This is the main question of any aerografista that begins in the world of airbrushing, des Racing Colors we always recommend to start with a airbrush, economic, and for what? First of all because it work perfectly and the technical grade that you with your knowledge base will be practically the same with one of higher cost, and in addition, in the event that, due to lack of practice in handling't break any parts (something very common in your first steps) these parts will be also much more economic.
Another option, for those who have a conscious decision about your foray into airbrushing is to opt for an airbrush brand (Iwata, Badger, Harder & Steenbeck, Sagola, etc) in their ranges initials that can range from between 80 and 130 euros. Are the airbrushes long haul for the quality of its materials and the optimization of its components, but involve an initial investment greater.
Aerógrados of Gravity VS Airbrush Suction VS Airbrush Side
It is a very common question and then we are going to review their differences:
- The deposit on the top makes them more comfortable to handle because its weight is above the body of the airbrush.
- They are focused on the airbrushing of detail as they come usually with steps fine nozzle/needle of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm fact which is associated with its deposits of small size (7ml to 9ml) and fixed (most are welded to the body) that facilitate the movement of technical short-haul.
- Has the tank in the lower part of the body and the absorption of paint is done by “sucking”, its deposits are larger in size (28ml to 112ml) and tend to go in line with steps nozzle higher (0.35 mm to 1.0 mm).
- Are focused to aerografías of larger size where more detail is required small anchor color.
- Another advantage is that your steps more loose allow them to work pigments more dense (metallic, pearlescent, fluorescent, etc) without the need for large dilutions of paint.
- Their deposits are interchangeable so you can have a tank for each color and go by quick changes of color.
- These airbrushes have the tank at the same height of the body, but are located to one of the sides. Are airbrushes for specialists who are required to have a field of central vision totally clear, that's why they are used in usually in aerografías of high detail illustration.
- Have tank size small/medium and are interchangeable. Their steps nozzle/needle tend to be very thin 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm
What compressor and airbrush to buy?
Today you can find on the market compressors for airbrushing of many types, but in order to know exactly what it is that you have to ask yourself how much time you'll be working continuously.
To do this look at these two points that we emphasize so that you can get out of doubts:
* How larger the area to work with the airbrush more powerful has to be your compressor for airbrushing.
- To-size ratio of the compressor by discipline aerográfica:
- How more pieces in a row you want to work with the airbrush more powerful has to be your compressor for airbrushing. EXAMPLE: A tattoo temporary what you can paint with a small micro compressor for airbrushing but if you want to do tattoos to the entire class of a school, since you'll need a compressor of large size.
- Interesting facts about compressors airbrushing:
- Boiler air: The tanks of air can be used to load of air before you start airbrushing and draw directly from there, they are like a reservoir of air that is going to provide the air flow without any cuts or drops in flow. Serve so that the engine can rest and not overheat as much, though in practice, the tanks of the compressors for airbrushing are so small that the charge of air is almost constant.
- Regulation air flow: most compressors have a pressure gauge through which to adjust the air pressure for an airbrush you have to regulate it to 2 -2,5 bar pressure. If you do not bring a pressure gauge to conventional surely have a thread that will allow you to increase or decrease the flow of air.
- Maintenance: compressors for airbrushing without oil (almost all) do not need maintenance any more than the control of its temperature. If you see that he is hot let it stand for a few minutes. To not wear oil does not dissipate heat as effectively and therefore tend to have greater warming than those who do work with oil. They are also much more economic.
- Power: brute force Is that it has a compressor to the supply air flow rate. As most Cv have your compressor airbrushing more air flow will be able to provide and more relaxed will be the time of work of airbrushing, non-intensive. The compressors of large size can supply air even for 2 airbrushes at the same time.
Annex:
- Air consumption of an airbrush (it will depend on your step nozzle/needle) = 10L/Min approximately
- Flow of air Compressors, MICRO = 10-15 L/Min
- Air flow Compressors MEDIA = 15-25 L/Min
- Air flow Compressors LARGE = 25-40 L/Min
What paintings of airbrush to buy?
The first thing that you have to keep in mind is that not all paintings are worth to be sprayed with an airbrush. The airbrush needs paint very liquid (similar thickness to that of the milk) so that they can flow through the passage so narrow that they have airbrushes. Not the airbrush you will outline with ease, and you spit out.
Today the resins most common work in airbrushing are the acrylic water based (Createx, Wicked Colors, Auto Air, Vallejo Premium, Game Air Vallejo, Com Art, Ilustration Createx, etc) but there are also acrylic based solvent such as House Of Kolor and Custom Creative.
Paints Water-Based VS Paints Solvent-Based
- Paints , water-based dried out more slowly, the paint solvent will have a drying much faster.
- Paints water-based, less polluting the environment (smell less), paints solvent-based smell stronger. So to work at home in a closed place are most recommended. However, both are harmful for the health in exhibitions, intensive and perlongadas at the time so it is very advisable to use masks against the fumes of the paint.
- Paints solvent-based allow for dilutions higher without losing body, with paints, water-based there are to be more accurate in their dilutions, and do not over spend your limit.
- How and with what diluyo paints for airbrushing?
It is best to use special gear units for these paints that harmonize the evaporation and help keep the body of the paint, even in dilutions stronger. You have the reducers High Performance for the whole range of paints, water-based acrylic and you've got the reducers - RU of House Of Kolor and the lowering of Racing Colors to dilute acrylic paints solvent-based.
In the absence of special gear units, you can use distilled water to acrylic paints in water-based, although its performance will come down.
Keep in mind that there are brands of paint sold by the paint diluted, “ready to use”, however, you should keep in mind that some pigments are thicker than others (white or black), keep in mind that the dilution is coming, made for an airbrush half step (if you use one more fine I will outline) and also be aware that factors such as heat can espesarla and the time that it takes stored will cause the part to be volatile of your mix (its reducer) to evaporate, so that in all these cases you will need to add reducer or thinner, despite the fact that it comes already diluted.
- Termination and coatings for paints for airbrushing
All the paintings of the airbrush, once dry, will give you a satin finish or semi-gloss (some even matt finishing), so if you want to remain bright or if you want to qualify you have to cover them with varnish, and also you have to airbrush. Part of the finish will serve as a protection layer to be more resistant to slanting and to the environmental agents. So we recommend that varnishes always all your works.
- Primer? Who is that?
Our paintings airbrushing might have difficulties to hold on to the substrates on which pulverizamos. Can have adhesion but not resistance (easily we could rip, or remove). This is due to a bad grip of the paint.
Generically, we must have the surface to work clean, degreased and dry. Then we have to sanding to promote a greater adhesion, to the sand, open the pore, and the matizaremos, and then? Back to clean the dust that we have generated, degreasing and dry again.
At this point it will be time for priming, airbrushing is usually to work directly mostly plastics which once sanded already tend to show a good grip, most of them (there are plenty of formulations which are plastic). However, there is no priming to promote enhanced adhesion of the paint, this will be the function of the primer, layer of grip. You can print also the metal with primers for airbrushing although its anti-corrosive power is low.
Cleaning and Maintenance of the Airbrush
This is the most important task facing the correct performance of any airbrush. Keep in mind that the airbrush is a tool very delicate, is made up of very small parts that go with threads tiny. Only the perfect fit of all your parts you will ensure the correct internal pressurized and air flow. Your manipulation has to always be careful. We recommend you to have a suitable place for your handling and in the event of disassembly to do it over a bucket or a rag to avoid any pieces that we drop we will lose.
Before you remove an airbrush should have your exploded view on paper, especially if we are new to airbrushing, to know then how to mount it again. Cleaning the airbrush:
- The airbrush has to be cleaned after each use, immediately, as later more dry and hard will be the paint. Pour liquid cleaner in the bucket /reservoir of paint (you have special cleaners for water-based and special cleaners for solvent-based) and spray in a place dirty, it would be ideal to have a cleaning station where spray debris, why she herself has a filter that purifies the vapors. Spray until you see that the liquid comes out clean, transparent. Then grab some cleaning brushes and clean the inside of the bucket, put back liquid cleaner and then the application of the final cleaning.
- In-depth cleansingfrom time to time it is good to disassemble your airbrush to the full and leave the parts submerged 1 day in liquid cleaner(for paint to soften), then one by one clean all parts and dry well (you will probably see remnants of paint dry that you have to remove). You have to take the body of the airbrush (now empty, because we have pulled out the needle and all its internal parts) and with a few sticks of cleaning rub well on the inside.
This process can take place provided that notes any dysfunctionality in your airbrush, adding a review, you review each piece while you're cleaning to see if it has any cracks or twist.
- Never tamper with the air valve (once removed it is very complicated to assemble)
- To re-assemble the airbrush, be careful that all parts are tight but without excessive force (you might break them), a piece that is poorly threaded will cause the airbrush does not pressurize.
- When you insert the needle again make it to the top that allows the opening of the shutter, don't force it forward or leave too much to the back. Excess force will cause the shutter to be cracked (sometimes it is imperceptible to the eye) and do not spray properly.
