Beginner to AB looking for advice

There are lots of great tips here:

https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/

Souda - Every guy should hope for a wife that gives gifts like an airbrush, (best keep her happy, she's a good 'un.)

What airbrush did you get? Regardless, one of the major considerations will be the handling, cleaning and overall maintenance. I recommend thoroughly reading and understanding the manual, then some practice at taking it apart and re-assembling. That will help you understand the inner bits.

You might try a couple of different paint types, acrylic and enamel, to see which you prefer. I use both types, but for the most part I still use mostly enamel. It's disadvantage is the stronger smell, acrylic is much more friendly for use.

And I absolutely second the recommendation to have a thorough look at 'Don's Airbrush Website,' just so much valuable information. You'll gain a lot of knowledge, by having a good look there.

Good luck with it, and please check back in with your results after you get on with it, we'd all like to know.

Patrick

Practice with food coloring is a good start, but you need to do more practice, with the paints you like to use, before using on a model.  You need to get a feel for applying paints with some variety of thinning ratios.  Also try applying to both bare plastic and primed plastic.  They accept airbrushed paints slightly different.  The bare plastic leads to runs more easily than primer-covered surfaces.  However, slight alteration of technique will allow you to apply to bare plastic.  I usually prime most parts, but occasionally paint bare plastic and it is good to know how to do both.

Also, practice with flat and gloss paint- again they go on slightly differently.

Yup... what Don suggested. When I finally got around to taking the plunge to start using an airbrush for the first time, I watched a few youtube videos on how to use one. Once I got a good understanding, I went ahead and used it on a scarp model kit first. Getting the hang of the thinner to paint ratio is important be it enamels or acrylics. When I got that down to pat, I was ready and confident to use it on a kit.

It's better to be safe than sorry to practice on a scrap kit first.

Another suggestion is use the brand thinner to the brand paint you're using. ie: Testors enamel thinner with Testors enamels, Testors Universal Acrylic thinner with Testors acrylic paints, Tamiya thinner to Tamiya paint, etc...

DO NOT use alcohol for thinner when using Vallejo acrylics.