Airbrush hints

[icie]

I am quite new to the world of airbrushing, but i have been thinking of starting on it for some time now. I want to get a compressor and an airbrush, but I don't want to abide by the old method "the best is the most expensive". Can people tell me the stuff to look out for? I know the basic researched stuff like dual action and single action, moisture remover, etc though.

I prefer to use enamel paint.

1) Do you need to thin the enamel paint somewhat to use in an airbrush, and with what should I thin it?

2) Does the surface of the plastic model need to be primed in someway prior to airbrushing?

3) When airbrushing, is layering necessary?

4) Various hints on techniques, airbrush cleaning, etc.

5) When to airbrush? When individual components are finished? When the parts are still on the branch? When the model is finished?

[briareos_kerensky]

1) Yes, thinniing down the paint gives you an other control on how much paint is sprayed and how much convering it will be. Thick paint will also clog up the airbrush nozzle. Thinning is done with the same materials you used to paint with brushes or with the paint brand own thinner (for example, I think that Tamiya paints require their dedicated thinner...although defined as acrylics water is not enough and turpnetine-like solvents are too much).

2) Yes. Gundam models (and all Bandai ones), with their smooth surfaces should also be sanded with a very thin paper (1000, 1200 grain) as they lack panel lines and such a smooth surface will give paint an hard time in sticking to it...however, priming the surface with a medium grey, especially if you are going to change the original color (again, Bandai models and their colored plastic), is recomended...other basic colors like black and white work well too, depending on what effect are you seeking...I've seen modelers prime models in blue.

3) Mhmmm...it is usually done by spraying various shades of color with different thinning ratios and pressures. It's slightly different that a layering done with brushes.

4) Personal experience: when disassembling your airbrush, do not compeltely disassemble it but disassemble a part, clean it, reassembly it and move on with the cleaning. Be sure to do it over a hard surface where parts cannot be lost or they can fall...the needle is very susceptible to damages due to falls.
Take special care in cleaning the airbrush needle and nozzle: these parts make the paint come out and if not cleaned correctly the airbrush can "cough" or "spit" color, or not working at all. And, if you're painting utside, be sure that no pollen or other "big" big particles don't fall in the paint bucket...they'll be sucked in by the paint and will obstruct the duse, and cleaning it will be a pain.
Cleaning can be done with anything that you used to clean your brushes...usually, you don't need to disassemble the whole thing after every painting session...spraying a cleaning solution should do the work if you clean the nozzle or even the needle only.

5) It depends on the model. Usually planes I paint planes when the fuselage is complete but they lack landing gears, canopy, hardpoint and all external details for a faster masking and smoother paint. Gundam models are usually built in subassemblies, so I paint joints first, then the skeleton (if any) and finally the outer armor.
As long it suits you, I think it's fine.

[burnout]

I am quite new to the world of airbrushing, but i have been thinking of starting on it for some time now. I want to get a compressor and an airbrush, but I don't want to abide by the old method "the best is the most expensive". Can people tell me the stuff to look out for? I know the basic researched stuff like dual action and single action, moisture remover, etc though.

I prefer to use enamel paint.

1) Do you need to thin the enamel paint somewhat to use in an airbrush, and with what should I thin it?

2) Does the surface of the plastic model need to be primed in someway prior to airbrushing?

3) When airbrushing, is layering necessary?

4) Various hints on techniques, airbrush cleaning, etc.

5) When to airbrush? When individual components are finished? When the parts are still on the branch? When the model is finished?

i have two brushes. one bottom feeding single action badger 155 (http://www.dixieart.com/Badger_155_Anthem_General_Purpose_Airbrush.html) which i use mainly for primer or for putting down a white base, and an Iwata HP-C (http://www.arttalk.com/iwata/hp-c.htm) double action .3 nozzel brush for shading, and detailings. for the compressor i have the iwata sprint jet (http://www.arttalk.com/iwata/compressors/sprint_jet_air_compressormainpage.htm) . decent out of the box but the moisture trap is a bit lacking so i have to add another one along the line. but decent air pressure over all.

i usually use enamel paints for details such as eyes and lines. i stick with acrylic for easy cleaning and personal health. as a rule of thumb, people thin their paints to a milk consistancy for everything except shading.

1. you need to thin all your paints if you want to use them in an airbrush. for enamel paints such as tamyia (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/burnout6/tamyia.jpg) , i use this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/burnout6/thinner.jpg) . $1.59 for 16oz.

2. you should prime all parts before painting. it provides a good "grip" for the future paints and reduce the chance of chipping. i use Mr. Resin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/burnout6/mrresin.jpg) and Mr. Base White (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/burnout6/DSC00085.jpg) for priming all body parts. those two have to be imported and they dont sell them in the states. a cheap alternative is Duplicolor Primer Sealer (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/burnout6/dupicolor.jpg), availiable in a car accessories store. for gundam kits, people usually use Mr. Surfacer (http://www.plajapan.com/images/gallery/msur1000.jpg) or the Tamiya variant, which is more readily available in the state

3. layering is when you want to achieve dept and shadows. it's a more advance but essential skills. it gives your kit more "life"

4. http://www.heavyarmourstudio.com/
http://www.childofmecha.com/
http://codyscoop.com/
just to name a few

5. i airbrush the aparts individually the put them together. this is speaking from a resin kit perspective since i'm more of a resin than a gunpla builder.

[kenshinchong]

When getting a airbrush, I feel it is more worthwhile to get a dual-action airbursh. Get one with a paint control knob and it transform into a single-action airbrush!

Compressors come in various powers and accessories. A decent compressor will have a moderate pressure of 50 psi and auto cut-off. Auto cut-off means if the compressor is not in use but power is on, it stops pumping. However, pressure is slightly maintained during that period. When you expell air from the airbrush, it starts to pump again (note that air flow is constant if you keep using the airbrush). Some compressors come with external tanks that can contain compressed air from the pump so that air flow at all times through the airbrush is smooth. Without it, air flow becomes a bit choppy whenever the compressor starts to pump.(it isn't much of a problem, since you can press the air flow knob on the brush first to maintain pressure, then pull back the knob to start the paint flowing. Ahh, wonders of dual-action airbrush! :)). Usually we avoid the air tank since it is not worth it, due to mainly maintainance problems.

The compressor I'm using -- http://www.themworkshop.com/mshop/hobbymate/hm2000c/hm2000c.html
It's a pretty good compressor for a beginner and intermediate user. You wouldn't need to change a compressor for a few years. Also, I think that compressor can be used for up to 2 airbrushs.

Moisture trap is essential!!! I can still remember the days without moisture trap. Everything gets ruined easily and there is no way to control the water from spewing out!

1) I think tamiya enamel thinner is avaliable for thinning enamel paints.

2) As burnout has suggested, it is better to prime the surfaces first. Priming also allows you to detect any flaws on the surface prior to painting. I use Mr. Base White 1500 (from Gunze Sangyo i think). As you advance, you may also find grey primers useful too, as they can set a "shadow" base.

3) I don't quite what you mean by layering. Don't spray thick layers at once. Spray thinly over many layers so the paint spreads even.

4) Learn to build your control first by spraying evenly, before going on to learn shadowing.

5) It depend on the parts. This is something we can't really teach you... You need to figure out what parts need to be painted then fitted together, or fitted then painted. Some parts need to be cut, painted then attached on.