Common Airbrush Mistakes
- There are several reasons that you may add a thinner to your airbrush paint. You may want to achieve a certain effect, apply a more translucent color or simply help the paint to flow more easily through the airbrush. It is essential that you use a thinner that matches the base of the paint that you are using. For example, acrylic paint is water-based and should be thinned with distilled water. If you use an oil or silicone-based solvent, the paint will not thin properly and may even curdle in the airbrush.
- Air pressure is what sprays the paint out of the airbrush, but it must be at the correct setting. This will require trial and error and is highly dependent on the airbrush and paint being used. If your compressor's pressure is too low, the airbrush will not be able to properly atomize the paint, spattering droplets onto your canvas. If it is too high, you will experience overspray, eventually filling the room with a haze of paint that can be hazardous to your health.
- Equal to the importance of proper air pressure is the proper spraying distance. A good rule of thumb is that the lower the pressure, the closer you must spray. If you spray paint from the airbrush 1 inch from the canvas under high pressure, you will Conversely, if you hold the airbrush too far from the canvas, you will waste a lot of paint to overspray before you reach the desired coverage.
- An airbrush is a fairly complicated mechanical tool, and can suffer from a lack of proper maintenance. One of the most important tasks is to properly clean your airbrush after each use. A dirty airbrush can clog, spatter and eventually stop working completely. Disassemble your airbrush and clean each component with appropriate solvent and a soft brush. Do this on a towel or cloth to avoid the risk of small parts rolling away and becoming lost.
