Airbrush 101 | Otaku ME Blog

When painting a model kit there are several options you can choose from and one of it is airbrushing.

To some, airbrushing might seem like the hardest thing to do in the world of modelling, and it’s by no means the cheapest method to choose. However, it is one of the fastest ways to paint. With the right techniques and a bit of planning, you can achieve some of the best and cleanest paint jobs imaginable!

Safety Precautions:

Dealing with airbrushing can be dangerous, as the fumes of most paints can affect your health if you inhale them for long periods. Regular breaks in between sessions as well as being in a well-ventilated or open area is highly advised.

Please always wear a facemask while painting and avoid paint drips to sensitive areas of skin by wearing protective gloves.

Most Common Questions for Beginners:

1) Is airbrushing challenging for beginners?

- It is challenging if you immediately dive into airbrushing work on your kits without getting to know the basics or fundamentals of airbrushing.

Understanding the type of airbrush, compressors, types of paints, distance, even temperature or humidity, can dictate a good result of your airbrushing skills.

Lacquer based paints are the best options for airbrushing due to their durable paint coats and quick drying time. Acrylics can also be used with their slow curing process which can be beneficial for colour blending and tone adjustments.

Mr. Color (lacquer): [Click here]

Gaia notes (lacquer): [Click here]

Citadel air (acrylic): [Click here]

Ammo by Mig Jimenez (acrylic): [Click here]

2) Which airbrush should I buy?

- Here are a few suggestion of Airbrushes that we categorized in relation to user and output/ results.

BEGINNER LEVEL:

IW120 Iwata Gravity Feed Airbrushing Kit Neo:

Manufacturer: Iwata is one of the well-known brand in airbrushes. Quality and performance of the IW120 is up par with all other Iwata airbrushes, which comes in a set with a compressor is a good start for beginners, wherein, technically it is a start-up airbrush kit set.

Maintenance: Standard airbrush construction, which makes maintenance easier for beginners. Pen-type double-action airbrush construction. Just take extra careful with the needle and needle nozzle when doing maintenance, which is also the same with any airbrush out there.

Performance: It can provide good atomization of paint, and with the .035 needle it can do fine lines and transition to larger coverage with no issues. Cons: The compressor that comes with it is a start-up basic compressor that can only provide minimum output in terms of PSI (air pressure). The compressor can be a secondary compressor but for heavy usage we recommend to shift to a bigger or heavier PSI output compressors. The airbrush is compatible with all type of compressors.

MEDIUM LEVEL:

Wave HT431 Airbrush:

Spiral hose:

Compressor: LT023B Wave Compressor 317

Manufacturer: Wave Corporation

Maintenance: The airbrush uses the standard double action parts (press for air and pull for paint). It’s mechanism is simple with its chamber constructed differently than most other airbrushes which makes cleaning the inner workings fairly easy.

Performance: It gives you excellent results with its fine 0.3 needle and adjustable mechanism for finer, precision work. Light weight for more control, all while being ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in your palm.

Cons: Without proper maintenance, paint can build up on the nozzle cap which clogs up spraying end.

EXPERT LEVEL:

Ammo Cobra Airbrush:

Iwata smart jet Compressor:

c10

Manufacturer: Ammo By Mig Jimenez

Maintenance: Well designed to be robust and durable to make its investment worth it. A needle guard is introduced with the design which prevents paint clogging up the tip and a rubber paint cap for an easier clean up.

Performance: It guarantees impressive work with a precise and clean paint flow, being able to smoothly transition from fine lines using its 0.3 needle to wide area paint work seamlessly with great control.

Cons: None.

3) What is the common basic working PSI of air compressors when airbrushing?

- PSI or Pressure is needed to push out your paint to properly flow from you airbrush paint cup to the airbrush chamber, out from the nozzle to your model kit. Understanding how you properly determine the PSI needed for a paintjob, depends on the density of your paint, so paint ratio comes into big consideration

-Denser paint needs higher PSI for it to be properly atomized / “push-out” from the airbrush.

-Thinned paint flows better but be careful on how “thinned” your paints are in relation to pressure, tendency if you have thinned paints and high pressure means paint will splatter or pool down the edges of your model kits, so a lower working PSI is advisable.

- TIP: It is usually between 14 up to 23 working PSI for the most common paint jobs and even go as high as 30 to 60 PSI for gloss finishes.

4) How much paint thinner should I add?

Thinners are specific chemicals used to make paints less solid and runnier. By thinning the paint, it helps cover more area and gives an even coating to the surface.

- The goal for paint work when it comes to airbrushing is to try to get the same consistency as milk...yes… Which at times is tricky because different paint types have different densities.

Understanding the paint type you are going to use matters on how to thin them.

- Generally a 1:2 paint to thinner ratio for most paint types is advised and it can go up to 1:3.

- Some paint line like AMMO Acrylics are ready for airbrushing without thinning, but they also have thinners available if you want them for a more fluid paint flow.

-TIP/FIX: Compensate for an overly thinned paint mixture by lowering the PSI pressure to avoid splatters or pooling drips.

5) What is the best advice for beginner builders who want to airbrush?

- Building models can be a lot of fun, though customizing them to your preferences is even better. The easiest way to customize is to spice up the colours with paint.

Airbrushing can be quite an investment though once you understand the basics, it grants you a great way to advance your modelling skills. The best way to learn something it to step forward into new grounds and try out the methods for yourself!

Mistakes will be made, but there is nothing in this hobby that can’t be fixed with the right techniques.