"Airbrush Quick Tips Archives"

12/09

Dual Action Triggering—The dual-action airbrush is the most popular model in use and the triggering method lends itself to this popularity.  This style of airbrush allows you to change the amount of paint being applied without interruption of spraying.  With dual-action triggering you simply press completely down on the trigger for air and (while holding it down) pull back to release paint.  And the further back you pull, the more paint is sprayed. 

 Use it First!--One of the biggest mistakes owners of new airbrushes make is that they disassemble the airbrush before using it, thus never having the slightest idea what it was supposed to do when it worked right.  Read the instruction manual first! There’s a diagram of all the parts and you’ll see what the airbrush looks like internally without taking it apart.  When brand new, the airbrush comes to you in the best possible spraying condition.  Spray some ink through it to see how it works and then disassemble it, if you must.

 A Stiff, Flat Brush – A handy tool to have in the studio for airbrush maintenance is a stiff, flat brush, e.g., a No. 4 flat bristle.  This inexpensive paintbrush is well suited for cleaning the airbrush because it enables you to get into the nooks and crannies of the color cup or the slot in which the needle gets dirty or the air cap and tip to eliminate dried paint and clogs.  A small round brush is also handy when using a bottom feed airbrush where paint may dry in the siphon intake or a side feed airbrush where paint may need to be removed from the color cup intake. 

Note that a paintbrush is a preferred tool for these cleaning purposes.  Some artists make the mistake of using a cotton swab to clean the color cup, which can deposit cotton fibers during the cleaning process that may contribute to clogging of the airbrush

10/09

—Inks, Dyes and Liquefied Watercolors – The airbrush will spray virtually any paint or color that exists, but in many instances, the paint must be thinned for spraying. In the case of inks, dyes and liquefied watercolors, they come naturally in a fluid consistency compatible with spraying. However, the term liquefied watercolor is a misnomer. These are not natural watercolors because there is no pigment used; they are actually dyes similar to ink that are normally fugitive and susceptible to ultraviolet rays and fading. On the other hand, inks—although of the same liquid consistency—are available colorfast and waterproof.
For a beginner, the easiest materials to use when learning techniques are inks, dyes and liquefied watercolors. With these, the airbrusher need not be concerned with thinning formulas or clogging the airbrush, since these materials are the thinnest colors available and rarely clog the airbrush.

-Backup Bubbles--All airbrushers have experienced the appearance of bubbles in the color cup or paint reservoir. This is likely due to dried paint on the tip and/or needle at the front of the airbrush and indicates that cleaning is required. Unscrew the air cap at the tip and gently remove the paint on the needle with your finger or wash it off with a stiff paintbrush and airbrush cleaner. Screw the air cap back tightly and the airbrush should spray like new.

-Quick Disconnects—There are quick disconnects available that connect the airbrush to the airbrush hose and the airbrush hose to the compressor. They are available in different thread sizes to fit all models/makes. This accessory lets you remove either the airbrush or hose quickly and with little effort. There are male and female fittings in the disconnect, and they snap together to allow air to flow and snap apart to stop the flow. Remember, with quick disconnects or any other air fitting for your airbrush or compressor, use Teflon tape on the threads as a preventive measure to insure there are no air leaks.

08/09

Rough Paper = Texture – There are many textured papers available today.  The two used most often in airbrushing are smooth or hot press paper and slightly toothed cold press paper.  But airbrush artists can work on any type of paper, from crepe to heavily textured watercolor paper and from pastel to tracing paper.  Keep in mind that airbrush spray mimics the texture of the paper in the appearance of the artwork; and the heavier the texture, the more apparent that texture is in the end product.  Therefore, when selecting a heavily textured paper such as 300 lb. watercolor paper, be sure you wish to incorporate the resultant appearance as part of the rendering.  

Interesting effects can be achieved on heavily textured paper by spraying the paint at various angles so that the color hits only certain parts, e.g., the high parts and not the valleys.  Experiment with different papers and see how you can manipulate the surface to add to the uniqueness of your artwork.

 Cloth as Masking Material—Some airbrush artists use cloth as a stenciling material to develop different effects and textures.  For example, if you spray through a piece of lace, you will get the exact image of the lace.  Artists experiment with burlap, cheesecloth, fabric softener sheets, ripped or cut cloth, etc., in the development of paintings, illustrations or retouched photographs.  Fabric used as a stencil can be coated with replaceable spray adhesive to give it tight adhesion to the work surface.  You can also spray through some cloths without using adhesive, allowing them to flutter with airflow and resulting in a softer edge.  Experiment with a variety of fabrics to see where you can utilize the effects in your artwork.

 Magnetized Airbrushing Surface—By using a sheet of steel as your work surface/drawing table, you can work with non-self-adhering stencils cut from acetate, paper or other materials and hold them in place with magnets.  In this way you never cut directly on the work surface as you do with self-adhering frisket film; nor do you leave adhesive residue on the work surface.  Put a sheet of paper or illustration board that could be from 1- to 3-ply thickness on the metal. (The thicker the paper, the stronger the magnets required.)  On the paper put the non-self-adhering stencil and magnets, which can be of varying shapes and sizes, to hold the stencil in place.  This system is really handy when you wish to go back and rework artwork several times.  

06/09

Airbrush Holders – It’s quite obvious that you can’t just set the airbrush down on the work table when it contains paint or the fluid will flow onto the work surface.  It’s necessary to have an airbrush holder in which to support the airbrush upright.  Different types of holders are available ranging from the simple, flat metal holders that come with some airbrushes to the more elaborate double-holders that have regulators and moisture traps attached.  Most types consist of two hooks between which the airbrush rests.

Oil in the Compressor—Oil-immersed compressors, normally piston operated, must have oil in the crankcase to prevent overheating and seizing up.  The oil must be of a special quality (check specifications of the manufacturer) and must be replaced periodically when it becomes dirty, and an oil trap is required to keep the oil from contaminating the compressed air.

Airbrush Paints—Fluids used in the airbrush must be of a thin enough consistency to be sprayed.  Airbrush paints are manufactured specifically for this purpose, but they also can be used with a paintbrush.  The common traits of airbrush paints, sometimes called “colors,” are that they are water-soluble and pre-reduced for airbrushing.  These are available in jars and are designed for use on paper surfaces such as illustration board, acetate, and photographs.  They are not good for work on gessoed surfaces or fabric.  There are several manufacturers of airbrush paints, which are available both transparent and opaque. Some brands are more waterproof than others, they may have different colorfastness and some may require thinning with a bit of water.  To get a feel for the great array of colors available, visit ARTtalk.com’s “Airbrush World” at www.medea-artool.com.

04/09

Spray Straight – When spraying with the airbrush, point it directly at the work surface; and move your entire arm when making a spray pass. Beginning artists are sometimes inclined to move only the wrist when directing spray, and this prevents them from getting even coverage with the paint. Another problem can arise when spraying at an angle if the spray lifts the edge of the stencil/frisket material. Paint will drift underneath the stencil and a hard edge will not be achieved.

Dunking the Airbrush – It is important when cleaning the airbrush to never immerse the entire tool in cleaning solvent. There is no reason for liquid to be present anywhere in the airbrush except from the color cup to the tip. If solvent--usually dirty--invades the triggering mechanism, it can easily gum up the works and make triggering sticky or impossible. If this happens, you must disassemble the airbrush and clean the individual parts.

Smooth Surface, Soft Spray – The smoother the surface you work on, the softer will be the appearance of the spray, no matter if it is a paper or a metal surface. Hot press paper is the smoothest, whether it’s drawing paper or illustration board. A coarser surface is denoted by airbrush spray, making it difficult to develop airbrush effects like neon, chrome, plastic, etc.