Get A Airbrush System Cheap.

[Wild Willy]

If any of you guys do not have Airbrushes due to the expense of the guns & compressors ect. Here are a couple links to inexpensive kits which are single action (easy to use) and they operate from aresol cans filled with compressed air propellant.
I started off useing these types of kits for painting my model cars and for general purpose model or figure painting, they work great!
The Smaller air cans can paint 3 to 5 model cars.
By the way, if you even want to upgrade to useing a compressor, these guns will adapt to that air source as well.

Just thought I'd put this out there in case any of you are interested.


store.yahoo.com/ehobbies-com/1001-6117.html

store.yahoo.com/ehobbies-com/1001-2258.html

Will

[casimir]

Okay, I have a question...

I've always used traditional brushes. Airbrushes are a mystery to me. 99% of the time, I spray my pieces with grey primer, then flat white, then hand brush on everything. (Keep in mind my stuff is the smaller 4"-7" stuff, not the "doll" bodies so many of the experts here work with.)

On rare occasions, I'll mask off areas and spray a single color using spray paint. I've only ever been able to do one color, because anything more would just be a nightmare. Chemical differences between spray paint and acrylics aside, how do you folks do it? Surely you don't mask off everything on, say, a model Batmobile, everytime you want to switch colors?

Teach me, oh masters.

C.

[Figuremaster Les]

Hey Cas, I am in your court. I hand paint everything. I own a badger airbrush that I have never used. This system is a loss to me too.
I prefer your finishes myself. But, like you, I am curious what the pros with airbrushes might enlighten us with...

[Wild Willy]

Basically I use one to apply the base color whether that being on a car, figure or head, then depending on the project, I will detail with brushes.

The advantage of an airbrush over spray cans is the control you have over the flow and density of the paint being applied.
Once you can control the tool, you can do stuff like spray a head one base color, then you can take a slightly darker color and lightly blow some into the eye socket, lower cheek and under chin areas depicting shadows and depth. Of couse someone like our very own Les has mastered achieving these results with brushes and other techniques.
It is not easy to blend details like that with a brush, so an Airbrush definitly makes it easier.

Will

[BlackKnight]

Great link Will! ;D I'll have to get one of those some day. I just hand paint everything now.

[faithfulbutler]

I love my Airbrush,i rarely use it for my smaller figs unless i need a large area covered in a single colour.But for my Models and Resin Kits i can't do without it.It's well worth having no matter how little or much you use it.
Also the brush-on Masking like Maskol from Humbrol is a very handy item to have on hand.Not just for Air Brushing but work in general.

[casimir]

Hmmm... I so rarely have to spray anything... Still, it would be nice to have more control when I do so, and to be able to mix colors as needed. Perhaps I shall invest.

(Which tranlslates as "Perhaps I shall invest... after the wedding.")

C.