Pg.1 So You want to be a Portrait Airbrush Artist...!

Airbrushing is a very different way to paint. Its exciting, fun, great way to show off, and a great deal of work When your just starting. Still interested. O.k. First things first. Do you know what an Airbrush is? Do you have any art ability?. Can You draw, and do you know what a light source is?... These are good questions to ask yourself before you invest in this kind of Hobby, or profession. It can be very expensive your first time out.

I'm a Portrait Airbrush Artist. Many people don't know what an Airbrush is. You've probably seen one and didn't notice. If you've ever been to a County Fair, Flea Market, or Car Show, There's always someone painting T-Shirts with it. It can also be used for Painting Ladys fingernails, in bakerys to decorate cakes, and now I understnd it's being used in Tanning salons.They actually spray your body with a hypoallergenic coloring base so you can get a tan look without spending hours under an ultaviolet light. That's an Airbrush. I don't want to write all about it's history because its been around for some time.The First Airbrush was invented in 1879 by Abner Peeler of Webster City,Iowa. It was called a "Paint Distributor".

So I will instead refer you to The Airbrush Museum by Bob Merlin. Its a great sight and very informative. Please check it out. I have to explain that my technique is not the norm. There are several Airbrush methods here I developed over the years that I feel comfortable with. These methods were developed by necessity..No Money!.. So when I use Newspaper for masking, there are other Materials that can be purchased which are better,and where some very "Cool" paints are used like Liquitex Acrylics, I have been using Flat Latex Paints left over from the paint I used on my bedroom or to paint my House. Every Airbrush artist has their own methods.I hope to direct you with the standard methods as well as My own.Are You ready to enter the Airbrush Universe?.Lets go...

Finding an Airbrush

There are several types and brands of Airbrushes to choose from. This is where the Internet comes in handy. Do a Google search on just the word "Airbrush". You will see a list of Brands that are being sold. Make sure to read any reviews on the model your interested in. When I started 29 years ago, we didn't have an Internet and trying to find different brands or trying them out, was very difficult. The only way to try one out was to buy one. If you didn't like it, you could only hope getting your money back was an option. So, get on the net and Google some brand names, like Paasche, Iwata or Badger.

This is an AirBrush. Its a Paasche VL model and cost about $138.00...
In 2004 , the Paasche Co. celebrated its 100th Anniversary.

This is an Iwata HP-CS Model. It runs about $185.00...


This is a Badger Crescendo Model 175b, that's an inexpensive $105.00...


These are all Great Airbrushes, but as you can see there are differences. For one, the cost. Some are cheaper than others and the styles can be different. I prefer the Paasche VL. Its sturdy, good weight, and very versatile. The VL is interchangeable. It can be a size 1, 3, or 5. In other words,it goes from a size 5 needle, which is used mostly for spraying larger areas, to a size 1 needle for a fine art Airbrush that You can sign a check with. There are removable parts to an air brush that makes this possible. We'll get into that later.

The Iwata is a very good Airbrush. It has Its own style, very sleek and totally chrome. Has a good detailing needle and tip, but I found it to Thin and to heavy for it's shape. It weighs about the same as a Paasche VL, but harder for me to hold. You may think otherwise.

The Badger is more of a Beginner type. I don't want to sound like I'm putting Badger down, because I'm not. They make a Fine product, but Badger to me was always the third choice Airbrush. Its Great for Starters though. You can find one for about 2/3 the price of a Paasche. again its up to you to decide which is best suited for you. Many Artist prefer Badger over the other two.

Compressors
Have you ever had a Flashlight you needed, but the batteries were dead?..Useless, Right? How about A car without the Keys. Pretty useless. Just a hunk of metal sitting in the yard.. Well the Airbrush is like a car, and the Compressor is the Key. An airbrush is useless if you don't have air to blow through it, and I'm not talking about those Aerosol cans that Hobby stores try to sell you for an airbrush. NEVER, NEVER buy those. If you want to paint with an Aerosol can, buy a spray can of paint. Don't waste the money. Compressors are your Airbrushes Life. It can help you paint your girlfriends fingernails, or paint that old Ford Pinto you got stashed in the Garage. Its all in the Regulator. That's why an Aerosol can is a bad choice. It comes out one way, Hard and Blasting and that's it. There are many types of compressor, just like the Airbrush, with one exception. Money is Paramount here. You can find a good beginners compressor for about $99.00 like the Paasche 500

Its small, easy to carry, and move around, but there is one thing missing. No Tank. These kind of compressors have no reservoir for holding air. They run constantly. This can be annoying, noisy, and wears the compressor out faster if you use it for long periods of time.

Scrolling down a Blog can be like descending down Mt Everest. Lets move on to Pg.2 Compressors cont'd... for more about compressors...

I would like to take a moment to Thank Ms.Nancy Doyle for her Valuable contribution of Art Information and Instruction to my Blog.Failte a chur roimh dhuine.
( Ireland: a leasanna a chosaint agus fo'namh)

Here are some of my Airbrush paintings. I hope you enjoy them...captphrank

These are My Graphic Murals.Some were Airbrushed, and others were Painted with conventional Latex house paints and 1/4 inch masking tape was used to create their Linear effect.These were Painted in Electronics assembly rooms and Some were painted in Hospitals.I hope you enjoy these as well.

Pg.2 Compressors cont'd...

It's really a good Idea to purchase a compressor with a tank. There are different sizes. Some have a 1 gallon tank, might as well not have one, and as much as 80 gals. The Horse Power is somewhat important, But not mandatory. A 1HP compressor can build up as much pressure as a 5 HP one. So don't let that be a deterrent to your purchase. If your rich and can afford it, I suggest you get a Silent Pancake compressor. They are Ideal, and at $1800.00 or more they better be.. I wouldn't advise buying a compressor through Mail order. They weigh a ton and shipping will ultimately break you. You don't have to buy an airbrush compressor from an Airbrush store or Art store. If you do, your going to pay the price. I bought 3 compressors in 29 years from Sears. They aren't listed as "Airbrush" compressors but as Gardening, Home Construction equipment or Tools. They're used for spraying insecticides, building decks with a Nail driver, or filling your car tires when they're low. They also come with some nifty attachments. But Air is Air. Your Airbrush doesn't know your using the latest Gardening tool to paint that cool mural or portrait. Take a look at these two compressors I have purchased. Old and New...


The OLD ONE:


I 've had this Old Coleman for about 10 years. I paid $300 for it from Sears. It came with a 10ft. industrial rubber hose, regulator, a tire air attachment, a Lug nut power wrench, and a Spray gun big enough that could paint a bike, car, or motorcycle. It was a 4HP motor, and an 11 Gal. tank. Not bad for three bills. Needless to say it paid for itself over and over.If you'll notice the Regulator. It has two meters on it. One measures how much air pressure is in the tank, and the one on the left lets you regulate how much pressure is released through your Airbrush. When you buy a Compressor, make sure it comes with a Regulator. Sometimes they don't.

New One:



This is my New One I purchased , also at Sears for $175.00. Its a 1HP motor with a 5Gal. tank. It has a Double Hose hook up, for us serious Airbrush Artist, we can attach Two Airbrushes, for more productive use, and something I really Fancy in my Old age. It comes with its own Dollie for easy transporting.. It came with accessories also, but not as good as the Old one.

Most normal airbrushing is done around 20-25PSI. That's Pounds Per Square Inch. At this rate of consumption by your airbrush, a 1 ga. tank will empty in about 10 mins.. when it reaches a Factory set rate, the Motor kicks in and the tank begins to fill again. That's why its important to have a 5 gal, or more Tank. My 11 gal. Tank would last about 25 mins. before starting up again. I can't tell you how many times that motor starting up would make me jump. I just never got used to it surprising me. The main Idea is to keep the motor at rest as long as possible. Always make sure to keep it oiled, and drained after each use. Under the tank is a Plug or valve that you need to open after you have shut it off and allowed to cool. Condensation forms in the tank and the excess water will rust the inside of the Tank eventually causing ruptures or pinholes. These kind of leaks can make your Motor run harder and longer because it can't reach its set pressure.

So far we've covered the Airbrush and compressors, Brands, models,and prices. Are you ready to paint?...No, your not...The airbrush needs maintenance, and an understanding of it's parts. Because it is a delicate apparatus,and spraying paint out of it, chances are it will get clogged up and dirty at some point. If its clogged and paint won't come out of it, What will you do?. Like a good soldier who keeps his rifle clean and is able to take it apart and put it back together blindfolded, you will be able to do the same. I really CAN take my airbrush apart with my eyes closed. I've done it so many times. I know my "Rifle" will not fail me in battle, because I maintain it's cleanliness. That's what this next page is about. "Examining Your Airbrush Parts".Next page Please.

Here are some of my Airbrush paintings. I hope you enjoy them...captphrank



These are My Graphic Murals.Some were Airbrushed, and others were Painted with conventional Latex house paints and 1/4 inch masking tape was used to create their Linear effect.These were Painted in Electronics assembly rooms and Some were painted in Hospitals.I hope you enjoy these as well.

Pg.3 ExaminingYour Airbrush Parts

Looks intimidating, doesn't it!.. No, you don't have to be a Mechanical Engineer to understand what your looking at. Lets try an Other Example...



A little easier to look at.These are the internal parts to your Airbrush. We saw how airbrushes can differ in price and model. Your Airbrush will also be different inside depending on the brand you choose,but for the most part all airbrushes are similar.



Watch this video and I will try to explain what the parts names are. Its really not important to know the name of each part, as long as you know where it belongs. It might be important if your ordering a part over the phone or Internet, but if you go to a supply store, just take the part with you and make sure you give the correct Model name and number.



STEP 1: Turn OFF compressor.Empty Air. Screw off air hose off the Airbrush
STEP 2: Remove Paint Cup
STEP 3: Remove (11) Red handle by turning counter clockwise
STEP 4: Remove (1) crown needle cap by twisting counter clockwise. and (2) nozzle cap respectively, by using small wrench provided or Pliers if no wrench is available.
STEP 5: Pull and remove (3) Tip (cone shaped nozzle).
STEP 6: Loosen (10) needle chuck nut.
STEP 7: Remove (8) needle spring and (7) needle chucking guide respectively.
STEP 8: Unscrew (9) spring guide.
STEP 9: Pull needle out.(4) Be careful not to damage the point
STEP 10: Remove (6) main lever by pulling Up.
Of coarse putting the Airbrush back together is just a matter of doing the steps backwards. That is, start with STEP 10, 9,8,7,...etc... But before you put it back together, Lets move on to Pg.4 and clean the parts first. Next page Please.

Here are some of my Airbrush paintings. I hope you enjoy them...captphrank



These are My Graphic Murals.Some were Airbrushed, and others were Painted with conventional Latex house paints and 1/4 inch masking tape was used to create their Linear effect.These were Painted in Electronics assembly rooms and Some were painted in Hospitals.I hope you enjoy these as well.

Pg.4 Cleaning Your Airbrush

As long as we have the Airbrush apart, lets begin cleaning it. I like to use rubbing alcohol. Most tutorials on airbrushing, will use a special "Airbrush Cleaning Fluid". I really don't believe there is a special fluid made just for airbrushes. This is just a selling of more products gimmick. I have been using Rubbing Alcohol for 28 years and NEVER had any problems with it's properties interacting with the airbrush. I like it because the Alcohol breaks down the hard dried paint very fast. and it will not rust parts. You can use plain water if no Alcohol is available. Just make sure you thoroughly dry the Airbrush and "Shake" out any excess water. Then Blow it out with 30-35 pounds of air.Another selling gimmick is an Airbrush Lubricant".. Some instructors would have you put a lubricant on the needle for smoother gliding in and out of the Airbrush. I think this is a false procedure. As soon as you begin to spray paint out of the Airbrush, your store bought lubricant is going to be flushed out the Airbrush. Lubricating the external parts or anything that is screwed on might be O.K. I also like to use some Plumbers Tape for the "Head Nut"..sometimes air can leak out here and cause your compressor to work harder as explained in the "compressor" section.

Here are some of my Airbrush paintings. I hope you enjoy them...captphrank



These are My Graphic Murals.Some were Airbrushed, and others were Painted with conventional Latex house paints and 1/4 inch masking tape was used to create their Linear effect.These were Painted in Electronics assembly rooms and Some were painted in Hospitals.I hope you enjoy these as well.

pg.5 Filtering Your Paints

Another way to keep your Airbrush clean and in good working order, is to keep your paint clean. If your not buying ready made paint from an Art supply store, and your mixing the paint yourself, as I do, there's always a chance that your paint isn't totally blended. There will be some lumps or specs that didn't get mixed. These specs and lumps will clog your Airbrush. Now that you know how to take your Airbrush apart and how easy it can be, you really don't want to take it apart every 5 minutes because it's clogged. This can really take away from the enjoyment of painting. Store bought paints are Great. they come already mixed, smooth, and come in a Squeezable plastic bottle. Very cool and easy. However, if money is a problem, mixing The paint yourself will be the alternative. So, filtering your paint is a must. You can buy Paint filters from your local Kelly Moore Paints, or Home Depot, but this to can cost more money. I have found a pretty good way to filter my colors. If you have a Wife, Girlfriend, Sister, or mother, they always have an old pair of "Panty Hose" laying around. This works really well. If your one of the many Female Airbrush Artist, your ahead of the Game. I also have three cats. There is always empty cat food cans at my disposal. I clean the empty cans, mix my paint in them and then I take an old pair of Panty Hose, cut a piece from the "LEG" part, and stretch this over the can, then secure it with a piece of masking tape. This video will self explain for you. Watch and learn...This is my Home Grown Method.

Here are some of my Airbrush paintings. I hope you enjoy them...captphrank



These are My Graphic Murals.Some were Airbrushed, and others were Painted with conventional Latex house paints and 1/4 inch masking tape was used to create their Linear effect.These were Painted in Electronics assembly rooms and Some were painted in Hospitals.I hope you enjoy these as well.

Pg.6 The Nun and the Donkey

I have a friend named Kathie Spanbauer(Her link is listed below). She has a Sister who is a Nun and runs a Ranch with animals. Kathie has a picture of her holding a Donkey. It became very popular with other artist on Zazzle.com. The first time I saw it, I knew I had to paint it. Once more I would like to Thank Kathie and her sister, Sister Stephen, for the Privilege of painting this wonderful Photo, and to my Dear friend , Artist, Amy Jordan, for giving me the incentive to finish it and continue painting..Thanks Folks, I'm Here....Here are some Pictures and videos of my painting Kathies Sister and her Donkey...Captphrank

SKETCHING: Sketching for your painting should be very basic. I generally put in the Darks and Lights of the picture only. If you try to completly draw the picture it starts to get to complicated and hard to follow. Besides if your going to do a full detailed drawing Whats the point of painting it... MASKING:Masking is an important part of Airbrushing. Its a method of keeping your colors seperate and the canvas clean, although Airbrushing is an excellent tool for Blending colours. However when painting a Snow White background you don't want someones skin colour Bleeding into the hillside. So masking is important. I use 1/4 inch masking tape,an Exacto knife for cutting the tape and Lifting the tape when needed,and Newspaper to cover larger areas, usually the background is coverd first. GETTING STARTED (Painting):Not everyone, but most Artist who paint, like to start with an Undercoat. an Undercoat helps keep your colours uniform and also helps to cover some of the pencil used to make the sketch outline. I personally like for some of the pencil to show. My choice of Undercoat colour is Burnt Sienna. I use this colour to fill in all the lights and darks of the picture. This is nothing more than "Sketching" with the paint. Its also good for any mistakes you might make. It can easily be erased with the orginal white used to primer your canvas before anything was started. Again I apologize for the poor Quality of the video but The Idea of how the Airbrush was used is clear. FINISHED UNDERCOAT: This is what you will end up with after filling in all the Lights and Darks with the Undercoating colour. The Highlights, black for shadows, and White for Lighted areas and True colours will be next.Pure Black and pure White are not often used for Highlites, certain formulas for mixing these media can be complex, although they can be most effective. LAYERING:ADDING SUBSTANCE TO THE UNDERCOAT Now that the Undercoat, or first layer, of paint has been layed, the next layers will bring out the picture and lay the foundation for the highlites (whites), and Blacks (shading). Airbrushes spray a very thin layer of paint, and each pass makes it darker. So where there is shadows, you might make three or four passes with the paint, and where there is light, one pass will be sufficent. You may notice, in the video, I keep looking up at the photo. I'm Observing the Lights and darks of the photo in relation to the painting. If you try to paint an eye like an eye, your going to have a hard time. Its easier to paint the "Shapes" of the lights and darks that make the eye. This is a Technique that takes time to develope, but very effective. After Layering: Highlites: I'm using Pure White here for the Highlites. Its actually the same White I used for the Priming of the Canvas board. This way if there are any mistakes, they can easily be erased with out conflict of colour. Many Artist would never think of using pure white for Highlites. This is MY style. My Airbrush Instructor, Chris Cross, (yes, that was his real name..Very Famous Artist), insisted on using Titanium White with a dash of Cadmium Yellow. This choice is yours alone. Experiment. Highlites are usually the high points of ones face, such as the Nose, Cheeks, Forehead, Chin, and Ears. Its where the Light gathers most of the time. I like to Exagerate these areas. Because of the Overspray of the Airbrush, Very white parts of the Face can become "Dusted" or dirty. Such as the white of the eyes or teeth. You can Re-paint these sections using the Airbrush or you can use a conventional brush as I have done here. Use of ALL tools to the trade are recomended. What ever it takes to achieve your Goal. Shading: The Use of Black for shading, again is Not the norm. Its my choice, My style. As I mentioned before there are very complex formulas for developing a colour for shadows. colour saturation is one. For instance, if your shadow is on a blue wall, then incorporate your Blue into your Black to make the shadow colour. I just happen to like Black shadows no matter what colour they are laying on. Now that the Shadows have been designated through the Layering method. Its used as a kind of "MAP". All Dark areas will be shadows. All light areas will be barely touched and anything in between will be Blended. Blending with the Airbrush is done by the distance the Airbrush is from the Painting. If your up close, your spray will be a fine line, like an Eyelash. As you pull back from the painting, the spray becomes Wider and Fainter. BACKGROUND: The background , for me, is always the last step. Some artist start with the Background and work forward. Just a matter of choice when AirBrushing. I have skipped some steps in this demonstration, such as the colour, painting the clothes of the Nun, and the Donkey. Its my thought that this Demonstartion is lenghty as it is, but more importantly, the colour was added during the layering step. I used Reds, Oranges, and Yellows. How I layed these colours down is the same as the Burnt Sienna used in the Udercoating, and Layering. As for the clothes, just let me say, If you can paint a persons Face with an Airbrush, painting clothes is easy and needs no explination.Same said for the Donkey. It's all the same method. Because the background in this picture is totally black, I decided to do it by hand instead of Masking and spraying the entire area. After the background was painted, it was Finished...TA DAAA!. Here are some other AirBrushed paintings I have done. I hope you enjoyed this Demonstration and I hope you visit some of my friends Linked below... Thanks. Captphrank

Pg.7 Sketching with Your Airbrush

This post is only about Airbrushing, not copying other peoples work or selling of DC comic characters.In fact NO AIRBRUSH PAINTING on this site is for Sale. If you wish to Purchase DC Comics material, Please visit DC Comics for some REALLY COOL Merchandise.

As I explained on the page 3, undercoating is very important. Depending on your Canvas size, the entire area must be coated with a Primer using a normal Latex paint brush. (about 2 1/2 inches). This will enable your colours to blend better and to have a brilliance depending on the coulour and how many layers are sprayed.It also helps when a spraying mistake occurs. Spraying over the mistake with the white primer acts as an eraser. I generaly use a Flat White Latex house paint. Its about $8.00 a gallon and can be thinned with water for easier flow through your airbrush. It would be much more exspensive if you used a tube of acrylic white from your local Art supply store and a longer spraying time to cover a large area with the airbrush. I use Burnt Sienna my "Drawing" colour choice for these 3 reasons. 1.) because it can be used as a drawing paint. That is, I can draw the picture with this colour, and not worry about mistakes that might need erasing,or covering up. If I used black or gray it would take Layers to cover with my undercoating white, 2.)because its Colour can be lightly aprayed when Mapping Highlited areas,and Dark when layered many times to map shadowed areas, 3.) its relatively cheap. A Mars Black or Any other colour cost 2-3 dollars more.

I like to draw the picture with my Burnt Sienna until it becomes a full sketch, like a pencil or charcoal drawing, with all the lights and darks maped out. Try to keep the Highlighted parts soft. They will be covered eventually by a White or something similar. The darks don't matter because ultimately a Black or something as dark will be used to cover these dark areas. This is also the time to exaggerate your drawing. If you notice the "crowsfeet" at the corner of his right eye, I made sure to leave white areas surrounded by dark circles. I know that later on these areas will be blended. Take a look at the Finished picture and compare the same area with the sketch.


Also notice the Green Lanterns Mask . In the sketch, I left it mostly white. Normally one would think this was a dark area and should be painted in like Batmans Mask. When using a drawing paint on an undercoat of white, the white will be reflected in the colour that's being sprayed over it. I wanted his Mask to be a bright green, so I left the space white. Had I painted it with the Burnt Sienna, it would have been a lower key Green, because the reflectiveness would have been less. After the sketch is finished, blending the darks and lights will be the next step. Blending is explained in Page 3 . The next photo shows the skin tones and some colours blended, making the painting more 3dimensional, or life like.


Final Image:


Here are some of my Airbrush paintings. I hope you enjoy them...captphrank



These are My Graphic Murals.Some were Airbrushed, and others were Painted with conventional Latex house paints and 1/4 inch masking tape was used to create their Linear effect.These were Painted in Electronics assembly rooms and Some were painted in Hospitals.I hope you enjoy these as well.