How to Use an Airbrush.
Marble allowed Michelangelo to create his
David.
An airbrush will allow you to draw a dragon
on a conversion van.
You will need A double-action airbrush set,
including hoses, jars, and bowls A compressor
or compressed air tank A well-ventilated space
Ink or acrylic paints A rag A hot-press board
A pencil An artist's eraser Craft knife An
easel or drafting table Frisket or copy paper
Artist’s tape Scrap paper Fixative A small
bucket And some water and an air-filtering
mask.
Step 1.
Lightly sketch out your painting on the hot-press
board.
Step 2.
Erase any extra lines and go over the ones
you need to reduce them as much as possible.
Step 3.
Mix some paint with water in the airbrush
bowl or jar.
Practice this to find the right consistencies
for the effects you're after.
In some cases, you won't need any water at
all.
Step 4.
Try out your airbrush for a while on scrap
paper to get used to the lever and button.
Use a double-action airbrush, which allows
you to control air and paint volume independently.
Step 5.
Practice washing out the airbrush by immersing
it into the bucket far enough for the brush
to cycle water through the paint bowl.
Step 6.
Then practice blowing the water out of the
airbrush against your scrap paper or the rag
until the airbrush is clean and dry.
Step 7.
Once you're done practicing, it's time to
mix the first color you'll use on your painting.
Generally, you'll want to work from the lightest
colors to darkest.
Step 8.
Start painting general areas.
Step 9.
Use the craft knife to shape the frisket or
copy paper and mask off areas from the airbrush.
Step 10.
When you're done with an area, move to the
next.
Step 11.
When you're done with the actual painting,
use a fixative to seal the painting in place.
Step 12.
Thoroughly wash out the airbrush when you're
finished, particularly if you're using a paint
that dries hard like some acrylics or enamel
paints.
Step 13.
Disassemble the airbrush to make sure you've
fully cleaned it.
Be very careful with the airbrush needle,
which is very delicate and easily breakable.
Step 14.
Admire your creation.
Like Marcel Duchamp wrote, “Can one make
works which are not of art?”
Did you know The first airbrush was invented
in 1879.
