Topic: The General All-Purpose Airbrushing Thread.

[Aurics Pride]

Hey Guys,
After perusing the project board threads recently I have noticed a bit of an upswing in the use and interest in the use of Airbrushes.
The Hobby has really evolved of late and with airbrushes and compressors getting cheaper and much more available their use is becoming widespread.
I'm very interested to see what kit you guys are using and I thought we could use this thread to ask for advice, brainstorm problems and even to show off new techniques etc that you have learnt!

Personally I use an Iwata Neo TRN2 Airbrush with a NEO Air compressor, it's only a relatively cheap setup but has really served me well so far. I started off just using it for base coating models (Like most people) but recently I have been working on using it more for details and for highlights etc.

A couple of examples of my work:

My most recent, my Slaanesh Knight. I used the airbrush for the gradient and highlights on the carapace and armoured areas. Also for some of the bits on the base.

My Raven Guard Chapter Master. All of the White areas and the details on the Claws were done via Airbrush.

My Nightwing conversion. Airbrush used for the Gradients on the fuselage and for the cockpit. Also the White areas were done by Masking off the area and airbrushing white.

So go on, lets see your stuff!

[magenb]

I just use my airbrush for base coating, generally large models like skimmers etc, or anything that I want a large smooth finish on, like the front of the jetbikes. Even though I'm not really doing detailed work with it, a good air pump size is a must, if only for your own sanity, however a cheap gravity feed two stage airbrush (~$20) works just fine at that sort of level.

You will need to spend some time getting the mixtures right, too watery and it'll just run and rub off, etc. You can buy paints read made for them though.

You are going to be spending a fair amount of time cleaning them, just be careful how much you tighten things, the nozzle where the needle works is very easy to over tighten and snap or to not be tight enough and leak. Basically just spray some water to test before you put the final cover on it.

[Looshkin]

First question (Of many, as I think of them):

How do you go about cleaning the airbrush?

I tend only to have success when fully dismantling the device. If I do that, the taking apart/putting together often takes longer than  the painting element. Is there a quicker way? When I don't do the full process, it tends to gunk up and require a full breakdown anyway...

[Aurics Pride]

First question (Of many, as I think of them):

How do you go about cleaning the airbrush?

I tend only to have success when fully dismantling the device. If I do that, the taking apart/putting together often takes longer than  the painting element. Is there a quicker way? When I don't do the full process, it tends to gunk up and require a full breakdown anyway...

haha keep the questions coming!

For cleaning it depends a little bit on what I am doing but I will usually:

Take the paint reservoir off and use a cotton bud to clear the area between the Reservoir and the needle.
I'll then put some of the Vallejo cleaner (in a 50/50 mix with water) through the brush. Normally I'll do this step a few times, each time I'll blow air through the brush with no fluid attached to it until it's blowing dry.
This is usually enough to get most of the paint out of the brush and if I am just changing colours this will usually be sufficient.
Usually after each painting session I will do a full strip down clean on the brush. For this I will completely dismantle and using water, cotton buds and some proper cleaning tools. Every now and again I may even soak it in Dettol (Can also use other products) which will remove the paint without damaging the metal.

There was a really good video on Next level painting's youtube channel a little while ago about cleaning and maintenance. He is where I've learnt a lot from.

[Looshkin]

Nice summary, thanks AP. I'm going to give mine a good detail strip in preparation of my next painting session, hopefully that will get things moving in the right direction.

[dog_of_war]

Thanks for this thread AP, it's come at a good time in my painting education.

So to start, I just started using an unbranded AS-186 1/6 HP compressor with a 3.0 L tank. I'm using the gravity feed, dual action air brush that came with it.

I was having a heck of a time getting the paint to flow, but tinkering with the regulator and experimenting with thinning paint, I started having some success.

One of the biggest issues I'm still having is that after a few minutes of airbrushing, I find the airbrush becomes clogged. I've found a quick solution by placing my finger on the nozzle and forcing back pressure on the air brush to clear the nozzle, which allows me a few more minutes of painting, before having to clear it again.

I'm running the compressor at about 30 PSI and watering down my paint just enough for it to stick to the side of a cup (best example that I could find on youtube). I mainly using the air brush to base coat at the moment and I'm finding much better success with cheap acrylic paints versus GW paints.

My questions for you guys would be:

1. What is a good method for thinning paints? How can you tell that its the correct viscosity? Do you bother thinning paints at all and just use prepared airbrush paints?

2.What PSI do you find optimal for base coating? For finer details?

3. Is clogging a common issue? Am I not thinning my paints enough? Am I clearing the clog the best way possible?

Thanks for your input guys.

[Cavalier]

It sounds like you are not thinning the paints enough. The paint should be as thin as skim milk as the saying goes. The GW air paints take a lot of the stress out of it though... I've used the Averland Sunset Air to airbrush yellow on to a black primed army with no problems whatsoever.

I've been using the Khorne Red Air and found it a bit too thick at least after a second use... may not have put the lid on air tight.

When you are getting clogged chances are its the thickness of the paint. You want it really thin. People who use their airbrush all the time, usually use droppers and have a sort of ration system worked. 1:1 usually works for me just mixing it straight out of the faucet. I'm like you and really only use it for basecoating when there isn't an appropriately colored GW primer... cause I'm going for a more old school 'Eavy Metal look.

The big thing is dont fret, just experiment... and always spray something beside your model first. I wear rubber gloves and usually just give a blast on my hand to see how the paint is coming out, and make sure its not too thick. Test models are great too if you have them...

Anyway only use mine for the most basic functions. Auric is your man! Heed his wisdom!   

[Aurics Pride]

To be honest Cav has pretty much nailed it there.
The only real other thing that I would add is that it can depend a lot on the paint that you are using. I use almost solely Vallejo Game air and Model air paints. Like the Citadel air paints they are already slightly pre-thinned paints and for the most part can be used straight out of the pot.
Generally I tend to use 1 drop of Vallejo Thinner to 3 or 4 drops of the thicker paints (Like the Dark Blue I use for my Corsairs, and Hexed Lichen, Black etc) and then after that it really varies. Something like their Warlord Purple is actually really thin and I tend to find that if you put any more thinning agent in it the pressure of the air tends to make it pool up and go on way to thin.
I very much echo Cav's advice of Test models or even just a paint to spray beforehand to test it.
My other big advice when you are finding that you aren't getting a decent consistency is as Duncan says "Two thin coats" this stands as much for Airbrushing as it does for normal brushwork. On a lot of my models (Like the Knight) I will do a lot of very thin, quick passes before I am happy with something.

Clogs are fairly common with paints that haven't been thinned sufficiently, back pressure isn't idea to clear it as you are just blowing the clog back into the pipes/reservoir but to be honest without doing a full clean there isn't really a better way. Prevention is definitely better than the cure here.
To prevent clogs it's all about a good cleaning regime and sufficient thinning of the paint.
Again as Cav says, Experimentation is what it's all about. I've never been to a class or anything, everything I know is self taught or taken off youtube videos!