New To Airbrushing

The best advice I can give you is to frequent the Painting and Airbrush forum, below near the end of the FSM forums.  There are some real airbrush experts who hang there, and the forum is very frequently discussing various airbrush issues, as well as helping new airbrush users.

You need to decide if your going to use enamels or acrylics.What are you painting ? That would narrow down what paints you would use.Mixing and thinning ratios depend on what paints you are using.Types of thinners ? Again,we need to know which paint you are useing.

Techniques,put paint in brush and spray,pressure again depends on what you are using.practice,practice,practice is usually necessary.What brush are you using,that makes a diffrence.

More specific questions would help and as Don says,post in painting and airbrush section for more looks.

To add all the above what are you going to paint cars,planes,ships ?

crown r n7

To add all the above what are you going to paint cars,planes,ships ?

 

I think that question is irrelevant. It makes no difference what type of kit he's planning to use the airbrush for. Just saying... :) 

At this point in your wish to learn about airbrushing, I believe the best time you could invest would be a thorough look through "Don's Airbrush" website, easy to find it, just Google it that way. A nice fellow in New Zealand, (I think,) called Snibs also has plenty of information, well worth a look. 

Both sites have increased my comfort level considerably. I had been airbrushing for many decades, checking out their detailed information taught me a great deal more than just my experience had achieved.

I began with enamels, along the way have used lacquers and acrylics, still primarily use enamels. Like the old saying, you gotta try it to know if you like it.

Don't be discouraged by early attempt failures, I was sure I didn't like airbrushing during my early efforts. Thinning ratios, pressures, needle adjustments and such, will be the elements for you to learn and get comfortable with. I went through lot's of paint and thinner, before the light came on and I became familiar enough to gain confidence in my ability to actually use the airbrush.

Best of luck with your future airbrushing.

Patrick 

well said 

The thing that finally got me over my hesitancy was a class I took at Wonderfest, where I got some hands-on experience with a brush. Short of that, the resources others have posted here are a good first step. You won't really be completely comfortable with it until you've done a few test shots, so after reading up a little, it's probably best to just delve right in and try it. In the class, we used ink heavily diluted with water, which we sprayed on watercolor paper. That gives you a good idea of how to make thin and thick lines and how to increase and decrease the airflow. Plus, it's cheaper than practicing with paint. Take your time and enjoy the process - the only way out is through.

I hear ya Weird-Oh. When my grandmother bought me my first airbrush over 20 years ago, I never got a chance to use one. Fast forward 20 + years later to the present - I broke down and bought myself a compressor, watched some youtube videos and a bit of reading on how to use one, how to disassemble it to clean and put it all back together again, how to thin paint, what psi, etc...

It was surpisingly easy to do once you get a good understanding in using one. I never did go the route of trying it with ink dilutted heavily in water. I just took that leap of faith using acrylic and never looked back.  

I'm a first-time user myself. I agree 100% with everything said. I read a lot about it before I started, which helped a lot, but, like with any hand-tool, skill can only be developed through practice. It is quite a bit easier than what I expected, as far as getting the paint to work, but the control is just something that is going to come through muscle-memory from repeated use

One thing I'm already learning, from the very start, is cleaning is crucial. Make sure you do a thorough cleaning, and do it often. If you have any military experience, that's the kind of cleaning I'm talking about. Be religious about it. Airbrushes are an amazing tool

Jetmaker - You have stated two of the more important elements regarding use of an airbrush: Practice and cleaning. 

Once you have the basics of thinning paint and adjustments figured out and a useable spray pattern is being produced, then just practice making adjustments to needle and pressures from the compressor. Soon enough you'll be able to determine not only what gives you something you can actually work with effectively, you'll also see what is not going to work.

I recommend using something glossy and non porous for practice, paper and cardboard are too absorptive, they will not give you a an accurate "read" on how the paint is flowing and laying down. It's important to be able to see what is going on too dry and leaving a gritty finish, and also what is going on too heavy and producing runs.

Cleaning is critical in properly maintaining an airbrush, some folks espouse only a rinse spray through the brush is sufficient, and that does indeed help, but some paint will be left behind then. I use a rinse spray only when changing color, when I'm finished with the painting session I do a complete dis-assembly and thorough cleaning, before I put the airbrush away.

That might be considered overkill, but bear in mind that several of my airbrushes are 30-40 years old, one is close to 50. They all still work as they should, with only minimal parts replacement along the way, such as O-rings and needle seals.

And you are spot on, airbrushes are an amazing tool. Thanks for adding the important information that you did give.

Patrick 

Thanks for sharing!

patrick206

 I use a rinse spray only when changing color, when I'm finished with the painting session I do a complete dis-assembly and thorough cleaning, before I put the airbrush away.

 

Patrick 

 

If I know I am going to be using my airbrush every day for a few days, I just extend the thinner rinse for those days, doing the disassembly and thorough cleaning when I am done with that painting task.  But, I use a suction feed airbrush, and keep a bottle of thinner on the brush when I am done with each session.  I believe that bottle of thinner helps extend the time I can go between cleanings.

Hi, Don -

I probably overstated the disassembly requirement after cleaning, For the most part I use either a Badger 200, or 200G for basic spraying chores. Those brushes are so simple and easy to clean, a quick spray rinse, pull the front bits off, thinner and an interdental brush make the body interior spotlessly clean.

But I agree, a good rinse spray will remove the majority of paint residue, what you are doing will surely prevent dried paint setting up in the AB. Since you will be using the AB again soon, no worries about build up. In my case and being admittedly obsessive about cleanliness, I consider the extra two minutes for disassembly of the 200's to be worth the effort.

For my dual action brushes I'm a bit more inclined to do a full dis-assembly, just to ensure nothing has been allowed to migrate back into rear portion of the body and moving parts. That does add a few more minutes to the cleaning chore, but I'm assured everything is well serviced and adjusted when completed.

I bought a couple of my Badgers on ebay, they both required PLENTY of cleaning to remove dried paint. I suppose that's why I feel inclined to be over cautious about maintenance.

Thanks for the input, I enjoy your many posts.

Patrick