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Hi,

I've assembled an army and for the first time I'm thinking of using an Airbrush so I'm not footslooging through paint a great many minis. I pretty much need to know everything lol

I'm currently looking for a cheapish airbrush/spray gun but what I really want help on is the paints. Do I still have to undercoat? Can I use regular GW or equivalent paints? Will they need any treatment or thinning?

Im hoping you guys can give me any help possible, even a little would be great.

Thanks

Yes, you still need to Prime, you should follow the instruction for whatever kits you are using. i.e. do the recommend washing before hand (ensure the model is dry afterwards). I use Vallejo Polyurethane Primer through the air brush.

Take a look at [url=http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/AIR_BRUSHES_AND_COMPRESSORS.html} RDG Tools[/url] for budget airbrush kits. if you call you will possibly get a good deal.

Yes, you will have to thin GW paint for use in an airbrush, at least 1:1 thinner:paint, same with Vallejo model/game colour. I use Vallejo airbrush thinners but have had good results with Tamiya X20 and Tesco concentrated screen wash.

As for techniques there are a multitude of Youtube vids and other internet resources you can look at but I found it to be a more suck it a see approach. Learn through trial and error.

Finally if this is you first whole army I would actually suggest buying a spray can primer and using that to do the lot. It is quick and you will get decent coverage without to much fuss. you don't want to get frustrated with an airbrush just to prime.

My tip - watch this 90 minute introduction to airbrushing. It covers pretty much everything you need to know and helps you understand what is out there, what it is good for and allows you to make informed decisions. =]

Thanks, can always count on dakka dakka disciples to help

Also, one of the most important things to learn is to make sure you airbrush is thoroughly cleaned after a days spraying.

Even with vallejo model air paints I still at thinner, around 3:1 ratio so not as much needed as citadel, model colour or game colour.

Regular bursts of airbrush cleaner through the brush during a painting session helps keeps the worst at bay. Windscreen washer can be used to do this, as its a cheaper option that airbrush cleaner that's quite expensive.

With regards to your actual setup, if you are gonna be using it a lot then potentially look at getting a compressor with a tank. Otherwise you may run in to issues during longer painting sessions.

As the others have said, youtube is a great place for inspiration, buy painted does tutorials and awesome paint job in particular stand out

Biggest tip. Be prepared to be cleaning your airbrush every 5 minutes. Because the first few times you use it, you're highly likely to have thinned the pain incorrectly and will have to start over.

When thinning the paint, thin it in a separate container. Also test a little of the paint with some thinner first. If you're using Alcohol based thinner like the Tamiya-X20A thinner there's a chance it won't get on well with the paint. And it's dependant on the particular paint, for example the old Solar Macharius Orange Foundation paint becomes a clumpy mess if you use Alcohol, while the old Blazing Orange is fine.

I thought I recognized that problem, Chrysis.

Yeah, alcohol thinner does not mix with water-based paints.

1)Clean that thang. Like, all the time. If you think it may get dirty, clean it just be sure.
2)Clean it again.
3)Look up some youtube vids on how to airbrush (awesomepaintjob is one channel I reccommend), clean your airbrush while watching them.
4)Once you feel confident to try some airbrushing (I started out by doing a lot of base coats to get used to mine), give it a whirl.
5)Clean the airbrush once you're done.
6)Clean it again.
7)Feel awesome for using an airbrush!

I just have to jump in here and say thank you for posting this video, I am just starting to watch it and am already learning a lot about airbrushes. I need to ask a question though, I am a new painter, should I learn to paint with a brush before I move to an airbrush or learn to use them together?

Dr_Grimm wrote:
I just have to jump in here and say thank you for posting this video, I am just starting to watch it and am already learning a lot about airbrushes. I need to ask a question though, I am a new painter, should I learn to paint with a brush before I move to an airbrush or learn to use them together?

Learn them together, If you can. An airbrush isnt a high skill tool to use at a basic level (basecoats perhaps). Theres very little crossover skills between operating a brush and and airbrush beyond steady hands and colour theory.

So learning one first won't particularly help you with the other, theyre both really useful, and have their own strengths, weaknesses and uses.

 Extreaminatus wrote:
I thought I recognized that problem, Chrysis.

Yeah, alcohol thinner does not mix with water-based paints.

1)Clean that thang. Like, all the time. If you think it may get dirty, clean it just be sure.
2)Clean it again.
3)Look up some youtube vids on how to airbrush (awesomepaintjob is one channel I reccommend), clean your airbrush while watching them.
4)Once you feel confident to try some airbrushing (I started out by doing a lot of base coats to get used to mine), give it a whirl.
5)Clean the airbrush once you're done.
6)Clean it again.
7)Feel awesome for using an airbrush!

This. A thousand times this.

I spend far more time cleaning than painting and have written off two (irretrievably blocked) cheapo airbrushes already. Recently invested in an Iwata Neo and hooked the needle in a week, probably due to paranoid over-enthusiastic cleaning. In the process of changing over to cleaning with IPA and end of session ultrasonic clean for a less invasive approach.

Can be incredibly frustrating, but I am starting to get some decent results now.

Good luck,
WABTY

Highly recommend a tanked air compressor, it will help keep moisture from reaching your airbrush. Also a good cleaning kit. I have found branded cleaner like createx weak when cleaning airbrushes. Mineral spirits and Winsor and Newton brush cleaner and restorer work well, especially the W&N stuff.

Like others have said some thinners react badly to paints, even if they are the same base (acrylic, enamel), simply pouring a drop of each together should show you if it will clump.

While I am not as prolific as Les is I have some videos up on YouTube about buying and caring for airbrushes under this name.

And I completely 100% endorse the Vallejo primer mentioned above.

Stuff is amazingly smooth even when brushed on!!

Oops

I can also suggest checking out awesomepaintjob.com - he does a lot of great airbrush stuff there.

Additionally, there are a lot of good airbrush resources on youtube and just do a few searches here.

One key thing - nothing replaces experience.
While there is a ton of good advice and you can learn a lot of information and techniques by watching vids or reading articles - the biggest challenges are usually those overcome by doing.
(how thick of paint, how close to the model, do you like paint A or B etc.).

So I strongly encourage you that once you get your awesome new airbrush, use it as much as you can. If not on minis, then practice on anything...get used to the trigger and how the needle operates, try experimenting with different thinning methods etc.

welcome to an exciting new tool....have fun and best of luck!

 Dr_Grimm wrote:
I just have to jump in here and say thank you for posting this video, I am just starting to watch it and am already learning a lot about airbrushes. I need to ask a question though, I am a new painter, should I learn to paint with a brush before I move to an airbrush or learn to use them together?

Best question in the thread.

I really believe that to get the most out of an airbrush it helps if you actually know how to paint first. If you don't know the basics, you won't really have any idea of what an airbrush can or cannot do.

I was an early adopter of airbrushing for miniatures starting about 14 years ago, so I have some perspective. I still do most of my work with a regular brush, and use the airbrushes for special effects like shading, color blocking large areas, base coating and stuff like that.

The biggest problem with airbrushing right now is the bandwagon effect. Guys see the pictures on the forums, see other people buying them and think 'I gotta get one too so I can do that!' But they really don't know what airbrushes will or will not do. So they spend a pile of cash on an airbrush and compressor, and the end result is they cant do anything more than base coat htier miniatures- which they could have done with a 10$ can of colored spray paint.

Airbrushes have a very steep learning curve- the time and money investment they require will often yield only marginal improvements in a novices paint jobs, compared to the same amount of time spent on regular techniques that usually have noticeable improvements since the cash investment can be focused on better products like washes which are the most bang for the buck- and techniques like dry brushing and edge highlighting which will have a new painter getting satisfying results much sooner.

Sure- some guys can paint ~most~ of a miniature with an airbrush. Guys like Les, or Buypainted have proven it can be done- but also that its not worth it. It takes longer to do an entire infantry mini with just an air brush than with a regular brush. Ideally- you mix the two tools and use each for the parts of the painting process they are best suited for. You can learn some of that watching 20 hours of youtube painting tutorials, but you still have to know how to take hte lessons from the screen to your own miniatures. Also- keep in mind on those youtube airbrush videos- on almost every single one of them- the parts where the brush gummed and they had to stop and clean the brush, that stuff is edited out. So it never looks like it, but running an airbrush is usually about 3/4 cleaning and maintnance time when you have a good paint mix. If your paint mix is off, you might be getting 10 seconds of spray for 3 or 4 minutes of cleaning and adjusting. Only experience (and having the right products) can help alleviate that part. And thats the part people rarely tell new airbrushers about- because its the part they never want to listen to(they jsut see cool toy thats supposed to paint their minis instantly!)

So- I strongly urge any new airbrush buyers- learn to paint with a regular brush first. If you only plan on ever buying one or two armies- you do not need an airbrush unless you want it for the 'cool toy' factor. And if you do plan on getting one in your long term buying plan- just skip right past the Citadel paint line(you'll thank me later) and go for Vallejo, Reaper, army painter, P3, or any of the european figure painting brands for your core colors- as they all have a much finer pigment gradient and flow better.