Airbrush newbie

[brianthemodeller]

I have just bought myself an Iwata double action gravity feed airbrush and a compressor with pressure gauge and made a simple spray booth in preparation for starting to learn how to airbrush.

 

As my wife and daughter both have asthma I gave opted to use acrylics (Vallejo) rather than enamels as I presume there will be less odour (I have to spray in the house). 

 

Despite watching loads of videos on YouTube I have a number of questions that I hope you may be able to help with:

 

- What do I use to clean the airbrush after use? Do I need to use Vallejo thinners or is there a (cheaper) alternative?

- Am I correct that to clean between uses I just need to wipe out the cup and then spray through with thinners?

- What pressure should I use?

- Do Vallejo paints need to be thinned before use or can they be sprayed straight from the bottle?

- How do I change the spray pattern?

- Is it better to use a primer before the top coat?

 

Answers and any other useful tips would be grateful received. I know I have a lot to learn and much of the skill in airbrushing will only come with practice but I need to start somewhere!

 

[Black Knight]

For cleaning between colours during a session plain water will do. After the session use an air brush cleaning fluid, not necessarily the Vallejo one, there are others

Vallejo do two paint ranges; 'Model', which needs thinning and 'Model Air' which is pre-thinned and can be used straight from the bottle

Yes, a primer is best. Vallejo has one

[little-cars]

When you are starting , I recommend you use the paint manufacturers thinner, cleaner and flow enhanser.   These should all work together, if you were to use a different product, you don't know if it is compatible with the paint.

 

Once you've mastered it using vallejo products, then you can start experimenting.  

 

Paul

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

This is for standard Vallejo paint. I use Vallejo to airbrush, I have an Iwata. I use a mixture of water and Vallejo medea airbrush cleaner. Which also works good as a flow enhancer if you put a couple of drops in the paint. Thin it and mix thoroughly to the consistency of milk. If you use Vallejo air it pretty much sprays straight from the bottle. I hope this helps. 

[brianthemodeller]

Thanks all for your help so far.

 

Paul, I think you might be getting an order soon!

[brianthemodeller]

Hi all

 

I have bitten the bullet and given it a go this afternoon...

 

Valeji Model Air

Iwata Neo airbrush 

compressir set to 20-25psi

spraying inside ~19C

 

First colour went on great and I thought I had nailed it until I tried a second colour!

 

I emptied the cup, added a couple of drops of thinners and then wiped it out. Added some more thinners then sprayed it through until clear.

 

I put some of the second colour in the cup and initially it sprayed OK. Then it stopped putting paint through. Tried putting a couple of drops of thinners in but to no avail.

 

Anybody tell me what I did wrong?

 

I have now stripped it down and cleaned it ready for another go later in the week. When I reassemble the airbrush should the needle be pushed fully into the collet or should it be pulled back a bit (if so how far?)?

[Cookenbacher]

You probably experienced what's called 'tip dry' with the second color. Most of the time, you can just aim away from your model (at some old paper towel or whatever) and give a full blast and it will overcome the clog and you can continue spraying - repeat as necessary. If that doesn't work, use a q-tip or paper towel soaked on thinners to clean the exposed portion of the needle at the front of the airbrush. If that doesn't work, then it's really clogged and you'll have to strip it down.

 

Water based acrylics seem to be especially prone to tip dry. You can add retarder and flow improver and it will help, but it's something you'll always fight, especially in hot weather.

 

When you re-insert the needle, you do want it up against the nozzle - that's what keeps the paint from just flowing at all times - but do so gently as airbrush nozzles can be delicate.

[brianthemodeller]

Thank you - now I know what it is I can be ready; thought I’d broken my airbrush!!

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

2 hours ago, brianthemodeller said:

Thank you - now I know what it is I can be ready; thought I’d broken my airbrush!!

No we all have that issue once in a while. I use Vallejo pretty much for 90% of my air brushing. If i can offer any advice its this. With the Modelcolor add water at a ratio of about 60% paint to 40% of water with a couple of drops of a flow improver. I use Vallejo’s Medea cleaner as a thinner/flow improver. I use 3-5 drops no more and then stir/shake it up before paint. Absolutely No more as we are thinning paint not cleaning an airbrush. This has a good side effect as it make it easier to clean. I also use a lower pressure to spray. 

     For Vallejoair i use that straight from the bottle. Same goes for something like Ammo by MiG paints. Both are pretty much designed straight for the airbrush. If i can help more please ask.

 

Dennis

[Matt_]

With your Iwata, you could remove the tip guard, which will allow you to pinch the tip with some kitchen paper soaked in thinners. Obviously this leaves the tip very exposed and prone to accidental damage so you need to be extremely careful handling the airbrush, and setting it down in the holder. If you're not happy with that, you can remove the remove the tip guard when it happens, pinch clean, and then replace.

 

You can get a crown cap which allows you to see the tip and spot tip-dry, but unlike the Harder & Steenbeck pinch tip, it doesn't make it a whole lot easier to clean the tip during a spraying session.

 

Sadly this is one of the drawbacks to using water-based paints to airbrush. Alcohol paints are a bit better, and lacquers I find easier again. Although these paints dry faster than the water-based ones, I think the flow or paint continually thins and clears the nozzle. Whereas with water-based paint, it doesn't soften the old paint, and it just builds up.

 

You can mitigate it somewhat by using flow-aid in your thinner, but you just have to be alert to it, and that comes with experience. Depending on what you're doing, you may be able to use a slightly higher pressure. (but if you're doing fine/close-up work, this can just spider the paint) When you start the airflow it can clear the tip before you start the paint flow and then make your pass over the model. It can also help to give a quick full-open blast every now and again, either straight into your booth, or onto a piece of kitchen paper.

 

One thing you may be doing is pulling back the needle to allow paint flow when you don't have the air flowing. This allows the paint to leak out onto the tip when it's not being blown clear.

 

 

 

 

[Grey Beema]

I usually have a syringe with Thinners handy - For dry tip you can squirt some thinners directly at the tip.  If this doesnt work, then undo the collet and pull the needle back slightly before taking the tip guard off, then clean the nozzel and the guard..  Once finished clean out with airbrush cleaner.  I usually keep the needle slightly pulled back when in storage and with a drop or two of cleening fluid in the cup..