anyone use an airbrush

[Brian Marshall]

I'm getting really sick of spray painting.  Not sure if im right, but airbrushing seems like a great idea.  anyone have any experience with one.


I have a regular aircompressor.... will that be enough? or do i need a special one.

[Gilles C]

You want to know something funny?

Today, I just received an airbrush I ordered 2 weeks ago and that was back order.

So, just before coming on this site, I was trying to find sites about air brushing...

That's what I call a coincidence.

I want to paint a few of the effects boxes I built with some art.

I still need some paint, and some air...

And a good tutorial

Gilles

[Gilles C]

Oh, btw, your compressor should be ok.

Maybe you could need a regulator to bring down the pressure a bit.

http://www.dickblick.com/categories/compressors/

[unrhythmic]

I have several thousands of hours of experience with an air brush. Well, actually a whole bank of airbrushes... one for each color. And a few spares...

What do you want to know?

Un

[unrhythmic]

Here are a few oddball uses for an airbrush...

They make a usable musical instrument. Pinch the end and you can get many different tones. I used to play simple tunes like "happy birthday" and even worked out a few Hendrix licks. The tone is generally like modified farts...  They tend to be big on attack and short on sustain!

They make GREAT precision parts cleaners. I use one to clean the others.

They do a good job of inflateing balloons.

Is this the kind of info you were looking for? LOL!!!

Un

[bwanasonic]

I have a regular aircompressor.... will that be enough? or do i need a special one.

It all depends on what airbrush you use as to how much pressure you want, but generally about 30-50 psi. I used airbrush professionally as a photo retoucher for many years, and I used a compressor, but many pro airbrush artists use tanks of compressed air. The main hassle about using airbrush is cleaning up, especially with solvent based paint. I really don't see much advantage over spraycans unless you plan on some fine detail work. I work with a couple of other people who were airbrush jockeys before we became Photoshop jockeys, and between the three of us we probably have about 50 years experience if you have any specific questions. Maybe I'm just sick of airbrush, but I use spraycans.

Kerry M

[Brian Marshall]

I always thought the quality of the paint was supposed to be a lot better.  am i wrong?

[Mike Burgundy]

sprayed paint, wether it's with an airbrush or a larger regular spraygun is always going to be better than aerosol cans if you get the mixture and air pressure right. You also have to dilute the paint yourself to a certain consistency ( I like something like 2-4 drops of paint to fall off my spatula when I pull it out in the first second it's out, but it all depe3nds and it's a feel thing. Hard to describe)
Sprayguns cover more ground than airbrushes, but can't do fancy artwork like airbrush can with small nozzles.
You can actually make that blobby matted rough surface you see on some injection-moulded stereo equipment with paint. It's all in the mixture, airspeed and distance to target. I've used that on prototypes and models to get the look right, but I don't know if it's as durable as a good smooth layer. Doubt it.
You get most strength out of more, thinner layers, keep that in mind.
Do you have a brush that allows to set both the amount of paint (mixture) and air (pressure)?
Even with just pressure, grab a few old boards and start experimenting. In a good mix you should *just* be able to see the paint-mist coming out of the nozzle. If youre spraying drops (have a look at the sprayed surface), it's too rich.
Make regular, medium-slow sweeps from side to side, and pull the trigger when you want to spray (just before you come onto the object). If you want to totally paint something, just keep it on at all times. Remember the sweep (yes, young Lobsang), keep the layers really thin and avoid runners or blots. Just keep mucking about till you get a feel for it. If you have several different nozzles, try them all. The larger the nozzle, the more ground you'll cover, so for paining a pedal a certain colour get the largest you can fit.
hih

[Gilles C]

<<It all depends on what airbrush you use as to how much pressure you want, but generally about 30-50 psi. >>

The airbrush I bought is a cheap one needing 15-35 psi. What difference does the pressure make on the quality of the painted surface?

Btw, I bought a cheap one just to make sure I would like that before I buy a better and more costly one.

[unrhythmic]

Gilles,

There are two basic types of airbrush: Single action and Double action.

Within these two types there are many different models to choose from.

The single action ones are generally cheaper and don't cost as much either. You just push down on the button and they go. You preset the amount of paint they spray. Their advantages are ease of use and simlicity. Some artists I know actually twiddle the amount of paint flowing with their other hand while using them. They are generally a pain in the butt for me to use. Some like them however...

The double action ones are opperated by pushing down on the button for air and pulling back on the putton for paint. Their main disadvantage is that they require more skill to opperate. However, they usually have a preset adjustment so they can act just like a single action brush airbrush for the skill challenged. Their advantages are that they are much more versitile and can go from a thin line to a broad spray and back to a thin line by varying how much you pull back on the button and how far you are from the surface. Skill required!

Almost any air compressor will work with an airbrush. I consider a pressure regulator and a filter/water trap essential. There is nothing quite like water blowing through the airbrush while painting to screw a project up! I often use 80 pounds of pressure with my airbrushes depending upon the effects I want. Only the defective ones blow out at that pressure! Just one out of about 30. It was a bad assembly job at the factory.

THT

Un

[Gilles C]

>>I often use 80 pounds of pressure with my airbrushes depending upon the effects I want. <<

But... as I was wondering, what does change in the effect.

Like, what would be the difference between using 15 or 35 with the one I have.

I don't have any compressor right now to experiment myself, but I could be able to borrow one soon, until I can buy one.

Until them, I am curious to know about the different effects caused by a change of pressure...

Thanks,

Gilles

[Ansil]

i got the whole assembly from a cake decortator..  i just modded it to use paint..  quite easy though. took like five minutes.. killer results.

[unrhythmic]

Gilles,

More pressure can mean you can use thicker paint, faster application, more overspray, it will drive the paint deeper into porous materials. It will also peel the frosting right off that cake!!! Very low pressure will have a spattering effect. Bouncing the paint off your thumbnail will really cause spattering.

Higher pressure is also much more musical when you pinch the end of the airbrush. Much higher notes can be gotten!!!! Stepping on the air hose and reducing the air flow can act sort of like an effects pedal for the airbrush.

I've obviously done this too long!!!!!

Un

[Brian Marshall]

ok, so anyone have an idea where i can order one from.  I have a compressor, i can get a water trap at home depot.

anything else.

I dont want the cat's meow, but i dont want something that will be so crappy that it will discourage me...  i see them all over the internet, but know nothing about them.

any tips.

[unrhythmic]

Brian,

A good choice would be the Paasche VL. They make a kit that has all the different needles, tips, aircaps, a bottle or two and a hose and some special tools. I don't know what the current price is or the best place to get them but a google search should find them. They are professional grade instruments and a very good deal. A few of mine are over 25 years old and still going strong. They can AlWAYS be repaired with a few spare parts. They are one of the easiest airbrushes to work on. I can take one almost completely apart, fix what's wrong, clean it, and have it back together in less than 10 minutes. Your mileage may vary.... That's one of the features that make them so popular with professionals. Reliability counts when time matters.

The best place to get them used to be Atlanta. I'm not sure now.

Un

[Gilles C]

I've been searching a bit about air brushes lately.

Wanted to know what is a Paashe VL...

http://www.airbrushtechnique.com/Reviewpost/