Guide for Beginners: Airbrushing

Strap in folks, this is going to be a lengthy resource post.

You can find all of the tools and accessories mentioned in this guide  HERE

This guide is a total presentation of the topic of air based painting, whether you are a total beginner or just looking for some specific information.

Before I delve into the meta game and your eyes glaze over, here's the FAQ:

Which Airbrush do I buy?

Short answer: A Gravity Fed, Dual Action, Internal Mix Airbrush. 

Whichever one falls into your price range. This setup will be the easiest for you to not only use but also maintain.

What is the difference between Single and Dual action? 

Short answer: Single action is a glorified spray can.

When you push down on the trigger paint and air mix in the brush.The paint is then atomized by air pressure and propelled out of the tip of the brush. A dual action brush allows the user to vary the rate at which paint can escape the tip of the brush resulting in a wide possible range of spray patterns.

What is the difference between Siphon and Gravity feed?

Short answer: The direction of feed.

Gravity feed brushes load paint from the top, Siphon load from the bottom or side.

Neither option is better than the other, I recommend a gravity feed because of the ease of cleaning and changing colors. A siphon brush requires individual pots for each color you want to spray.

 

 How much am I looking at spending to start?

Short answer: About one hundred dollars or your country's equivalent. 

This will get you an entry level compressor, an air hose, and an airbrush.

If you want to go the extra mile, shell out an additional 20-30 dollars for a moisture trap/regulator combo.

Much more is going to overload you with features you won't understand and gimmicks you don't need. Less will get you a cheap, crappy spray gun with no fine control.

  

Does brand name matter?

Short answer: No.

A high end airbrush does not perform significantly better than a china brand "knockoff". I have used top of the line Iwata, Badger, and Harder and Steenbeck Airbrushes, and my $35 Veda 180 runs just as well given proper use, care, and maintenance.
When you become more advanced in your skills you may want to invest in a brand name for specific features or ease of locating replacement parts. As a beginner however a knockoff is just what you need.

  

Do I need a spray booth?

 Short answer: Probably not. 

Unless you work in a very cramped space with no airflow and decide to use lacquer paints extensively, you can get away with working near an open window.

What kind of paint should I use?

Short answer: Pre-thinned acrylic. 

Several brands are available, I personally recommend Vallejo Model Air and urge you to stay away from Testors.

My airbrush doesn't work, help?

Short answer: It's clogged. Ctrl+F Section 3.

   With any luck that answers some of your basic questions. If you're ready to get into the real thing, read on.

Section 1: Equipment. 

Let's take a look at the the things you will need to get started air painting.

Compressor

 An air compressor is basically a piston attached to an air intake. When the piston runs, air is pushed through the mechanism and compressed into a storage unit. This air is then fed through a hose into your airbrush.
The above image shows your most common compressors for modeling application.

Left: The basic bare-bones compressor. It has no attached regulator so it will simply compress air into your hose which you then spray through your brush. These offer little in the way of spray control and tend to wear out quickly due to the constant strain on the machine's parts.

Right: The same compressor but with an attached air tank. A big step up in terms of durability as the machine will only run until the tank is filled to the desired level of air pressure or PSI. This model has a combo pressure valve and moisture trap.  
I recommend this setup as your first compressor.

Middle: Top of the line brand name compressor. This particular model has a carry handle, moisture trap, two brush holders and is whisper quiet. The only down side is that it costs double what the mid range option does.

All of these compressors run on ac power and have a noise level between 60 and 90 db.
There are of course countless other options including industrial size compressors. If you happen to have one of these there are many adapters you can buy to use them with your airbrush if you don't mind the noise.

Air Hose

 Your standard braided nylon air hose. Nine times out of ten your airbrush AND compressor will include the proper hose for the given device. If for some reason yours does not, your only concern will be to buy a hose with the proper thread size.
Common thread sizes for airbrushes are 1/8" and 1/4"

Moisture Trap / Regulator

A flow regulator not only extends the life of your compressor but also allows you a wide range of spraying applications. The valve works by constricting air flow, thereby raising and lowering air pressure.
Primer for example requires a much higher PSI setting to apply than a delicate metallic lacquer.

The moisture trap prevents water from mixing in with your air which can lead to all kinds of problems and is an absolutely essential component for anyone in a humid climate.
 



Section 2: Parts of the Airbrush.

Casing
The rear casing of the airbrush protects your needle from impact. Some airbrushes will also have a knob on the casing which you can tighten to restrict the movement of the needle.

Needle Chuck
This part locks your needle in to the trigger mechanism. If your chuck is loose pulling the trigger will not move the needle.

Needle
 The "brush" portion of the airbrush. The larger your needle is, the more paint you will be able to spray at a time.

Needle Guide
This assembly of parts holds your needle and connects it to the trigger.

Trigger
With a dual action trigger you push down for air and pull back for paint.

Air Intake
This connects your air brush to your air hose. Many different sizes are available.

Crown Cap
This part protects your tip form damage.

Tip
Very small and delicate part. Don't lose it! Most tips require a small wrench to remove.



Section 3: Care and Cleaning.

Proper maintenance of your equipment is essential and also very easy, just remember these things:

Clean out your airbrush every time you use it.
Rinse it thoroughly when you change colors and give it a full cleaning every time you are done painting.

Never allow paint to dry in your brush.
If you need to step away or take a break, always remove the paint you were working with.

Store your brush in a dry and cool place.
I store mine with its needle removed so there is no way it could possibly get stuck.

Lubricate your airbrush once a month.

I use graphite to keep mine running smooth.

Replace your rubber seals yearly.
Your airbrush should come with a small package of rubber seals, these prevent air leaks and liquid contamination. If you often spray corrosive lacquers you will most likely need to replace these more often.



Troubleshooting:

Air feeds but paint does not flow: Needle clog, remove and soak. Clean with pipe cleaner.
 Air back feeds into cup: Tip clog or damaged seal. Soak or replace.
 Air does not feed: Intake blocked, soak and use pipe cleaner.
Paint splutters: Paint is too thick, add thinner.
Paint flakes off: Applying paint too thick or ambient temperature too high.
Orange peel texture: Spraying too close or PSI too high.


 If your airbrush is clogged, disassemble it then soak it in a degreaser like purple power / simple green for about 20 minutes, then give it a thorough rinse.

If your needle is stuck, DO NOT attempt to force it out. Remove the crown cap and the tip if possible, then apply lubricant and gently twist it until it comes out. 



Section 4: Start Painting.
Now that you know your basics you are ready to start painting. Gather your gear and..


Thin Properly
Your paint should be thinned to exactly one part paint to one part thinner. You will see this notated as 50/50 or 1:1. If you thin your paints much more than this the color will not cover well, and if you thin less the paint will have a hard time spraying and may gunk up your airbrush.

Set the Pressure
Set your compressor to the paint brand's recommended setting. If none is given, 15- 25 PSI is a safe bet for standard painting. 

 Test Spray
Test for both proper air flow and paint consistency before you start on a model. It never hurts to double check your tip for dried paint either. This step can be the difference between a good spray session and a glob of dried goop blasting at your kit.
 
Spray Thin Coats 
Use your airbrush as a precision instrument, not a paint hose. If you are covering your parts with paint in a single coat, you are spraying too much at a time.
Over spray leads to bad finishes and cracked paint. Slow and steady wins the race.
 
Let It Dry 
Resist the temptation to touch your parts until you are sure they are dry and ready for more work. Most acrylic paints will be dry after 30 minutes, lacquers after 20. I highly recommend waiting 24 hours between paint types for best results.
Never touch parts without gloves.

 A short video on airbrush operation.


Section 5: Tips and Tricks.

 Top Coats

Top coat protects your work from scuff and abrasion as well as UV damage to an extent. There 3 basic types,
Gloss: Shiny and generally thick and sticky. Gloss is the go to finish for "factory fresh" model builders.

Matte/Flat:Completely absent of shine and often very thin. Be warned that some brands are much "flatter" than others, always test on spoons first. Flat finishes are good for realistic models and weathered builds.

Satin: In between the two. Mutes shine just enough for good photography. Quite overlooked in the Mecha genre, though it works very well for it. Used extensively in miniature painting.

 Candy

Candy color is a 3 layer effect using a gloss base, a silver or chrome mid, and a clear color top layer.
The preparation of the surface of your piece is extremely important and any imperfection will show through in your finished work. 
I begin my candy parts with 1000 grit sand paper and wet sanding, then prime in 2 thin coats.

From an old post:

Surface and prime.

 Gloss black base, in this case Alclad.

 Several silver colors. You'll have to experiment to find the one you like best.

 Chrome spoons after polishing. You can get real fancy and use polishing compound to mirror the shine.

 Top color. Apply in straight strokes at medium psi.
You can see here the subtle differences the base silver has on the final color. 


 Camoflauge

 [WIP] 

Pre and Post Shading

Shading




Afterword:
Thanks for reading and I hope this guide has helped you. I will be adding to it and revising as time allows and as my own skills increase.