Used my airbrush for 1st time - cheer me up

[Mojosdad]

Finally got round to using the airbrush I was given as a present a month ago (got airbrush, compressor with tank, etc, nice gift!).

I think I had been putting it off since I've used a brush since I was 8 and can get quite good results. But feeling obliged I gave it a bash on a kit I have had hanging about unpainted and it was little more than an unmitigated disaster! I'm trying to paint Vallejo White Grey Model Color over Halfords Grey primer, and I on one side it look like I have been applying whitewash with a broom and the other looks like it may take something like another 100 coats to actually change colour. Paint as thinned about 60/40 water/paint.

I've never seen anyone use an airbrush before - from brushes I'm used to seeing a slight change in colour with each coat, but with A/B I don't know what I expect to see. When I as misting coats I could see light refelcting off a wet surface but when it dried there was no change at all so I upped the paint flow a bit (which I could then see, but was obviously too close etc).

Although I've only used it once I'm wondering how to persevere as at this point it looks like I would be better and quicker not bothering and sticking with the trusty brush. My technique is plainly extremely poor, but what level of coverage should I be aiming for as a start?

[ferny]

Hello and welcome to the forums.

As for the air brush persaverance is the name of the game , im no expert but have started to have pretty good results , its all about playing around with air pressure paint/thinners ratio. Do not be put off it will come good in the end.

[Slippery Jim]

Try having a look for Airbrush Techniques on YouTube, there's bound to be lots of tutorial videos there.

Hth

[Mike]

The trick with airbrushes is to practice, and experiment. White is perhaps not the best color to start with though, as it's one of the harder colors to get decent coverage with.

Most people have one junk model that they use to experiment on, so maybe try a different color and perhaps dilute the paint a little less to begin with.

When you do get proficient with an airbrush you'll be glad you took the time to learn the skill. In some ways it's like learning to snowboard (speaking from experience here ). You spend your first week falling over, then suddenly it clicks and you wonder what all the trouble was about, although it takes years to become a master... so I'm told!

[denstore]

A suggestion would be to use more contrasting colours than two shades of gray.

Other than that, the advice to just play around and experiment is probably spot on. Best way to learn.

[gcn]

I'd say Model color paint is a hard paint to start with, if it was me I would get a couple of tins of Tamiya paint and some of their thinners and practice with that first

[NickParker]

Don't no if anyone else finds this, but i find vallejo works best with its own thinner, the reason being it contains a retarder/flow aid this prevents the paint drying on the tip so quickly. The trouble with water is you need to thin it more to keep it flowing, it then ends up spraying like coloured water if you add to much. With its own thinner mixed 1part thinner to 3 parts paint for model air, and about 50/50 for model colour you'll find it gives much better coverage, and because its slightly less runny it's also more easy to control were it go's, oh and like others have said just keep practicing, it's not voodoo you'll be surprised how quickly you can pick it up.

Nick

[SARowl]

I've just started airbrushing and I'm rubbish. So I bought a jar of Plasticote Acrylic paint available at The Range/Wilkinsons, and collected a few of those plastic vac-formed wrapper thingies. I practice spraying the plastic with different air pressures and paint mixes trying to get a neat and accurate coverage.

John

[T-Tango]

I use Model Air and Model Color, for Model Air, I use it neat, straight out of the bottle, no problems, for Model Colour, I mix it 50/50 paint to thinners and it sprays OK, I spray a couple of light coats to start off with then build up with a few coats of thicker spray, I usually spray at 15psi. HTH.

Pete

[Maxidad]

As mentioned before, starting with white is not a good idea. Start practising patterns, squiggles, experiment with pressure and mixtures.

Personally, I still find enamels easist to spray even though most people on BM have switched to acrylics. Of the acrylics I rate Vallejo for sprayabilty; Gunze and Tamiya are good too. Humbrol's own acrylics are pants.

[Ant]

If you want some excellent video tutorials on airbrushing as well as other aspects of modelling, you might want to consider joining up at Promodeller (http://www.promodeller.com/). It's only £2.99 a month (no minimum sign-up time) and there's a friendly supportive forum available too.

[little-cars]

Don't no if anyone else finds this, but i find vallejo works best with its own thinner, the reason being it contains a retarder/flow aid this prevents the paint drying on the tip so quickly. The trouble with water is you need to thin it more to keep it flowing, it then ends up spraying like coloured water if you add to much. With its own thinner mixed 1part thinner to 3 parts paint for model air, and about 50/50 for model colour you'll find it gives much better coverage, and because its slightly less runny it's also more easy to control were it go's, oh and like others have said just keep practicing, it's not voodoo you'll be surprised how quickly you can pick it up.

Nick

Agree about the cleaner.

I always suggest that people new to airbrushing use the paint manufacturers thinners ( to start with at least), and cleaner if they produce it.

Keep it simple, get an a pad of thickish a4 art paper and practice drawing lines, circles dots etc to get used to the paint and brush.

[Paul-H]

Hi

Odly enough I find that Vallejos cleaner is a better thinner than the own thinner, I find because the thinner is white it slightly lightens the colour.

Paul

[Mojosdad]

Thanks for advice and feedback. I'm in a slightly better mood today, so will give all the suggestions a go and keep plugging at it......

[Mike]

Thanks for advice and feedback. I'm in a slightly better mood today, so will give all the suggestions a go and keep plugging at it......

Right attitude! No skill that's worth having is one you can learn easily... apart from riding a bike

[robw_uk]

i have only just started using an A/B and compressor.... it is all about trial & error. Work out what process works for you, how you like to hold the brush etc.... I know I tend to over-spray so need to learn to mist rather than blast but with use comes practice comes experience... and who knows - maybe some skilL!!!!