What Is Airbrushing?

Airbrushing is a technique in which paints are sprayed under pressure onto a surface. It is used in model making, the creation of frescoes, textile design, printing, and many more artistic disciplines.

Airbrushing allows artists to create smooth color transitions, add volume to drawings, and achieve photo-realistic results. It also provides for precise control with things such as drying times, paint coverage, gradients and color blending.

Airbrushing

Airbrushing is an art form in which a special spray gun is used to apply liquid paints or powder paints onto a surface. The artist uses this tool to create very realistic images, adding depth and texture to the paint.

A successful application of airbrush paints depends on the ability to control the amount of pressure applied. It is also important to keep the airbrush clean after use, so that no remnants of makeup are left behind.

Airbrushing is a fine art that requires practice, patience and persistence. However, after you get the hang of it, it can be a very rewarding creative experience.

Colors

Airbrush artists use a variety of different colors to create their artwork. These include water colors, acrylic paints, oil colors, gouache paints, sign paints, candy colors (water based), and urethane colors.

Createx Illustration Colors are light bodied airbrush paints specifically formulated for fine art and illustration applications. They offer fast drying, easy working formulas that flow smoothly through precision airbrushes for finesse and extreme detail.

These archival, non-fading, quick dry formulas are ideal for vellum and watercolor paper as well as canvas and illustration board. They feature a full color palette including Bloodline naturalistic hues and earth tones, which build hyper-realistic layers and undertones.

Com-Art Opaque airbrush colors feature dense shades that spray smoothly, resist clogging and can be used in conjunction with transparents without bleeding between the colors. Transparents can be layered on top of opaques for glazing, or can be sprayed directly onto the painting surface to add highlights and textures.

Surfaces

A variety of surfaces are used by airbrush artists to create masterpieces of scale and sophistication. These include canvas, paper, wood, concrete, rubber, fiberglass and plastics. Choosing the right substrate for your project will depend on what you want to accomplish. For example, it’s important to choose a smooth surface that won’t be prone to scuffing or scratching as you paint. You may also want to consider a substrate that will hold up to the wear and tear of repeated application.

The best choice for an acrylic painter is a paper of adequate surface strength. Some types of papers are specifically made and labeled for a particular media. Some are designed to stand up to the rigors of airbrushing while others offer protection against spilled or splashed paint.

Lastly, you might want to consider an oleophobic surface if you plan on using oils or other slicker mediums. This is because oils can be difficult to clean up or remove from the surface.

Tools

Airbrush artists use different tools to achieve a wide range of artistic effects. They can apply a background coat, paint fine details, and create smooth gradations in colors.

They also make a lot of use of stencils, especially in areas like body art with tattoos and face painting. Often, you can get prefabricated stencils in specialist shops, but you can also make your own with a cutter knife and some masking film.

In addition, you can purchase special paper specially designed for airbrushing in specialist shops. This provides a particularly smooth surface that can be easily cleaned and which does not stick to the masking foil or the paint in any way.

For a good start you can opt for a low-priced airbrush set that includes an air compressor, a matching airbrush gun and some basic airbrush paints. However, if you want to develop your airbrushing skills you should invest in a higher-priced set that includes all the necessary accessories.