brushing

If I'm painting small stuff or details I'll use a brush. IMO it is a pain to fire up the airbrush to paint a few parts, clean it, paint a few more parts with a different color, clean some more..You get the idea!! Now the hull of a boat, the hood of a car, a big plane...Airbrush!!!

I agree with Eric. Now that I airbrush more I find it easier and better looking to prime something requiring a good, smooth coat but have only primed 2 or 3 smaller things by hand.

Jayson, if I'm hand brushing then I tend to not use a primer.  If I break out the ol' air brush then I find  myself priming more an dmore.  I really never used to in the past but I kind of like how it fills in/reveals whatever minute flaws I didn't catch the first time around.

So in a nutshell:

If I'm hand brushing: no

If I'm airbrushing: about 50% of the time.

Eric

Hey Scott...I brush too. Only because I live in an apartment and am kinda poor! I used to use canned spray paints but what a instant hassle and my porch now has an outline of my papers I layed down (good bye damage deposit!). I found a wealth of information in old model books I found at second hand book stores. These were written before the big shift to air brushes and accuracy crazed hobbiers! (enter remarks and rebuttles here.) Good luck soldier!

JJ 

Hello Scott and welcome to the nut hou....um...to the forum!

Not to fret.  I think it's safe to say that we all use pretty much every means necessary when it comes to painting and anything to do with the hobby in general.  I was just about to post a question about airbrushing Floquil paints but your post caught my eye.  I recently completed a 1/72 UH-60B Seahawk for a client and I was hemming and hawing over how I should airbrush it.  But then it just dawned on me "Why can't I just brush paint it??"  So I did and I was just in love with the outcome.  In fact, it was with deep regret that I had to give the model away after I was done. 

Of course I think lots of people here will tell you to think your paint a little bit before brushing it on.  It doesn't need to be much.  I achieved great results by adding perhaps about 15% thinner (give or take) to my paint befoer applying it.  Work with a soft brush and you'll have one sharp looking kit.

So I guess the short answer to your question is yes, I think we all still do brush paint when the opportunity presents itself.  I know I do.  Besides, a brush is so much easier to clean than an airbrush.

Eric