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Hi, I'd like to start using an air brush for base coating and stenciling, primarily, but I'm not sure about a few things.

From my research, I've figured that a gravity fed, double action brush with a ~3-5mm tip should suit my needs, is this correct?
If so, do you know of any particular models that work well? (Price isn't really an object, but I don't really like the idea of wrecking an especially expensive brush with my inexperience)
Where can I get this? (Keeping in mind that I live in Australia, the donkey-cave of the retail universe.)
What other equipment will I need?
Will I be able to use Citadel Paints with the airbrush? (Including base colours, 'Ardcoat and metallics?)
Any airbrushing tips or tricks a beginner should know?
Do you know of any online airbrushing resources/communities/guides/walkthroughs etc that you've found helpful/that I should have gotten off of Google?

Thanks for your time.

There's a lot of data on this very topic on Dakka Dakka already. Do a search for 'airbrush'.

But, to answer your questions:

1. A gravity-fed, dual action airbrush will suffice. As long as you get a tip size of about 3mm, you're okay either way.

2. When you buy an airbrush, you're paying for its trigger sensitivity. This depends on what you intend to do with your airbrush - as you may have seen, one can do absolutely magical things with an airbrush. If all you want is to basecoat things, a cheaper model will suffice. I use a Sparmax DH-103 from Hobby Co., and it does everything for me from basecoating, to pre-shading, to highlights.

There's also a lot of thought that buying an airbrush is not an incremental exercise. So purchase the airbrush you think will work best for your needs, stick to it, and learn all of its idiosyncrasies.

If you're arthritic, a non-standard grip like a Grex pistol grip should factor into your consideration.

3. I purchased my kit from Airbrush Warehouse and Hobby Co. You won't just want an airbrush, you're going to need a compressor. Those are heavy, so you're best buying something local.

4. Depending on your set-up, you will want a compressor to attach your airbrush to. Additionally, your compressor may need to come with a tank (useful in dry conditions), a regulator (to ensure even air output), and a quick release/quick change set-up. You could probably purchase this all in a single breath if you hit the right shop - Hobby Co. fails quite badly in this aspect, their staff know nuts about airbrushes.

5. You can use any type of paint in your airbrush, provided it is sufficiently thinned. Citadel paints, being rather thick, will need a larger degree of thinning compared to, say, Vallejo Model Colour. Experiment with thinning ratios to find what works best for you. However, NEVER put Citadel drybrush paints through your airbrush.

You can also airbrush paint-on varnishes, provided you clean your airbrush thoroughly immediately after.

6. Youtube has a ton of airbrushing tutorials. Just search for them.

You should always be mindful that an airbrush lives and dies by how well it is maintained. It is probably inevitable that you will need to strip your airbrush for a thorough cleaning at some point, so master that quickly.

Avoid damaging components of your airbrush, especially the needle and nozzle - components are *expensive*.

Other than all that, have fun experimenting. If you're in Sydney and need help airbrushing, join the OzPainters Facebook group and come down to the Hall of Heroes in Campbelltown - there'll be folks who will be more than happy to guide you, and it is easier to learn things face-to-face.

Thanks for the reply.

I found this on Ebay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Compressor-7cc-22cc-Air-brush-3-Needle-for-Make-Up-Nail-Kit-Pressure-Gaugeit-/140874122676

It looks like it comes with everything I need, should I consider it? The airbrush isn't the same model as the one you suggested, but it's gravity fed, has a similar tip size and works at a similar psi.

If not, I have a few follow up questions:

How much should I be paying for the compressor?
What specifications should the compressor have?
Can you recommend any compressor models that you've worked with?

My first airbrush was the cheapest one i found on ebay.just 20bucks!and it works pretty well!it is perfect for preshading and basecoating. It has a 3 mm needle, which i'm using for basecoating. Italso has two more needles in 2mm and 5mm. The 2mm is good for highlighting, but i need more practice with that...overall the airbrush is ok.
Some days ago, i had the possibility to try out a harder& steenback evo(~180euro) A huge difference: much more sensitive and a much cleaner result! I want one of these now!
The compressor i use, is an as18b piston compressor. It has no tank, but works pretty quietly and do not heat up very fast. I got it from amazon for ~90euro with a hose.
So you got a setup for about 120euro.
Check out the youtube channel of buypainted. They habe some great tutorials.
Hope this helps, have fun and show us your first results!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-6HP-Mini-Air-Compressor-for-Spray-Gun-Air-Brush-/250867082579?pt=AU_Toys_Hobbies_Model_Kits&hash=item3a68d7e553&_uhb=1
This one looks like the one i have here.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And this airbrush looks pretty like mine
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/130-AIRBRUSH-PRO-DOUBLE-ACTION-MICRO-NEEDLE-ADJ-7cc-CUP-MODEL-CRAFT-MAKEUP-/151265073722?pt=AU_Toys_Hobbies_Model_Kits&hash=item233819da3a&_uhb=1

If you have the opportunity to try out a cheap airbrush (under $20 or so), take it. My first airbrush was a cheap Chinese knock-off I got for a tenner. It lasted 2 weeks.

Compressors aren't cheap. You'll likely spend upwards of $100. But they last a long time. I've had mine for 6 years now, it has never had an issue, and it's also a very cheap Chinese knock-off (about $100).

Despite my first paragraph above, I would still very highly recommend that you blow the money right off the bat, and then spend *a lot* of time learning about your airbrush. Every airbrush is different, so switching from one to another is just going to mess you up.

The deal you posted seems to be good value but it's hard to know how good it is by reading.

Alot has been said about airbrushes so I will focus in the compressor.

When I first started out I got the cheapest available airbrush compressor at the time. This was a mistake for a couple of reasons:

1. It had no tank so the was pulsating alot making the flow less consistent, also the air in the brush got warmer as the compressor heated up from use.
2. It was very noisy, it vibrated so much I had to put my foot on it to not have it run away from me.
3. It had no regulator so I was going full 3.5bar all the time (about 50psi)

All this made it a uphill struggle to get better. I don't say that this is what you are going to get with a specific compressor but it's pretty much the worst case scenario.

The one I got looked a little like this.



I tried a few different cheap airbrushed and got nowhere.

After reading up alot I got myself a new compressor with a tank and a better airbrush, still a noname but way better quality in every way. NOW we where getting somewhere.

What I got now is something like this.



1. It is very quiet, I can run it in my apartment without anyone hearing me.
2. The airflow is even and a good temperature
3. I have a regulator and now usually stay around 15-25 psi much nicer and less paintdust
4. The tank make it start and stop as it needs to, thus I don't have to fiddle with that while painting.

As a result my skills improved and now I have gotten myself my first "real" airbrush... a Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Silverline... as soon as I get some proper freetime it's time for new adventures.