Airbrush - A guide for beginners

This is primarily a guide for those of you who are thinking about buying your first airbrush. Choosing your first airbrush can be tricky. The best choice for you depends on what you are going to do with it and what budget you have. In this guide we'll go through the different airbrush guns/sprayers, the different compressors, the differences between our different colors, accessories, cleaning and troubleshooting so that you will be prepared when you buy your first airbrush. We also have some extra tips that may be good to remember, even for those of you who already use an airbrush.

It doeasn't have to be super expensive

Many people may be put off trying airbrush because it is a bit more expensive than many other art forms, or because it seems difficult to clean the equipment. Those of you who are experienced airbrusher know how giving it is and how much fun it is once you get started. Cleaning is something that can feel sticky at first, but you get used to it quite quickly and as soon as you get used to it, it's quite painless. In addition, the fact is that it does not have to be so expensive, as it is perfectly fine to start with a cheaper alternative. It also goes without saying that in the long run, airbrushing is not at all an expensive art form to deal with. The biggest expence is getting the equipment, but since the color is so high in quality and long lasting, it won't be expensive in the long run. We offer colors in varying price ranges, so here too you can find cheaper options.

We have two starter kits for beginners, the Harder & Steenbeck Airbrush Pack Set A and Iwata Airbrush Pack Set A. So read this guide, get the stuff from us and discover all the fun of airbrushing!

Which airbrush should I start with?

It depends entirely on what budget you have, as well as to what extent you plan to use your airbrush. The manufacturers of the airbrush guns and compressors we offer is world leading and produces only high-quality products. The more you put into your airbrush, the better quality you get. You will have an airbrush that can handle more, can be used more versatile and will certainly also last longer if you spend more money on it.

The most common mistake for a beginner is to purchase one of our cheaper options. Perhaps you have never tried an airbrush before and mostly want to see what it is like. However, many soon return to upgrade their gun. Therefore, we often recommend our customers to immediately go for the best option that one's budget allows, so that you don't need to buy more than you need.

Highlights recommend

Japanese Iwata has excellent quality control. The manufacturing process and the standard in their products must always be one hundred percent, the airbrush part actually only makes up about 5% of Iwata's business as they are incredibly large in, among other things, spray painting machines in the automotive industry.

Iwatas Neo and Harder & Steenbecks Ultra Solo are great for beginners and those who want an airbrush for easier applications. Ninja Jet  is a very good compressor if you want to do simpler airbrushing. If you will be airbrushing a lot, and/or need it to do a little more advanced stuff, we instead suggest an even more stable compressor that can deliver a more even pressure and do it for longer periods of time, such as Smart Jet Plus or Sparmax TC-620.

Once you've decided on a syringe and a gun you want, you're basically ready to go. The only thing you must have besides this to start painting is paint. There is also, of course, a variety of accessories and aids for those who want them.

What differences are there in airbrush guns?

Airbrush. Gun. Syringe. What differentiates all the different models? In addition to the noticeable and visible attributes of the gun, the insides mentioned above also differ. Good to know may be that different metals are used in different syringes and that makes a difference, machines mill the grooves in the syringes differently depending on the material and machine. A more expensive airbrush can, for example, have a nozzle made of steel alloy instead of brass, which is more durable and withstands chemicals better.

Below is a table where you can quickly get an overview so you can quickly see which airbrush guns fit your needs based on its various properties.

Words and their meaning: 
 

• Dual-action - With a trigger on the gun, you can manage both air pressure and paint quantity with separate movements.
• Single-action - Air pressure and color quantity are regulated simultaneously with the same movement.
• Trigger - The trigger is like a button on top or below the airbrush gun. The more you press, the more air/paint is let through.
• Gravity - A paint cup is filled with paint which, with the help of gravity, goes into the gun.
• Bottom - The paint is fed from a siphon bottle onto the gun, usually at the bottom using pressure.

Comparison of airbrush guns:

Airbrush colors

Our airbrush colors can be divided into two main categories; Water-based and solvent-based. Both types have their pros and cons and which one you should use really depends on your preferences. Water-based paint is of course gentler on your health (you should still use a mask because spray dust is not good to breathe in) and the environment. Water-based paint has a slower drying time and is easier to clean up if you accidentally get paint in the wrong places. A solvent-based paint dries faster, has a better durability and usually has better coverage. Another aspect is which material you will paint on. Paint applied by airbrush, whether water-based or not, covers basically all surfaces due to the atomization of the paint particles. We still recommend that you take a look at which colors are better suited to which materials and how you prepare the materials.

The colors and their finish and degree of coverage:

• Opaque - Opaque colors with high pigment volume. Createx Opaque and Wicked Opaque are two good water based varieties and Mr Hobby has a solvent based option.
   
• Transparent -A transparent color allows almost all light to pass through it. A layer of some transparent colors is barely visible, but the more layers you apply, the more it shows. Many airbrush artists work by creating a black/white image with opaque colors and then coloring with transparent colors as they are not visible on top of the black. Createx has very high quality transparent colors in several series including Illustration transparent and their regular transparent series specially developed for textiles.
   
• Metallic - A metallic color has small metallic color particles that give the shimmering results. Gold, silver, bronze and other metallic colors can be found in the Createx Metallic series such as Pearl-Flaked or Mr Hobby's spectra.
   
• Pearly effect - Colors with a pearly effect give a shimmering finish, and change appearance depending on the angle of the light. Createx Pearlized is one of them.
   
• Fluorescent - Fluorescent paints have a substance that absorbs light and glows when illuminated with a UV light source. These often have less coverage, so it is recommended to apply on a white base.
   
• Candy - Candy colors are intermediate colors that are always applied over a base color. Candy is basically a clear coat that is tinted with a color (and sometimes contains a metallic or pearl flake) to give it transparent properties. Candy₂O from Createx Colors is a really good Candy that can be combined with a range of mediums and/or colors to achieve anodised, glittery or other brilliant effects.

   

We have colors and mediums from world-leading manufacturers such as Createx Colors, Mr Hobby, Iwata Medea, Liquitex, Molotow, Montana and Angelus. Here are a couple of videos showing how to change the color in your gun as well as a good airbrush instructional video.

Mediums for airbrush

Do you want to make your paint thicker, thinner, make it dry faster or slower or make it harden to a harder surface without using varnish? Then you can use medium; different types of agents to change the properties of the paint you use. A medium that is a must for airbrushers is Reducer, which is simply a thinning liquid for the paint. An extremely important part of painting is that you get the right viscosity of the paint, which is done by mixing paint with reducer. Which reducer and how much to put in depends on the paint you are going to use, the airbrush gun and which pressure is set. An example is adding 5-10% of Createx 4011-reducer relative to the amount of paint, or adding up to 20% when using an airbrush with a smaller needle size or running on a lower psi (air pressure) setting.

In addition to reducers/thinners, we have a wide selection of other mediums that may be helpful or fun to experiment with. This selection consists, among other things, of mediums that make your art piece fluorescent or glowing in the dark, mediums that make it more opaque or more transparent, lots of primers/base colors and various varnishes.

Airbrush accessories - When you want to take it to the next level

In the Supplies category there are flexible aids for airbrushing. Maybe not a must have if you're just getting started, but if you're an experienced airbrush painter or want to do something specific, there's guaranteed to be something for you that can help you in what you're going to do. The cleaning pots from Iwata and Sparmax are two best sellers and a must for those who want to avoid unhealthy working conditions and at the same time save time on cleaning.

In some cases airbrush paint may need to be filtered if there has been clumping or some debris has gotten into the paint. For that we have a filter specially developed for color filtering. Other aids you can find include sanding sponges and sanding paper, lubricants, moisture filters, hoses with different connections, adapters for quick couplings, aids for sharpening needles, service kits and an electric eraser that is incredibly easy to work with in combination with an airbrush. Blur out mistakes or use it to build texture or hair-thin effects.

Cleaning your airbrush - Practice makes perfect

Part of airbrush painting is cleaning, which also scares many beginners and people who want to start airbrush painting. The fact is that it can be hard at first, but when you get used to it and get to know your airbush, it will go faster, smoother and not feel like an obstacle to creation. During normal use, when you have a paint with the right viscosity for your application, it should be enough to use one of our cleaners. It is important not to put the syringe away between color changes for too long, as the color then dries and becomes much more difficult to remove.

Inside, it will definitely be more difficult to remove dried paint. You may need to open and disassemble your airbrush to clean each part. We usually recommend doing it after each session. Cleaning an airbrush nozzle can be tricky. Take a brush or something narrow and gently clean the inside, the slightest scratch you cause can give an incorrect spray pattern. If a regular airbrush cleaner does not work, you can take some acetone on a piece of paper or wadding that does not leave lint and carefully wipe off the needle and parts where paint has dried hard.

We also have a very effective cleaning fluid, Createx restorer, that you can use to soak the parts and dissolve the most stubborn paint residue. Try it first in a small amount so that you see the result as desired. The solvent dissolves softer plastics, so be careful, e.g. o-rings that are not PTFE coated. If you use restorer in your airbrush, you should always rinse it out with water afterwards. Createx restorer is water-based and biodegradable and should be stored in an airtight metal or ceramic container and can then be reused.

Here are two helpful videos showing how to clean an airbrush and how to take it apart and put it back together.

Troubleshooting & tips for airbrush

Below is some advice and solutions to the most common problems we receive from customer service. If you don't get an answer to your question here, you can contact us and we can help you further!

No paint coming out of my airbrush?

The reason why paint is not coming out of your gun at all (assuming everything is connected correctly and working fine) is basically exclusively because something is stuck and blocking it. Dried paint in the nozzle is usually the most common reason. Take it apart an extra time and clean the nozzle, gun and the needle thoroughly.

It bubbles up in the cup when I try to paint?

The most common reason is the same as above. Also try removing the needle and reinserting it. Do not push it in too hard as it can clog and then also damage the nozzle. The needle should be inserted carefully just until it stops.

The beam gets skewed when I try to paint?

If you get a skewed spray pattern or if the paint comes from different directions, you probably have damage to the needle or nozzle. These are usually not visible to the naked eye. You can try sharpening the needle if you have a SharpenAir sharpener. Otherwise, it is time to change the needle and/or nozzle.

I can't find a spare part I need on your website. Can you order it?

Yes! We can order all spare parts from our suppliers. Get in touch at info@hlstore.com and we'll arrange it.

My airbrush is spitting out paint/water?

It could be a broken needle or nozzle that causes this, but moisture in the gun can also cause similar problems. If you have a humid environment where you paint, it can gather in the hose and airbrush gun and ruin it. We sell pistol grips with a built-in moisture filter that helps remove all moisture.

• 32
  

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