: practice, practice, practice as many have pointed out!
The two most common mistakes I've seen are not thinning the paint enough and not being patient, in other words painting too thick layers. Usually just one heavy layer.
And you really can't be too anal about cleaning the brush. Do it after every use like Ronan87 points out. You can get sonic cleaners cheap, but its up to you whether you wanna use one or not. I've read somewhere windex corrodes something, but cant remember whether it was the chrome or the o-rings... I use Iwata's own airbrush cleaner myself.
This is merely a tip... I've airbrushed with every paint I can find and as a result of that, I stick to Auto-Air Colors and Wicked Colors even when doing models. Wicked Colors have great spraying qualities, though they separate if mixed so I use them "as is". For custom colors I use Auto-Air sealer white which I tint with their transparent colors. It is a bit more work, but results are really great. For brush work (weathering etc) I still use normal Tamiya or Vallejo acrylics.
trooper
Sr Member
Re: Airbrushing Basics?
i spoke the other day to a guy who owns a hobby shop, he uses some very nice guns, for acrylics that's all he uses is windex fro clean up, but NOT with ammonia as it will eat the protective chrome.
the acetone worked great! as did another recommendation from elsewhere...xylene. i found a combination of the two slows things down a bit and shoots very nice. i've got a new paasche coming, i cant wait to try out. up to this point all i've ever used is a single action badger....time to step up.
thanks for the advice
i spoke the other day to a guy who owns a hobby shop, he uses some very nice guns, for acrylics that's all he uses is windex fro clean up, but NOT with ammonia as it will eat the protective chrome.
the acetone worked great! as did another recommendation from elsewhere...xylene. i found a combination of the two slows things down a bit and shoots very nice. i've got a new paasche coming, i cant wait to try out. up to this point all i've ever used is a single action badger....time to step up.
thanks for the advice
CB2001
Master Member
I'm making this post because I've gotten back to wanting to try out air brushing yet again. I have to give thanks to my Mom. It's because she's interested in taking up painting that got me thinking about getting into air brushing once more. So, I broke out my Testors single-action air brush gun and air compressor, and actually figured out why I didn't succeed the first time around when I had the air brush gun and the aerosal can (basically, it was primarily my mixing of paint and thinner, which didn't work).
Anyways, I figured I'd start with resurrecting this thread with something interesting: a tutorial on using craft acrylic paint thinned down for airbrush and how it compares with Testors air brush acrylic. Let me know what you guys think about this concept (seriously, I would think that using windshield wiper fluid in acrylic paint would taint the paint color). It's in three parts:
Anyways, I figured I'd start with resurrecting this thread with something interesting: a tutorial on using craft acrylic paint thinned down for airbrush and how it compares with Testors air brush acrylic. Let me know what you guys think about this concept (seriously, I would think that using windshield wiper fluid in acrylic paint would taint the paint color). It's in three parts:
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CB2001
Master Member
You're welcome. I myself haven't tried this yet (though I do have the paint, same brand and all, and the windshield wiper fluid), but it seems to be something that might work.
Vacformedhero
Sr Member
Here are some more links that I found useful,
http://youtu.be/U5BAqPQCpGg
http://youtu.be/Hr4mFzEftXU
http://youtu.be/p2QPqwDV2ys
Paul has a lot of helpful modelling tips
http://youtu.be/U5BAqPQCpGg
http://youtu.be/Hr4mFzEftXU
http://youtu.be/p2QPqwDV2ys
Paul has a lot of helpful modelling tips
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