Here's a gallery of different questions I've had thrown at me by you nice people out there.
|
Q: What type of brush do you like best? A: My absolute brush of choice for all applications, beginners and experts, is the Iwata Eclipse HP-BCS. |
Q: I painted the coolest t-shirt last week, and the damn thing washed out! I was using acrylic paints that were supposed to be especially for airbrushing. What did I do wrong? A: Sigh! It wasn't wrong, it was most likely uninformed! When you paint T's, try using a 50/50 (cotton/polyester) mix. Otherwise, the paint might not adhere... even with the best heat-set in the Universe! Also, be sure to wash the sizing out of new shirts before you airbrush them. Raising your airpressure is helpful and, keep in mind that some acrylics require a fabric medium before they will work on cloth. |
Q: I'm having trouble with these weird little splatters. It doesn't give me a smooth spray. Kinda like grainy or something. A: Sounds like your paint might be too thick. Thin it down a smidge and see what happens. Some pigments are thicker than others, so even the ready-mix paints need diluted sometimes. You may also increase the air pressure and it will help. |
Q: What in the world is the difference between a single action brush and a dual action brush? A: You need to go check out Airbrush Guts. That's where you'll find your answer. If it doesn't answer to your satisfaction let me know via Advice-N-Stuff page. We'll get you squared away! |
Q: How much air-flow is best when airbrushing? A: Whew! That's a broad question! It depends on what you're trying to do and what surface you are trying to paint. If you're painting on a reflective surface like metal, keep your air pressure down fairly low, between 15 and 25 psi. Thicker paint requires a bit more pressure, but be careful to read the manufacturers' recommendations. If you are painting an absorbant surface like fabric, try using higher pressures. My best advice (outside of reading the instruction book!) is to experiment. |
Q: I own a double-action badger anthem brush. If you live in a small town that offers no help to learning: What books? What videos? What info? A: If it's any consolation, big cities don't make the information any easier to find! I live in a Kansas City suburb, and info is still scarce. There are a couple of links on my Airbrush Guts page that could be of help to you. Our More Airbrush and Body Painting Page is another good source. If you want info on technique, try any of the links on Airbrush Guts. There are a few books out there on technique, and they are fairly easy to locate (or order) through your local library. As for tapes, I'll look around. The only tapes I've been able to locate so far have been strictly on technique or advertisements... and were a little vague. If you're looking for simple advice and know-how on beginning airbrush, I'm about the only person I know to refer you to! I have not found one book, tape, or anything else on beginner airbrush in all my years of airbrushing! Even getting good beginner advice from the manufacturer is difficult, at best. I once had a conversation with a manufacturing rep. who told me they wanted to develop a new detail brush, but they couldn't get any of the artists to talk enough about their art to actually develop a prototype! He said it took them forever to develop that brush. Those are the biggest reasons I've set up my Airbrush Junky's Corner and I teach the art. So, if beginner is the type of info you're in need of, feel free to hit me with your best shot! I'll be glad to assist. My whole point is to make sure the art is carried on. |
Q: I'm thinking of buying a paasche ab turbo,and ive been hearing thats its a pig to use and clean. Is that true? Is it worth the money? A: LOL! I can't think of an airbrush that isn't a real pig to clean! I'm assuming your talking about the turbine brush for detail. I personally don't have a ton of experience with turbine-fed brushes, but I know an old-timer who wouldn't trade his for love nor money. I understand that clean-up is a pain, but the detail you get out of the brush is worth the blood, sweat, and tears of getting it clean. I'm also assuming (you know what they say about assuming...!) you are a cartoonist or illustrator. For that type of detail, you might find it to be worth your time and money. Keep me posted... I'm always interested in hearing back. |
Q: My answers to your above questions obviously show that I am at the beginning of beginning. I have been calling several places for airbrush recommendations. I have the models narrowed down to two. The first is the popular Iwata Eclipse and the second is the Paasche H. I know I am looking at two ends of the spectrum in terms of single vs double action, and internal vs external, but the recommendation for the Paasche H came from an airbrush instructor that vowes she can make her Paasche H perform as well as any other brush and yet is more reliable. So after all of this background, what brush would you recommend to a budding rookie? Thank you in advance for your time, it is greatly appreciated. A: Hello. Well, I'll tell you... it's all a matter of personal preference. I instruct airbrush to a variety of different students for a variety of different applications and I have to say: I would stick with a double action over a single action any day of the world, but it really depends very much on what you plan to do with your brush. It's kind of like a Mac over an IBM. Mac is good, but IBM covers more detail. For detail work, double action is the recommendation. For glazings (ceramics), models, and other broad-surface applications, a single action works just fine. You see, the double action is much more easily used when you are ranging your paint flow from very broad or heavy to very light and thin. The paint flow on the single action is adjusted manually and is frustrating and time-consuming for detail work, but is quite adequate for glazing and ceramics, etc. I use a badger 150, myself. It serves me well and it's a double action job. I specialize in detail work, so I get along very well with my double action. Another bit of advice I can offer you on your quest is: Find what feels good in your hand. Some brushes are too big for my small hands to horse around for hours on end, while my small brush might get lost in a big man's hand. Shop around and use common sense about what you have in mind for your brush. Good luck and let me know how it comes out. Even budding rookies have to start somewhere! LOL ...and you're welcome in advance. Feel free to drop a line any 'ole time! |
Q: What is the single most important way to improve your skills?? i.e. high quality paints, high quality airbrushes, lessons, or just old fashioned practice?? A: Hi, Ben. Would I sound lame if I said "all of the above."? It's really a combination of all of the things you listed. Lessons are probably the best way to be more comfortable with starting out, but all of the other options are important factors to getting the most out of your airbrush. Good brush= better control over fine detail; Quality paints= fewer clogs, better coverage, diverse coverage capabilities; Plain, 'ole fashioned practice= experience and understanding. You hit 'em all! |
Q: HELP! I know nothing!!! LOL Need advice on which brand/type of airbrush gun to buy...for nails/t-shirts. A: Typically, no one really knows anything about an airbrush! They are elusive creatures, to say the least! There are several good brands out there. I use a Badger 150 and an Iwata Eclipse, myself. There are so many choices and variations, that it can really boggle your mind, especially if you're a beginner! The one point you want to keep in mind, if you're looking for a good detail brush, is to get a double (or dual) action airbrush. Nails and T-shirts definately constitute detail, so I would look into a double action brush that feels good in your hand (Lord knows that's important when you're at it for any length of time!). In my experience, a gravity-fed (compared to cyphon-fed) is better for fine detail (like nails) because it cuts down on the needed air supply, which in turn cuts down on your clogs and belches. However, if you're wanting to do T-shirts and other art (which I encourage greatly!), I would say a cyphon-fed brush would be best, because it's more versatile. It's really a matter of personal preference. Shop around and see which brush feels good in your hand, too. I hope I haven't overloaded you with too much! I guess the bottom line is: your best bet for what you want to paint is a cyphon-fed, double-action brush... whichever model or brand feels best in your hand. |
Q: I asked earlier about thinning Water based acrylics such as opaques. You replied to just use water. While this may seem obvious, I beleive I read that the water used should be distilled only! Any truth to this? I think the article mentioned coagulation otherwise. Or should I need not worry? Thank You very much for your prompt response earlier! I love this question and advice part of your web page. Good advice means so much especially to a beginner. Happy Brushin' to ya. A: Yes, it's true. I have had trouble with certain brands coagulating when they hadn't been mixed down. Primarily, the cheaper brands are the worst offenders. Createx doesn't coagulate too badly, even when thinned with tap water and left in the heat, but we still like to use distilled water to thin it. Thanks for the vote of confidence! Really glad to hear this page has a fan. ...And happy brushin' to you, too! |
Q: Airbrushing started as a hobby but I'm thinking about it as an income. How do I price my work? A: Whoa! The dread question: How do I price my work? This is every service person's (especially the artists!) dilema. You want to get paid what you're worth, but you don't want to scare off the customer, either. The truth is, rates of pay for airbrush artist vary from region to region and from talent to talent. Around Kansas City, airbrush artists are getting from $10-$75 an hour, depending on where they work and who they are. My suggestion to you is to start with what you believe to be a fair (fair to both you and the customer) hourly rate and try to estimate your work from that guideline. I promise that there will be many learning experiences, but you have to start somewhere. Just starting out is always tough, but stick to it and you'll get the hang of estimating you jobs fairly and semi-accurately. Remember to estimate design time and time spent in prep, also. Good luck! It's an interesting adventure! |
Q: I work at a hospital for adolescentsand I am interested in purchasing a compressor and airbrush essentials to expose the kids to this craft. Is it possible to use a large compressor/tank to run 6 brushes at the same time. Is an oil less compressor preferable ? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks A: What a wonderful thing to do! The kids will love it! Yes, it is absolutley possible- we do it all the time. No compressor in particular is the best, in my experience. We've used everything from a five-gallon air tank hooked-up to a 1/2 horse compressor, and a 5-horse compressor with a ten-gallon tank. Heck, we even use CO2! It takes a lot of brass to hook them all into the same air source, but it seems to work quite nicely once you get the connections figured out. A small compressor (not necessarliy an oiless) hooked up to an air tank would probably be best for you, considering noise control. They still make noise, but not as much as the larger compressors. CO2 tanks are completely quiet, but must be rented or purchased from a bottler. Good luck! |
Q: I have seen guys at flea markets adding baby oil to their paints to "aid in flowing "and avoid clogging. This seems to be a real phallacy to me, how can baby oil and water borne paints mix? A: Gosh, I hate to plead ignorance, but I've never heard of such a thing. I run WD-40 through my brush regularly to keep it healthy and happy, and to keep the paint from sticking quite so badly. However, I'm not familliar with any baby oil tips or tricks. I would think that it would be difficult to keep the paint mixed properly, but I'm only guessing. Let me know if you decide to experiment. I'd be interested in seeing how that comes out. |
Q: I have two, actually; I'm interested in doing face & body designs with an airbrush. Is the Omni 3000B (which has a very attractive sale price at the local art supply store) good for this sort of thing? And also, what sort of air compressor should I be looking for? This is a really wonderful site; thank you for putting it up! A: Wow! You're entirely welcome! I really enjoy being able to help this fine art live on. I don't recall, right off the top of my head, the particulars of the Omni 3000B, but if my memory serves me correctly it's a fairly well designed dual action brush. The two features you will be most interested in, when choosing a brush for body art, are that the brush should be dual action and that it is a comfortable-fitting brush for your hand. Some are larger, heavier, smaller, lighter... there's an assortment! Dual action is your primary concern because (and this is just speaking from my own personal experience) it seems to do the best detail work. As for the compressor: I usually tell my students to look for something between 1/12 and 1/20 of a horsepower. Most manufacturers recommend that you run between 15 and 45 psi, so check the owners' manual. Any more than that would blow the guts right out or your nifty new brush. We also do airbrushed face painting and body arts, so be sure and check out our body arts at The Airbrush Shoppe, Etc. . This is also the new home of The Airbrush Junky, so remember to set your bookmarks. |
Q: Build up on the needle. Usually just at the wrong time. A: I can't think of a time when build up on the needle happens at a good time. There is something you can do to help reduce the problem. You certainly won't be able to stop it completely, however, lowering the air pressure helps with the problem. Acrylics are fast-drying, so the less psi you can get by with, the better. Most manufacturers recommend between 15 and 45 psi, and I know the Paasche VL model carries those specs. You might also try running a little WD-40 through your brush after you've cleaned it, to help prevent the paint from sticking to the metal quite so badly. |
Q: Hi, found your website during a search for face painting. Just saw airbrush face painting for the first time this weekend at an art festival. Any recommendations on books, supplies to get into it. M.A. Denemark Cocoa Beach A: Boy, I wish I had more suggestions to give you, but resources are truly limited in this art. Check out some links on our Other Airbrushing Sites page, and there's a little bit on the face painting, but not a lot. You might also look at the People Painter's page. They do quite a bit of airbrushed face painting there, also. As for magazines or books, it's kind of hit and miss. This June, we will be spot-lighted in an Australian body painting magazine called Body Painting (we're very excited!!), and I'm sure that will cover some of what you're looking for. However, I can't really direct you toward any publications dedicated to airbrushed face painting. Dinair puts out a (rather pricey) airbrush makeup and Mehron puts out a more reasonably-priced liquid makeup which some folks are mixing down for airbrush. That's about all I'm aware of. If anyone has aything they'd like to add, I'd sure be abliged! |
Q: Hi! I recently purchased an airbrush. I am a children's entertainer and was an art student years ago. I realized that using an airbrush would be great and fast for kids parties verses using paint brushes to cover faces. I really love the effects of stencils and was wondering if you sold any? I also have been mixing my own concoction for face paint and wanted to know if you knew of a brand that actually sells pre made face paint colors for air brush I had no luck in Colorado springs where I am from. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear from you. thanks, Jeanette, AKA The Colorado Balloon Lady A: There are several things you can do for face paint, and actually you might consider makeup instead of paint. I've learned that acrylics are frowned upon! Mehron (www.mehron.com , I think) puts out an inexpensive liquid makeup that you can dilute with water and is fairly airbrush friendly. Dinair puts out a makeup especially for airbrush. I'm looking into some other options, but right now we make our own makeup and are in the process of patenting and trying to market it. I'll be glad to let you know when it hits the market, but I don't expect that to happen for the next few months. As for the stencils, I'm also in the process of getting those marketed. We just started The Airbrush Shoppe, Etc. in this year, professionally, and have been overwhelmed by the response. We have some wonderful stencils which I would also be glad to let you know when they hit the market. As it stands right now, we are making our own as we have need for them. Please feel free to contact me if you should have any other questions, and I hope I was able to answer the ones you had. |
Q: I have 2 problems. First, I just bought my first airbrush and I really enjoy it,(even though I am not an artist) but I only have one. Is there an easy way to switch colors without all the timely cleaning? A: I wish I could say there is! The only real way to avoid cleaning out between colors (especially those of contrasting pigment!) is to have an airbrush set up for each color. While this is truly efficient, it is also pretty costly. While using one brush per color is a goal of mine, I primarily use only one brush. We either use a paint cup full of water and/or cleaner, backflushing and spraying alternately until clean, or we have a rinse cup handy to dip and rinse our brushes in. |
Q: Second, my main purpose is painting on woodwork for our craft business. I cant seem to paint anything without a lot of running. Am I using the wrong size end (using a #3 now) or too much air 18-20 lbs. thanks A: It could actually be a combination of both, along with another thing or two. Try using a #1 or fine needle and tip assembly instead of a #3. #1 is for finer detail work. Although air pressure does play a large part in how your paint comes out, it sounds like you're ok on that little technical point. 18-22 psi is good for detail work on reflective surfaces. What I would suggest, however, is that you are holding the airbrush too close to the canvass surface with either too much pull-back (paintflow) on the trigger or your paint is too thin for this application. Try starting off at a greater distance away from the cavasss surface, pulling back gradually on the trigger to find the best paint flow. You might also see if your paint is too thin. I usually recommend a paint thickness of between whole milk and butter milk. Best of luck to you! Hollar if I can be of further assistance. |
Q: I want to start airbrushing, but on helmets and t-shirts, but way up north it's hard to get info on what type of paint to use on the different materials. So what I'm asking is what type of paint do I use? What type of finish do I put on the helmets when I'm done, and also would you be able to tell me any tips on how to change between colors. Thanks for your time, rob A: Hi, Rob. It's not just way up north where it's a little hard to get airbrush info... things are tough all over! To answer your question about paint, I use a brand called Createx. It's a very popular brand of acrylic, specially formulated for airbrushing. You can use this acrylic on just about anything from t-shirts to helmets. I, personally, have used Createx on helmets before with excellent end results. I usually use a clear acrylic "clear coat" to finish any projects like helmets. Of course, you don't need clear coat to finish a t-shirt, but do be sure and heat-set the t-shirt with a medium iron or throw it in a hot drier for about 20 minutes. The paint sets best when the shirt is no more than 50% cotton and pre-washed to remove the sizing. Concerning your inquiry about changing between colors: the simplest way is to have an airbrush set up for every color, but that's quite a pricey endeavor! We usually keep a paint jar and a dish, both full of hot water, close by. We use both the paint jar and the dish of water, alternately spraying water and backflushing until the spray is clear. It's a pain, any way you wanna cut it, but you do get fairly quick at it with practice. Hope this helps! |
Q: What does it mean to backflush when cleaning your airbrush? A: Backflushing is a technique used to clean your airbrush. In our classes, we teach backflushing as being a very important part of cleaning maintainance. The technique is performed as follows: Fill your paint cup with cleaner (hot water for water-based paints or the appropriate cleaner for paints requiring solvent). Spray the cleaner into a paint rag until you get a fairly clear spray. You then gently place pressure over the tip of the airbrush, blocking all air flow through the tip. When done properly, this causes the cleaner to bubble back up into the paint cup. Continue this process, alternating with spraying into your rag and backflushing until the cleaner runs clearly both ways. This is a pretty good guarantee that you have thoroughly cleaned the paint out of your brush. Use caution with this method on certain models (such as the Paasche VL), because the needle protrudes past the tip of the brush and is easily bent. |
Q: I do auto body work and paint as a side business and I recently bought a good used airbrushing outfit with an Omni 3000B brush. I want to do some custom/trick artwork on cars and motorcycles. Nothing heavy-duty at first, just some accents, lettering and pinstriping. My question is, what kind of paint should I use for this type of application. I always shoot a coat or two of clear coat/hardener on my paint jobs. I can do a great job with the "big guns" and now I want to get "small". Any advice would be greatly appreciated. LOVE YOUR SITE!!! A: Thanks! We put a lot into our site and it's always neato to be appreciated! You can actually use plain 'ole airbrush paints on metal, providing that you prep it and cover it properly. You can also thin down your auto body paints and use them through most airbrushes. I believe the Omni 3000B is capable of handling heavier paints and solvents, but you might check with the manufacturer to make sure. |
Q: After I clean all of my brushes(8), assemble them and then set them up to paint shirts. I always run into a slite problem. I'll push the trigger down and without pulling the trigger back, paint flows through the gun. I've tried reseting the needle and that don't even work! Do you have any advice? A: There's a couple of things you should check. #1: I'm not sure what needle size options the Vega 2000 comes with, but many of the models have large/med/fine needle options. What a lot of people don't realize is that when you change the needle, you also have the needle tip assembly which needs to be changed, according to the proper needle size. If you try to match a fine needle with a medium or large tip assembly, you're likely to get more paint than you bargained for. #2: I've seen paint be too thin and produce that problem, also. Let me know if neither of these are the case, and we'll take it from there. |
Q: I need a shopping list! All I know is that for airbrushing, I will need to buy a good airbrush, air compressor and airbrush paints. What else should be on my shopping list? A: Hi, Linda! It depends on what you're doing, of course, but to start on things like wearable art and t-shirts you will need the following: Airbrush with braided hose (dual action is best for detail-oriented work) Compressor (between 1/12th and 1/20th of a horsepower, depending on how many airbrushes you're using) Moisture trap Regulator (Only necessary if your compressor isn't regulated to an appropriate psi, usually between 15 and 45 psi. We use around 25 psi for body painting. You also need one if you're using more than one brush) Paints (we recommend Createx, which is available at www.hobbylobby.com or www.dixieart.com ) Paint bottles with cyphon caps Side cup Rags, rags, rags! Cleaner isn't necessary for use with Createx. Nice, hot tap water does the job quite nicely. |
Q: I've heard of air-brushed tattoos. I was wondering what the process is. how long it lasts, how much it costs, and where i can get them done.I heard it lasts for about a year and then fades away. Is this true? thanks a lot A: Sorry it took me so long to get back with you. We're getting into our busy season and things are a little hectic. I believe what you are talking about are henna tattoos and not airbrushed tattoos. We dabble in henna, but it's not our forte. Henna will last from a few days to a few weeks, depending on what area of the body it is applied to. I don't know of any temporary tattoos that last for that length of time. Airbrush tattoos last anywhere from a day to a week, depending on where it's placed and what type of pigment is used. If you want to check into henna, you might call around to the local tattoo parlors and see if they offer henna tattoos. Airbrush tattoos are going to be harder to find, as it is an emerging art. |
Q: I use alot of detail with a paint brush. How do we price an airbrush piece with alot of detail? what is the standard pricing guide? A: I don't know if there is such a creature as a standard pricing guide for airbrush. If there is, I have never seen it. If there's not, maybe there should be! I've learned that pricing artwork is not only a real dilema, but it is also the subject of hot debate. I usually recommend that an hourly base be established for beginners, but for the pro that may not be the best option. I usually start with a base hourly rate and adjust it accordingly. I know other pros who price their art by the peice, but they usually have some idea of what the project intails and have done similar projects before. I know muralists who price their art by the square foot. In my experience, you can ask 50 different artists this question and get 49 different answers. My answer to your question would be to start with what your supplies and expenses are going to run you. You should then calculate the number of hours you believe the project will take to complete and multiply them by the price-per-hour you would like to be paid. Add the hourly calculation to the supplies/expenses estimate and adjust your total price from there. It's not a perfect system for every occassion, but it's decent starting point. Unfortunately, high-detail doesn't pay as much as it should, but if you use this pricing system you're more likely to be paid what it's worth to you. Hourly pay-rates should vary, depending on the project. For example, I price my hours differently for muralling than for painting temporary tattoos at a carnival or painting a jacket for a private client. I hope this helps. This is one of the toughest questions to address because it's so diverse! |
Q: My D-500 compressor has a hard time getting started even though I back off the pressure valve when I turn it on. I'm a pretty good mechanic, what should I look for ? Thanks, Guy A: Hi, Guy. Our techical man says that if it is a bigger compressor (usually 1 horse power or more) and has a capacitor start, it could be a capacitor problem. If it's not a capacitor start, you might check to see if the bearings need to be lubricated. If it's an oiless, it might be the connecting rod bearing, which it is a sealed bearing. If you're using an extension cord to run your compressor, be sure it's heavy-duty enough to handle the load and that it's not too long in length. He said he's not familiar with the model number, so he's not sure what you really have. If it's a 1/2 horse or more and has a built-in tank, it's going to have a check valve (located between the pump and the tank) which relieves the pump of tank pressure while trying to start up. It needs to also be checked. |
| Still not satisfied? Need more? Here are more pages of airbrush Q&A |
| Airbrush Shoppe, Etc Home Page Back to The Airbrush Shoppe, Etc. Home Page |
| Contact Us Page Back to our Contact Us Page |
This website and all of it's contents, including the artwork represented, are ©copyrighted by Colleen May and The Airbrush Shoppe, Etc., 2005-2007. Any unauthorized use or reproduction of the photos, text, artwork or any other artistic objects contained herein is expressly forbidden, without the aurthor's written permission.