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I've been saying for years that I want to get an airbrush, but cost has always put me off. But I've come to the conclusion that my brush skill level has plateaued (At a level I'm comfortable with). As a result, I'd like to expand my skillset by seeing what airbrushes have to offer. My main concern is how to get decent shading. As a brush painter, I tend to paint the 'Eavy Metal way (See my gallery for examples) - which basically consists of a basecoat left to show in the deepest recesses of my layers, then some line/edge highlights.

But with an airbrush, I'm aware you can't do the same sorts of block shading - so I thought I'd ask how most people who use an airbrush tend to shade/highlight? I could use the airbrush just to lay down smooth basecoats, but that would be a bit of a waste of investment

For clarity, I mainly paint SMs - this is unlikely to change, because I like them. So answers revolving around shading SM are probably of more use to me, but general answers are just as much appreciated

Have a look at zenithal highlighting, it is super easy with an airbrush and works great on power armour.

You can directly apply shading with an airbrush. It is a skill. And you need a good small nozzle dual action brush. You run it at low PSI and you can even do line highlighting with an airbrush.

When airbrushing you generally start with your mid tone and "push up" and "pull down". You "push up" to your highlight color (usually one shade higher than you think) and then "pull-down" through your mid-tone and into your shadow. But that's only one way to do it. But when you see smooth as hell transitions that almost glow.. that's done with the above technique with an airbrush.

@Crispy78 - Aye, I've read up/watched vids for zenithal highlighting, and while I can appreciate the 'realism' of the effect, it doesn't quite strike a chord with me. Appreciate the suggestion though.

@meatybtz - Well it's good to know I can still fall back on my usual method then, with a fine nozzle and a steady hand I'm interested in your second technique - if it isn't a bother, would you mind explaining it a bit more, I confess I'm kind of lost by what you mean with push up and pull down. Perhaps a pic may help explain?

 Warpig1815 wrote:
@Crispy78 - Aye, I've read up/watched vids for zenithal highlighting, and while I can appreciate the 'realism' of the effect, it doesn't quite strike a chord with me. Appreciate the suggestion though.

@meatybtz - Well it's good to know I can still fall back on my usual method then, with a fine nozzle and a steady hand I'm interested in your second technique - if it isn't a bother, would you mind explaining it a bit more, I confess I'm kind of lost by what you mean with push up and pull down. Perhaps a pic may help explain?

Kenny uses it.. lots of folks use it. Its really straight forward. Its more of a way of thinking about your color. You think about pushing the mid-tone (by mixing in your airbrush) till you reach the highlight color and you overshoot a little compared to what you want (brightness or total highlights). You then change directions and go from highlight back to mid-tone (this tones down the highlights and pulls a gentle transition between the mid-tone and the highlight) then from mid-tone pull it down down to the shadow color (now you are pulling a cleaner transition between your mid-tone and the shadow.).

With airbrushing it is about layering semi-translucent coats. If you want to save time you just shoot mid, highlight, then the shade. But by going all the way up then going all the way back down you are pulling your colors together. Creating smooth transitions between them.

Of course you can go up and down and up and down over and over again.

The biggest thing from going from brushwork to air-brush is realizing that your opacity is much lower and that's good. That what a mistake I made while working with my airbrush at first. I kept trying to replicate brushwork as far as color surety and coverage.. which you can do but its not really the best way to use an airbrush.

When working with an airbrush you can lay down 11 layers and not clog any detail. So that opens doors.

When using an airbrush you have to think about angles... well you do with a brush but now instead of brush angle to surface you are thinking about your Cone angle to the surface as the airbrush puts out a conical projection of paint. You an use card stock and deflection to do speckling and all kinds of madness when you really get down to it.

I improved my airbrush skills by ditching model work with it and going back to the art side and doing all the practice strokes and such that basic "how to airbrush" art teaches you. That is where you learn brush control and how to lay down a pencil thin line. Once you get those basic air-brush skills you move back into models and use what you now know to really achieve next level of things.

You definitely can.

Check out Youtube.Twitch

Next Level Painting would be my first go to.

Jack of Clubs Painting has some good marine work schemes that do the exact thing you are talking about. He picks out panels on the SM and has a scheme for each chapter.

Vince Venterulla has a lot of stuff too.

As pointed out, zenithal priming helps but you have to work with very thinned paint or transluscent paint to get an effective shading I have found.

Often its easier to spray from below with your shad color, then base coat from 90 degrees and above. Then higher radial highlight at 45 degree angle from above. Then final smaller bright radial highlight from directly overhead.

Just like with a brush it's just practice, and studying techniques. Plus the right airbrush example I have a Sotar 20/20 with a fine nozzle, and needle. It'll do lines as fine as a pen tip.

The best thing is being able to control paint flow to gradually apply blended highlights. Also I actually tend to paint bright, and then shade down with a ink.

Well, as always, I ask a question and forget to reply. But my thanks for the advice people - much appreciated

@meatybtz - Ahhh, I see what you're getting at now. Thanks for the clarification. Aye, I fully intend to fiddle about on some paper or scrap material first to get the hang of the characteristics before I jump onto a model. But you're right in that it opens doors. I've felt for a while now that my style has stagnated, primarily because the tolerance of a brush is slimmre in regards of effects, and also even just simple tasks like basecoating are more difficult to get smooth and consistent than with an airbrush (Not that I struggle over much with that aspect, but it is technically more difficult to get smooth).

@Dynas - I'll take a look at those recommendations. Thanks!

@Wagguy80 - Yep. that's my approach. I've dithered for a while to get one, but as you say - it's all just a case of practice until I get it.