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Me and a friend are having a discussion and I want others opinion.

Besides the costs involved, if you didn't know anything about painting do you find it easier to start painting minis the normal way or to airbrush?

You can do everything you need to a model with a brush relatively easily. There are a lot of model details you can't do much with using an airbrush. I would personally recommend starting with brushes before going to airbrushes.

 Flinty wrote:
You can do everything you need to a model with a brush relatively easily. There are a lot of model details you can't do much with using an airbrush. I would personally recommend starting with brushes before going to airbrushes.

I guess I'll agree with this. I did go for a cheap airbrush pretty quickly after I started, now I use it for everything except small details. Check out Next level painting on YouTube.

I have an airbrush, but I use it only for priming, and occasionally for basecoating if I'm painting a vehicle or something...everything else I prefer using a brush.

there are a lot of things an airbrush just can't do, that a brush can...there are also a few things that an airbrush can do that will require a very high level of brush skill to replicate...both have their place, and it's quite nice to have both at your disposal...but imo, when it really comes down to it, I have to say it would be much more useful to really learn how to use a brush...those super-fine details and highlights make all the difference when done well

Yeah, move onto an airbrush as soon as you like, but I think a normal brush is where to start.

I airbrush the vast majority of my stuff

Definitely start with a hairy brush, you'll always need that skillset anyway

The way I see it, brush work is skill, an airbrush is a tool. Anything you do with an airbrush, can be done with a regular brush, it just may be harder. But an airbrush cannot do everything a brush can, so no matter what you will always end up using a brush

 TheLumberJack wrote:
The way I see it, brush work is skill, an airbrush is a tool.

The way you see it is wrong. A paintbrush and an airbrush are both tools and both require skill to use properly.

Learn the basics before airbrushing. They're different and after like 15 years I taught myself how to airbrush this year and it's only integrated into my work. One is not better than the other and you won't want to only airbrush minis imo. However you can leave the airbrush out and have many years to go!

Start with normal brushes. The cash layout will be much easier on your wallet and it will be a good way to learn the basics and good habits.

Since you used the word 'easier' I'll just say, that there is nothing easy about learning to use an airbrush. It's a pain in the butt. Fortunately now we have tons and tons of good resources to help you get started but still - not easy.

I'd start with a hairy brush, though I'd agree an airbrush is a great tool to have.

Start with the hairy stick. Airbrushes require discipline to use and maintain, and are best learned with a teacher.

I'd only say start with an airbrush if you were solely painting vehicles, especially realistic/historic vehicles. For those models, I only use a hairy brush for weathering, everything else is done by airbrush.

But wargaming models, hairy sticks all the way. When it comes to most wargaming models hairy sticks are a requirement and airbrushing is optional.

Ozeo wrote:
Me and a friend are having a discussion and I want others opinion.

Besides the costs involved, if you didn't know anything about painting do you find it easier to start painting minis the normal way or to airbrush?

I Prefer the spray can way.

Its cheaper a single fixed army but gets expensive if you do many different armies that dont share a base color.

its a fast way to knock out most of an army that way it retains attention for new people to finish painting details rather than doing anywhere from 2-6 base coats depending on color. not that its not possible.