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I plan to buy one soon…can anyone tell me what a good bang for my buck is? I can spend quite a bit on it, but if a $40 on is as good as a $100 one I would love to know peoples opinions…
I’m curious of this as well.. my bf is curious to learn to airbrush (I wouldn’t mind learning either)
I had a really cheap badger 150 I was using up until christmas. It did ok on large areas. Not so well if you didnt want spatter everywhere if you were trying to do more than one color! I got a better airbrush as a christmas present from my parents(an iwata), there is one heck of a difference. So…if you are just going to be doing basecoats, a cheaper one works fine. If you want to try to do some finer details I think the better quality is worth the money.
I am no expert on airbrushes by any stretch of the imagination though =) I have only been using one for about 6 months!
What do you think if I got a Hi-Line Iwata…think that would do some pretty good detail? What all do I need to buy to use one of these things?
The one I have is simular so I think the hi line would be a good one >.<
You need a compressor, a hose (if the airbrush doesnt come with one, mine didnt), an airbrush cleaning kit (and cleaner fluid), air brush medium to add to your paints, and a booth to paint in (in my case a cut up cardboard box :bigsmile: ). Thats all I can think of at the moment.Does brand matter on the compressor and all that? And waht brand of medium do I need, where do I buy it from? I’m so blonde…lol
Honestly I have no idea >.< I have only ever had one, I got a paasche (it was on sale). It has done great for me, but I imagine any decent brand would do as well. I suggest getting a compressor with a air tank attached though, it makes the air flow more even from what I understand.
I have used both golden and liquitex air brush medium, they both do great. I buy almost all my art supplies online, but I think michaels carrys it if you want a walk in store. Dickblick.com is a pretty good online art store if you prefer that method.
I’ve seen pretty good ones in the middle $50 range that is nearly as reputable as the higher end models 🙂
One difference that can add to the price tag is which version of the airbrush you’re buying. They have different number of triggers that controls the speed and volume of the paint used.
OK, from my personal experience and readings on the subject:
The best features for a compressor is one that regulates air pressure, is oilless (otherwise you’ll need an oil trap), and has an air reservoir/air tank. You’ll also want a moisture/water trap, but that can be bought and added to the compressor if it doesn’t already have one attached, or you can buy an airbrush hose with one built in (or, have both).
You can buy airbrush specific compressors, that are pretty quiet, and have nifty features like auto shut-off and come with water traps. Sometimes they can be bundled in with an airbrush purchase package. Or you can go the general piston air compressor route, like models you buy at stores like Sears that have larger air tanks, higher max PSI, and can be used for other things besides airbrushing (brad nailing, inflation, etc.).
I didn’t have positive experiences with a Diaphragm compressor. The air “pulsated”, so it didn’t come out even. My first was a diaphragm compressor, and it now is a giant paperweight. Just my 2 cents. Others may sing their praises.
I currently use a Craftsman piston air compressor with a 4(5?) gallon air tank that I bought at Sears. It has versatility, so I can use it for other things besides airbrushing, but it’s also loud, big, and heavy. I’m happy with it, but I can understand why those kinds of compressors can be a turn-off.
It’s late, so sorry if I didn’t add any new information to the discussion. I’ll have to add to the airbrush brand discussion when I have more time.
Also, I’ve used both Liquitex and Golden Airbrush Medium, and from my observations, Golden seems to have more retarder in it. I’d like to know if others have observed this as well…?
Okay this seems like a good thread to post this question.
I have an old Aztec airbrush from 2004 and two air compressors. I am considering trying my hand at airbrushing a pyo’s but my questions are this,
What’s the best site for airbrush paints?
Do I start with a dark base or a light base that fades up?
And finally, would any one recommend starting with airbrush or hand painting to get use to color combinations?
If any one has comments or suggestions on how I should start out in this area please advise. Thanks for your time.
Okay this seems like a good thread to post this question.
I have an old Aztec airbrush from 2004 and two air compressors. I am considering trying my hand at airbrushing a pyo’s but my questions are this,
What’s the best site for airbrush paints?
Do I start with a dark base or a light base that fades up?
And finally, would any one recommend starting with airbrush or hand painting to get use to color combinations?
If any one has comments or suggestions on how I should start out in this area please advise. Thanks for your time.
Any acrylic paint can be made into airbrush paint by using “airbrush medium”. And dickblick.com is a good place for art supplies in general, so you might look there.
And generally, light colors don’t look good on dark. So going from light to dark would be best.
I originally had one of those “baby” compressors (still have it). It worked fantastic when I was using my old duel-action airbrush. No issues… until I got a different airbrush. I got some single action badger that it just refused to work with. So. I got an airtank. It’s meant for something with cars… I’m not sure. But it’s a 5 gallon airtank. It works fantastic, and it’s silent since it’s not electronic. I can adjust the pressure and everything you can do with an expensive air compressor. The only catch is, you have to be able to refill it. I’m not sure if there are multiple ways to do so, but I use some $300+ air compressor meant for use with automobiles. My dad restores cars, so it’s always been in the garage. But I bet there are other ways to refill it.
So, if you have a way to refill it, this is a possible cheap “air compressor”.But as I mentioned above, my original electronic air compressor didn’t work with my new airbrush… so I wonder if all compressors have a chance to be incompatible with certain airbrushes. If that’s the case, it would be best to go with an air compressor that is of the same brand of airbrush you plan to use.
All that being said, anyone know an easy way to clean duel action airbrushes? I switched to a single action airbrush because I was sick and tired of having to dismantle the entire airbrush just to clean it. Single actions are so much easier to clean. But, at least in my experience, they don’t keep the “clean lines” as long as duel action. I tend to use my airbrush for base coats and large color sections, and then go in with a brush for everything else, so what airbrush I use at the moment doesn’t really matter… but I know I’d like to eventually be able to go start to finish with an airbrush. Would be fun.
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