What am I doing wrong on my airbrush?

Thanks for the tip with the color cup. I will definitely do that on my next painting job. 

JimLo

Thanks everyone. Do you think I should try thinning a little more first and then lower PSI to around 10 if the extra thinning doesn't help? Or leave the thinning at about 1:2 color to thinner And lower PSI first?  Ideally should the paint be "smooth" after one pass of the airbrush on the model? Thanks so much. 

 

Mr color recommends an initial cut of someplace between 1/1 to 1/2 parts paint to thinner depending how thick your color is from the bottle. Then blend from there for your particular airbrush. I go by viscosity, with a stirring stick I wipe some mixed paint up the side of the mixing cup or airbrush cup, that should run back down the cup in 1-2 seconds or so and leave some film on the wall. If you lift a drop of paint up the side wall and it just sits there then it's way too thick. If it sort of lazy/slowly returns down it's too thick. If it runs or cascades down like water and leaving no film it's too thin. Then I do a test spray for pattern etc. There is a fine line between a bit too thick and just right that really only a test spray can determine. I do a whole setup from primer on up on prescription bottles when trying an untested paint or even color to see how it behaves. And I've been painting for 60 years. I don't use a $25-$100 model as my test piece, I'd rather waste ( if you want to call it that) $2 in materials and some time to be sure how this will go on the considerably more expensive model lol.

Thanks everyone. Do you think I should try thinning a little more first and then lower PSI to around 10 if the extra thinning doesn't help? Or leave the thinning at about 1:2 color to thinner And lower PSI first?  Ideally should the paint be "smooth" after one pass of the airbrush on the model? Thanks so much. 

Lower the pressure and get closer to the model when you paint.

Mr leveling Thinner or adding a little retarder would probably get rid of that. Lowering your pressure some more might even do it. I shoot lacquers around 10 psi quite a bit. I'm imaging the look you describe as being caused by something called solvent popping,which is caused by fast drying solvents repidly escaping through the paint surface.. More air can be just enough to kick this off or you could say less air helps not kick it off.

it seems the paint is drying  before it reaches the model.