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.
