Reptile belly painting

Hello ashes!

The surface is most likely rough to simulate scales. A sponge that is almost dry with paint in a dabbing motion will blend along with dry brushing to smooth it out.

Practice on something with a bit of texture first. A primed piece of wood will allow you to try the techniques before committing to your Dragon.

Take some pictures, if not to post they do help you improve & remember techniques.

First,,,  hello ashes, welcome to the forums,,  glad to have you with us

Now, as far as your question...  I would say to use your airbrush to blend the belly and the sides of the reptile. You would not want to mask (i.e., hard edge),,  you would want a nice soft edge / blend. This should be right up your airbrushes alley. Even at 4 inches tall, you should still be able to put a nice soft edge on the belly / sides.

The other alternative would be to blend / drybrush,,,,  or a combination of drybrushing and mottling along the sides / belly

Best of luck

Bill