Airbrushing for beginners.

[.Torch.]

Afternoon all,

I'll cut right to the chase, I want to start using an airbrush to help speed up the progress of painting my tanks. I'm trying to work towards a Space Marine Company, so understandable I want to save us much time painting up Rhinos and Razorbacks as possible and focus on my Marines.

The problem is I have no idea where to start. So I have a couple of questions:

 

1.) What would be a good tool to start with? (I don't want to break the bank, but at the same time I don't want something costing me loads if I have no idea how to use it!)

 

2.) What ratios do you mix your paints up in? (E.g. for basing and shading)

 

Thanks for the help B&C! :jaw:

 

.Torch.

[Olis]

I suggest looking here for some tips (you might want to browse a little). As I don't have an airbrush, this is just about all I can provide in terms of advice atm.

[RebG]

I was going through this process this time lat year. The bad news is, there's no correct answer, the good news is there's SO much information available.

 

To vaguely answer your specific questions:

 

1) You need to decide whether you just want something simple and cheap which will do you for basecoating or whether it's worth saving up to afford a better, more versatile tool. The middle ground would be looking at 'good' brands entry level brushes from people like Aztec or Badger - you're better off buying a cheap-ish basic brush from a good quality firm than a cheap-ish 'top end' brush from a dodgy anonymous company. The latter will look better on paper but quality is really something you pay for with these things.

 

Shop around, look for compressor/brush bundles from some retailers etc.

 

2) This will depend on too many variables for a direct answer - what paint are you using, what are you thinning with, what brush are you running at what pressure? Certain paints are going to need heavier thinning (Citadel base coats) while others, in some circumstances, won't need any (Vallejo Model Air range). It's something you pick up with practice - I might start spraying, thinking I've diluted the paint enough, only to see it doesn't flow too great - more thinning needed. Or, vice-versa, paint comes out too thin and watery, I've diluted it too much. It's a learning curve you'll pick up.

 

Search this forum, there are a few long threads on it which are useful with comments from some of B&C's top painters. Also look at other Warhammer forums but also use Coolminiornot and general airbrush forums. It can be an information overload and I needed to bookmark pages and make notes but I got a great airbrush and compressor from the research - now I just need to learn to use it better!

[Brother Lorien]

A few years ago i started of in the same way as you are now, not knowing what to choose and what to buy.

 

All i myself can do is let my own experience speak.

 

1.) What would be a good tool to start with? (I don't want to break the bank, but at the same time I don't want something costing me loads if I have no idea how to use it!)

 

What do you want to spray? I myself use my airbrush for my tanks and other vehicles (both 40k as WW2)

I have seen people airbrush miniatures and have them looking very good aswell.

If you want to do the first then any dual action airbrush will suffice, but if you want to do the latter then you need an airbrush with a very small nozzle , 0.2 or .3mm.

Want to paint larger surfaces? then you need an airbrush with a large cup , somewhere around 7ml or 9ml.

A needle limiter is also good for starting airbushers as you can limit the max size of your spray that way.

I myself have an Iwata and it works nice, but the best thing to do is go to a shop where they have a large selection of airbrushes and hold them in your hands, try them etc.

If it is a good shop then there a huge possibility that you can even try it out (at the shop that is).

Also look for a good compressor, with a water seperator/filter/reducor and pressure regulator.

I myself have a membrane compressor , which definitly needs the water seperator as it rather humid here in the Netherlands.

Membrane compressors have a problem with humidity.

 

2.) What ratios do you mix your paints up in? (E.g. for basing and shading)

 

You dont: its a matter of layers and the coveradge of your paint.

Allthough...if you want to do some post shading the paint needs to be rather thin (but also not too thin as it might run)

I myself use Vallojo model and Vallejo Air color, both with great succes.

CItadel paints are crap for airbrushing though, they need to be thinned too much , so much so that you lose pigmentation of the paint.

 

Also, with non-airbrush paints: clean often as they leave some residue.

Get a sealable pot and a marble or a ball bearing and thin and mix your paint in that, afterwards shaking it like a madman.

 

Hope this helps a bit

 

 

Marco

[Solax]

pretty long video but mountains of info :lol: the airbrush recommended for us gamers it this one because the well is shorter so you can see over it for the details on minis > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00471RFR...d=ATVPDKIKX0DER

[Tamwulf]

I hate mentioning other websites here, but try the Dakka Dakka painting forum and the Cool Mini or Not forum. Both have areas dedicated to airbrushing.

 

What really, really helped me was just getting on Youtube and watching people use their airbrush. You can pretty much find a technique for everything airbrush on Youtube. How to assemble it, how to dissemble, clean, maintain, and techniques.

 

It's a fascinating aspect of miniature painting!