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So what do people think of using an airbrush? Is it cheating, i mean blending colours together to get the purfect change in highlight instead of having to wet blend! A quick way of getting the basecoats down ready for highlighting.

In the next month or so i myself is planning to get an airbrush to see what the fuss is all about!

Whats all your thoughts on Airbrushing!

An airbrush is tool. No different then a brush, or any other tool.

Anyone who complains about you using an airbrish IS a tool...

An airbrush is never a cheat. It takes real skill to use, and some of the techniques are far more intensive than brushwork. There's always a time and a place for airbrushing, and generally most minis will still need to be finished with brushwork. I'm a fond lover of both.

If you're buying an airbrush, then make sure you also get all the gear you need to look after it - cleaning tools (take care with your choices, as some parts can be damaged by steel brushes, whereas synthetics struggle in terms of abrasive power on other parts. Get a mix) You'll need to keep it clean. Most of the time, you can flush through with whatever sovent you use to thin your paint, but every now and again, a dose of alcohol and a full cleanup keeps it working. Invest in a cleaning station, it's a small pot that you plug the business end of the airbrush into when you flush it through. Simple device, but well worth the money.

In the UK, you could probably get away without a watertrap, but it's a good idea to have one. A regulator is a must.

A tank is useful, as it helps retain regular pressure. A pump to airbrush setup tends to pulse, leading to fluctuation in pressure, which makes it difficult to get even coverage, and a bit iffy for blends and zenital work. Having a tank means the compressor will draw from the tank through the regulator at a consistent rate. The pump will also work less, as once the tank fills, it will go to sleep until pressure in the tank drops below a certain level. This helps extend the lifetime of the compressor.

Go for a gravity feed airbrush, as opposed to a suction feed, they tend to perform better, although a suction feed is just fine for basecoats and whatnot.

Here's a great deal: http://www.airbrushcompressorshop.co.uk/products/compressor-kits/aibrush-compressor-kit-ii-studio/

It comes with a tank. The cheaper option doesn't, but you get two airbrushes. Also invest in some PTFE for your connections, it stops airbleeds when the threads are imperfect.

Anyone who doesn't grind and mix their own pigments with a tempera base, and make their own brushes from hair plucked from a live camel's tail, is a filthy cheat.

Kilkrazy wrote:Anyone who doesn't grind and mix their own pigments with a tempera base, and make their own brushes from hair plucked from a live camel's tail, is a filthy cheat.

LOL! Love it, I knew that camel head i have in the shed would come in handy!!

@ Phayse....Thats a good starting kit nice 1 dude! I was thinking to start of with a £100 Airbrush and around about a £100 for a Compressor & Tank but thats kit has the basics i need i guess!

CT GAMER wrote:An airbrush is tool. No different then a brush, or any other tool.

Anyone who complains about you using an airbrish IS a tool...

This, so much. I could maybe understand (but not agree with) folks who saying paying some one to paint your army is "cheating" but an airbrush, really? I thought I ran into elitist when dealing with some of my other hobbies (guns, back packing) but I think this takes the cake....

It's a valid tool that takes skill to use, why anyone else would care is beyond me. Maybe some good natured ribbing from a buddy who is just giving you a hard time, but if someone actually believed that crap I'd be floored.

I think some people are under the impression using an airbrush is on par with using a magic primer can with " AWESOME PERFECT BLENDZ LEWL " on the label

The technical skill required to use one is a lot more then I assumed before I started using one, the maintenance alone is insane, then there is of course learning the correct paint thinness, line control, colour use, air pressure, compressor control, etc etc. I would put it easily on par with if not harder overall than learning to wet blend

Perhaps for basecoating purposes, and even then it's not "cheating". Imo, the only "cheat" in painting models is dipping. Dipping in the bad sense of course, as in splattering paint over your models randomly so as to fulfill some kind of FLGS or tournament requirement. Dipping as in for quicker washes is fine.

Using an Airbrush is totally cheating.

The only honest way to paint your army is to Dip it.

Truf.

Kilkrazy wrote:...make their own brushes from hair plucked from a live camel's tail...

Would hair plucked from a camel toe work?

Airbrush a cheat? No way, no how. In fact, I don't think there is anyone anywhere that thinks that...



King Ghidorah

Ifalna wrote:I think some people are under the impression using an airbrush is on par with using a magic primer can with " AWESOME PERFECT BLENDZ LEWL " on the label

Your airbrush doesn't blend for you Ifalna? What is it, a bajillion years old?

The technical skill required to use one is a lot more then I assumed before I started using one, the maintenance alone is insane, then there is of course learning the correct paint thinness, line control, colour use, air pressure, compressor control, etc etc. I would put it easily on par with if not harder overall than learning to wet blend

All of this is true.

Some people say similar things about digital painting vs traditional brush-and-canvas.

You might get bigger props for executing a flawless blend across a large surface with a regular brush, but at some point you might have to ask "why didn't I just use an airbrush?"

Anyone tells you that you're cheating is a down right spanker. Airbrushing is the way to go broseph.

bushido wrote:Some people say similar things about digital painting vs traditional brush-and-canvas.

You might get bigger props for executing a flawless blend across a large surface with a regular brush, but at some point you might have to ask "why didn't I just use an airbrush?"

QFT.

If your headspace is "How can I achieve the best finish I can?" then go airbrush. Don't turn down a great finish just because someone on the internetz might have a pop. As has been covered, airbrushing takes a lot of skill, so anyone who does give you a hard time either is jealous or a massive flange.

Factoid.

That said, it's handy as hell for other stuff too.

Same can be said for Digi painting. It's hard as hell to do well. The only handicap factor is that canvas doesn't come with an "undo button"

>_>

Kanluwen wrote:
Your airbrush doesn't blend for you Ifalna? What is it, a bajillion years old?

I know dude, I think I got scammed.

Airbrush a cheat? At what? A non-airbrush painting contest category? What is the point of this thread?

@Undivided: Dipping isn't cheating either. How the heck is it cheating and what rule is being broken in your made up painting contest that would make dipping cheating? What kind of insane rules do you impose on yourself and your hobby?

@Sckitzo: Please explain how paying somebody to paint your army is cheating? Cheating at what? Unless you plan on entering those models in a best painted competition then who exactly is being cheated? Why do so many people impose these silly restrictions about what is or isn't acceptable to use to get your amy painted and on the table?

Case in point. I've just been accused of dipping my fist cappy over at CMON.

Excessive Roffels. If dip did that, I'd be having animal sex with the creators.

Phayse wrote:
Here's a great deal: http://www.airbrushcompressorshop.co.uk/products/compressor-kits/aibrush-compressor-kit-ii-studio/

It comes with a tank. The cheaper option doesn't, but you get two airbrushes. Also invest in some PTFE for your connections, it stops airbleeds when the threads are imperfect.

Thats the exact same model compressor I have, but I think I got it from another store, would have to double check Fantastic starter machine, extremely quiet, nice amount of storage in the tank, and no air leaks at all in the connectors. The airbrush looks like the same version I have as well, but without the additional needles and cup sizes included.

One cannot cheat at their hobby. The idea of a hobby is to do what YOU want to do, therefore; airbrushing, dipping, or any other item that may be considered cheating automatically makes the accuser guilty of being pompous.
Just paint how you want to paint, that is the most important part! Hobby for fun!

Kilkrazy wrote:Anyone who doesn't grind and mix their own pigments with a tempera base, and make their own brushes from hair plucked from a live camel's tail, is a filthy cheat.

This^

...but I get my brushes from the hair of weinerdogs.

Ifalna wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:
Your airbrush doesn't blend for you Ifalna? What is it, a bajillion years old?

I know dude, I think I got scammed.

There's only one solution. An epic journey to Mount Olympus to ask Zeus' favor and to seek revenge upon those who've cheated you!

augustus5 wrote:Airbrush a cheat? At what? A non-airbrush painting contest category? What is the point of this thread?

@Undivided: Dipping isn't cheating either. How the heck is it cheating and what rule is being broken in your made up painting contest that would make dipping cheating? What kind of insane rules do you impose on yourself and your hobby?

...?

Apparently there are some ill-informed people -- not in this forum, of course -- who think that "dipping" means literally dunking your model in a bucket of paint.

In other words, not the Miracle Dip shading+varnishing technique.

Deadshane1 wrote:Using an Airbrush is totally cheating.

The only honest way to paint your army is to Dip it.

Truf.

WIN

Kanluwen wrote:

Ifalna wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:
Your airbrush doesn't blend for you Ifalna? What is it, a bajillion years old?

I know dude, I think I got scammed.

There's only one solution. An epic journey to Mount Olympus to ask Zeus' favor and to seek revenge upon those who've cheated you!

Or, y'know just firebomb the place.

>_>


Just for the record, I 100% do not condone (DO IT!) pyrotechnics of any (DO IT!)kind, and I most certainly do not (DO IT!) have a sideline in (DO IT!) fire insurance no matter how completely awesome the effects may be.