This is OT but I thought that some of you might know . My wife paints in acrylic and has wanted to try airbrush for some shading and backgrounds. There are several books on the subject but which ones would you recommend?
To be honest, Jeff, I think the books are of limited value. Just pick up the airbrush, load it with paint (well thinned) and start experimenting 'til you get the feel for it. You're wife is an artist already, so she'll pick it up quickly enough. I guess the hardest part is the tech stuff. Keeping the gun clean, making sure the paint has no impurities that may cause clogging. Be very careful not to damage the delicate needle when cleaning. Don't know what sort of compressor you're intending to use, but one with storage tank is better than direct (like many mini compressors are) because you get smooth airflow rather than annoying "pulsing". Always use some sort of moisture filter, or you'll get spitting. Maybe there are some youtube clips on this stuff? Best of luck to your wife with her endevours, I always enjoyed working with airbrush myself, something magical about it.
Spend a little more and get a dual-action gun. They let you control both the paint flow and the air flow from the trigger while you paint. Much better for shading and more advanced techniques that an artist would enjoy. Single action brushes are more like small rattle cans; they're either on or off, no controlling the paint flow. Iwata makes really nice brushes, I love mine. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I airbrushed as a fulltime occupation from 1961-2008 when I retired. While many of us did indeed learn by just practicing, you will progress faster if you have an information source. The airbrush club on Facebook has 6000 members and most are willing to answer any questions you have. It's a very friendly group comprised of veteran painters, beginning airbrushers and at every level in between. Airbrush Action magazine is available at B&N. They have training videos and offer 3-day workshops, called Getaways, a few times a year, with the best of the best as their instructors. You will learn exponentially in an environment like that if you have the budget. Even people who think they already know how to airbrush will learn more there, if you have the budget for one of those. It's a way to write off a vacation to Vegas!
Thanks for the replies! She has been really enjoying the ability to shade background to give an out of focus look. I got her a decent Iwata gun and a small contractors compressor....noisy as hell! She would like to be able to do flames as well as other images.....I'll let her experiment on the fire truck.....flames on a fire truck , seems right!
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