Mathieu Fontaine – Miniatures painter

An airbrush is a wonderful tool once you have learned to use it properly and efficiently. Although it can appear scary, it is a tool that will save you a great amount of time. But it is only one more tool in your bag of tricks.

It is a tool to save you time, period. Nothing more, nothing less. At the end of the day you still need to master all the other techniques to achieve a great result. No matter how far you push your skills with an airbrush, you will always need to finalize your work using a regular brush.

If your blending techniques are not up to par, you will most likely ruined what has been achieved previously. So remember that although an airbrush looks like a wonderful tool that will allow you to obtain perfect blending on large areas, it will only save you time. The more “basic” techniques should never be neglected.

Airbrushing is also the technique in our hobby that has the highest learning curve. Airbrushing is never simple, especially when you start. No matter how many videos you watch or how many tutorial you will read, be prepare to swear a lot in your favourite vernacular.

When it comes to airbrushing only trial and error will show you the way. I can give you all the advice in the world but only practice will get you the feel of it. It is by playing with paint and thinning ratio that you will discover what work best for you. No paint line reacts the same, no colour reacts the same. So has I said get ready for a bumpy ride.

This tutorial will mostly guide you through the material aspect of airbrushing. What products to use and not, what compressor to get. What little tools you need to fix certain issues and such. We will also talk about thinning. What to use and what ratio is best.

Eventually a second part will be added on the application of paint using an airbrush.

 

What type of airbrush should I look for?

There are several types and brands of airbrushes available nowadays. Some good, some average and some not so good. The first term you will usually encounter when buying an airbrush is “action”. You will find single, dual and since recently 1.5 action airbrushes. What we are looking for is dual action airbrush.

The term action refers to the various action your airbrush can do. A single action airbrush says it all. It has a single action. By activating the lever air and paint will come out at the same time. The amount of control possible on your work is fairly limited. It is basically a glorified spray can. Good for undercoats and basing but that is it. You might want to consider a little spray gun instead.

A dual action airbrush gives you more control and precision. The lever, in the case of a dual action airbrush, serves a dual purpose. The first one is by pressing on it. The more you press, the more air comes out. The more air comes out, the stronger your stream of paint will be. By pulling the lever backward, you retract the needle into the gun letting the paint come out. The more you pull on the lever the more paint will come out. By combining these two aspects you obtain a higher degree of precision with which you can work to maximize your results.

The 1.5 action is a mixture of both in which by pulling on the lever you can control the flow of paint at a fixed pressure. Most airbrush artists will control the pressure flow with the pressure regulator in their compressor instead of with the lever of the airbrush. The 1.5 action capitalizes on this notion. There are some interesting model available along with this concept such as the Colani from Harder & Steenbeck.

The second aspect you will be looking for when buying an airbrush is the position of the cup. The three common are: the cup on top, the cup underneath or the cup on the side.

 

Gravity fed airbrushes

Gravity fed airbrushes are the one with the cup on top. As the name suggest, the paint flow through the gun by simple gravity. This is the model you want to get. Simple as that.

 

Bottom fed airbrushes

Bottom fed airbrushes have a cup underneath the gun. The paint is fed by suction. These are usually good when you need large quantities of paint since you can have cup of various sizes. They are also good for the messy painters since there is no danger of spilling the paint from the cup while working.

They are also great for illustration or t-shirt artists since they allow a quick transition between colours by simply switching the bottles. So if speed is the issue, they are definitely a must. In our case they are less than ideal. We work with small quantities of paint. The quantities I often mix would be too little to be suck by the gun. In the end it would mean more paint wasted.

 

Side fed airbrushes

The last type, and the less common type is the side fed airbrush. The cup in this case is situated on the side of the airbrush and can pivot. It might be hard to see the use for that but imagine an airbrush artist working on a ceiling mural or who has to reach a weird spot on a car and so on. We have the luxury of being able to turn around what we work on, some don’t. So to avoid spilling the content of the cup in your face in these awkward position vou simply pivot it.

 

Brands of airbrushes

There are several brands of airbrushes out there. All of them usually produce one or two  good airbrushes except for one company which I will not mention. You need to be careful where you buy your airbrush. The local gaming/hobby store might carry some but they are usually from the companies you should avoid. The local airbrush store, if you have the chance to have one in your city, will most likely carry the better quality but they are accustomed mostly to every type of airbrushing artists except the modelists/figurine painters. The specialized airbrush store can give you great advice on how to maintain and clean your airbrush but be careful of what they consider good and bad. The best airbrush for a modelist is often the worst for an illustration artist and vice versa.

I recommend two brands of airbrushes: Iwata and Harder & Stenbeck. I personally use the later. Iwata has been sitting on a throne for years. They are without a doubt one of the best companies producing guns for all range of works. But they tend to be expensive and hard to maintain.

Harder & Stenbeck is a fairly new comer, especially in North America. They offer guns with great versatility. One model of airbrush can often fit 5 or 6 different sizes of nozzle which avoid you to buy several guns if you need to work on different scales and save money. They also have a much more simple design that allows easier maintenance. The price range is also much more affordable for equivalent quality from Iwata.

 

Compressors

Compressors come in various forms and shapes. They can also serve various purposes. You can find compressors at your local hardware store for a fraction of the price of a compressor design for airbrush.

There is nothing wrong with these compressors but a few adjustments need to be done. First, they are the loudest compressors available. If you live in a small apartment or you do not want to wake the kids up they are not the best choice for you. It’s always possible to install them in the basement and have a cable run to your work station. In fact with the noise they are doing you should really consider that option unless you want to go crazy.

The second thing you will need in this case is a pressure regulator that will allow you to control the debit of air. Be aware that while airbrushing you will not need more than 2 bar, 30 psi, of pressure. A lot of the compressors from your hardware store are designed  for higher pressure to use with various tools such as nail gun and such. So make sure the regulator provided with the compressor covers this range before you have your airbrush explode in your hand.

The last thing you will need is a water trap. These compressors create a lot of heat while running which in turn creates condensation. This condensation will become running bubbles of water in your air flow. Basically a disaster in the making. A regulator comes with a water trap but in this case it might not be enough. Most brands produce water traps as accessories that can be fitted directly to the airbrush. And of course you will need a few adaptors to make everything fit.

When talking about airbrush compressors the price range goes from more or less 100$ to a few thousands. Of course the “few thousands” option is designed for professional shops that need to plug several airbrush on one tank and for heavier work than what we do. The two main types of compressors we will encounter are electrical compressors with diaphragm or oil compressor.

The diaphragm compressor is the more affordable one. You can find a single piston compressor without an air tank for 100$ and up. They are usually light weight and easy to carry around. So perfect for the quick outside jobs but that is it. The absence of an air tank means that the compressor will run every time you need air pressure which will result in a rapid over heat and create condensation. You usually have 45 minutes of continuous work before the troubles begin.

You definitely want to get a compressor with an air tank. This will cost you 150$ and more depending on the model and brand. The tank will store air allowing the compressor to work only when the pressure is too low. This gives you much more time to work without issues. In fact you are good for several hours in a row. It also means less noise as your compressor will not run constantly.

Single or dual piston? Dual piston is usually better and means 300$ and up. A dual pistons compressor allow your tank to fill up quicker. It also means a longer lifetime for your compressor since it will run less.

The two main issues you will encounter with diaphragm compressors are noise and lifetime. Although they are much more silent than an industrial compressor they are still noisy. They are good for apartment since they will not wake up the upstairs/downstairs neighbour or your roommate/kids but they can still become annoying after a long period of work.

They also have a fairly short lifetime. If you use them regularly, expect roughly 2 years before it needs repair. Unfortunately it is often better to get a new one rather than go through the process of reparation.

If your budget allows it, I highly recommend to choose an oil compressor. These go for 750$ and up usually. The first major advantage of an oil compressor is the noise level. They are usually at the same level as a domestic aquarium or less. Obviously if you limit your airbrushing to basecoating, the expense is definitely not worth it. If you want to develop your airbrushing skill past this first step and you are planning to do it regularly then it becomes interesting.

The second major advantage is their lifetime. Oil compressor do not have the same wear and tear than the diaphragm ones. As long as you change the oil every other year and make sure the level is ok these compressors should last you a lifetime making your investment much more beneficial.

The only disadvantage with oil compressors is that they are difficult to move with. They need to stay stable to avoid the oil from spilling into the air tank. So they need to be handle with caution when you are moving them.

In term of brand I do recommend Silentaire. They carry a complete line from diaphragm to oil compressors. They are usually easy to find in specialized airbrush store.

 

Accessories

There are a few accessories that will come handy to work with and maintain your airbrushes.

The first one is a cleaning kit. There are several options available including various tools. The one I recommend is the MACK Cleaning Kit. It comes with a wide selection of brushes and file. The most interesting feature of it is definitely the bottle. One of the best I have seen for thinner. The other interesting feature is the hard brush that you can use to clean the cup in between colours.

The quick connect is the second absolute accessory you will need. The quick connect will allow you to swap airbrushes with the compressor still on. The Harder & Steenbeck line of airbrushes and hoses come with them. Most of the other companies offer it as an option. It is vital when your airbrush suddenly clogs and you need to take it apart. Without it you will need to purge your compressor before which takes a while. Of course,  if your compressor do not have a tank you do not have to worry about this.

The final accessory is the nozzle cleaning set. The nozzle of an airbrush is the most complicated part to clean properly. The brushes can’t go all the way in and paint tend to accumulate. This cleaning device will allow you to properly clean your nozzle and avoid the accumulation of paint.

 

I have the gear. What now?

The first thing you should do when you get your airbrush and compressor is to read the instruction manual. It might appear basic but models change from one company to another and you can obtain vital information with a quick read.

The second step will be to get familiar with your gear. You should definitely take apart your airbrush and rebuild it a few times to get familiar with the pieces and how they fit with one another. Make sure to have the components schematic handy before starting and take the time to attentively observe where are the parts and how they are assembled before taking them apart. Do not worry, you will most likely put the lever backward a few times in the process.

Note that you should be careful while taking apart your airbrush. Make sure to do it above a flat and clean surface. By clean I mean not cluttered by dozen of minis, brushes and paint pots.
There are two components you should really be careful with: the nozzle and the needle. In fact, I highly recommend to always have at least one spare of each. Note that the needle should always be removed before the nozzle. While removing the needle make sure to do it in a straight direction to avoid bending it.

The needle is the most fragile part of your airbrush. You should always be careful when manipulating it. If the tip was to be bent you will have to replace it. Although a needle cost around 15$ it always breaks when you need it the most.

The nozzle is the other fragile part. It’s fragility is emphasized by it’s size. If you have an Iwata, they are usually really small and easy to lose down the drain while manipulating it. The Harder & Stenbeck model are bigger and easier to manipulate but still pretty small. This component usually cost around 40$ so make sure to take proper care of it.

 

Nozzle Sizes

The other common question when buying an airbrush is what nozzle size to use. You will find any size from 0.12mm to way bigger. Most entry level airbrushes comes with a 0.5mm which is a little too big for our purposes. The smaller nozzle will allow you finer lines but the width of the spray will be narrow so you area of coverage will be limited. The bigger nozzle will give you larger lines but will also give you a larger width.

If you have the option, get a two in one kit, such as the infinity and evolution from Harder & Stenbeck, which will give you two options (0.2 and 0.4mm) with the same airbrush. If you have only one option to choose i would suggest a 0.3-0.4mm to start with. Any size above should be avoided for miniature painting. Get accustomed with the bigger size before moving to the smaller which is more technical.

 

Paints

Most acrylic paints that we are already using are good for airbrushing. Yes there are several paint lines designed especially for airbrushing but once again these are mostly designed for illustration.

 

Tamiya

Tamiya is the line mostly used in our hobby. They are designed solely for airbrushing so avoid using them with a brush. Furthermore, although it is an acrylic paint, it is best to thin it with a lacquer thinner instead of the usual alcohol mix we will discuss later. I usually try to use this line of paint if the brush work will be minimal such as on vehicles.

Since they are designed for airbrushing they flow really well without clogging your airbrush. They take a little longer to dry though. As said they do not work well with a brush so on a model which will include a lot of brushwork you will need to find an equivalent colour from your regular range.

 

GW, Vallejo, P3, Reaper, etc…

All these paints will flow well through your airbrush if thinned properly. They are primarily designed to be brushed on, which means that they usually dry fast. The inconvenient with these paint is that they will quickly dry on the tip of your needle. You will need to constantly check the tip to avoid accumulation. You can easily clog your airbrush if you do not pay attention. You will have to pull the needle further back to have a flow of paint and therefore lose the precision.

Take the habit of shooting paint on your hand before shooting on your surface. You will feel the humidity of the paint even in the smallest amount. If you need to pull your needle further back than usual before feeling the humidity you need to clean the tip. Use a cotton swabs with rubbing alcohol, or your nails (if you are careless like me) to remove the excess of paint.

 

Specialized airbrush paint (Golden, Createx…)

Once again these brands are usually excellent paint to be used with an airbrush. They flow extremely well, even without being thinned, have a good coverage and such. The issue is that they are primarily designed for illustration work. Therefore they are really fragile to manipulate, they take a really long time to dry (which can be reduced by using more alcool in your thinning mix) and scratch  easily.. You will need a good coat of varnish to protect them. Furthermore, even the best of masking tape will tear these paint away. They can be used for special effects but they should be avoided as your primary medium.

 

Thinner

Several products exist on the market to thin your paint for airbrushing. Once again the homemade solution is the most affordable and adequate. I personally use a mix composed of 85% water and 15% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). The alcohol can also be use to clean your airbrush after each session.

If you local tap water contains a lot of minerals you might want to use demineralized water. It can usually be found at your local drugstore.

This mix can also be use with Tamiya paint. As said previously, a lacquer thinner is usually better. Be careful if you use lacquer thinner. Your airbrush needs to be thoroughly clean. If there is any paint residue left it will dissolve into a gum that will clog your airbrush.

In any cases it is recommended to wear a mask to avoid inhaling the fumes, especially if you work with the lacquer thinner.

 

Thinner ratio

I usually use a ratio of 5 parts thinner and 1 part paint. It gives me a transparent mix which can be built up with layers but still have enough coverage power for opaque lines. The ratio will change depending on the effect desired. More thinner will be added to increase the transparency. You can use less thinner to have more coverage but remember that it is better to build up thin layers. Remember that there is no colours that react the same way. Yellow and reds doesn’t need to be thinned too much to obtain a transparency effect. Black will need a higher ration though. Once again the more you do it the more you will get accustomed to the various ratio needed for specific colours and effects.

 

Pressure

The other tricky aspect of airbrushing is to know what pressure to use. The basic principle is simple. The more pressure you have the further away you will propel your paint and the thicker your paint can be. The lower pressure will limit your reach and you’ll have to make sure to use more fluid paint.

The nozzle size also has an impact. The bigger the nozzle the more pressure you will use. Smaller nozzle will use less pressure. I recommend a pressure of 2 bars (30 psi) when you start. You might, in certain occasion, use up to 3 bars for larger project but I would not recommend it. So when you begin lock your compressor at 2 bars and get accustomed to the feel of applying paint with an airbrush. Only after that you should start experimenting with the various pressure level.

Usually, the finer details you want to accomplish the lower pressure you will be using. 0.75 bar (10 psi) should be your minimum though. Use higher pressure for base coats and coverage. You also need to remember that if you use high pressure that you will have to apply thin coats. By thin coats I do not mean thinner paint but thin coat which means that you’ll use a small amount of paint by slighty pulling the needle. If your coat is too thick or wet, the high pressure will simply push it around forming firework/spider webs effect and although it might sound “cool” it is far from it.

You also need to realize the basic physics principle at work. The closer you are from your surface the more impact your pressure will have. The further away you are the pressure will not be as strong and will limit its impact.

Some will tell you that they control the pressure level with the trigger. As said originally the more you press on the trigger the more pressure you have. No need to tell you that it is pretty hard to control the level of pressure and always obtain the same level this way. Always use the pressure gauge on your compressor to control pressure and simply press on your trigger all the way down. It will make your life so much more enjoyable.

 

Masking tape

You will need low tac masking tape. You will want to cover up areas which are not to be painted. Be careful, overspray travel far and wide so do not hesitate to cover up what you already worked on. In this case you will need to avoid the regular masking tape for a specialized one.

The beige roll we all have at home is good for painting your house. Unfortunately it is a bit too sticky for us and will most likely rip the paint from your surface. Tamiya produce a good quality low tac masking tape. It is available in various width. I usually get the larger one and simply cut the size I need from it.

 

What now?

So you have the gear, you have the paint, you have a fair idea of how to thin your paint and the pressure level that should be used. What’s next? Start shooting paint. It is now time to launch yourself and try it.

I would suggest starting with something big and not too important like scenery. It will not be an issue if there is overspray or leak on sceneries. No one will really look into too much details. Once you are comfortable reduce the scale, move to tank. The flat surfaces will help you practice your blending and remember to use the angle as guide points. After that move to a monster. It is still pretty big but you will be able to work on the various muscles and other parts. Keep reducing the size of your project until you are able to apply a base coat, first shadows and highlights on a 28mm human figure.

You need to remember that an airbrush has its limits. You can do a lot with it and save a fair amount of time. But eventually you will need to move to a regular brush for the final touches and details. Also be logical. If you take 30 minutes to mask an area to be airbrushed that would have taken you 20 minutes to paint with a brush simply use the brush.

So it is now time to experiment for yourself. So brush up your vernacular verbal profanities and have fun!