Airbrush Supplies

What Is Airbrushing?

Airbrushing is a popular technique for spraying fluid paint using compressed air, especially among model makers and artists. Specially thinned paints, or airbrush paints, are applied to almost any surface, especially plastic, metal, glass, wood, or paper, using a spray gun and compressor. The airbrush technique saves paint, and the spray gun applies it evenly in a way that cannot be achieved with a brush. Any type of paint that can be thinned can be used, especially acrylic paints, model paints, inks, acrylic ink, and other hobby paints that can be thinned with water or thinner.

Which Airbrush Paints Should You Use?

When spraying, cover any areas you don’t want to paint with masking fluid, which can be peeled off after applying airbrush paint, or use paper masking tape. Paint used with an airbrush gun should have a watery consistency. An acrylic paint drying retarder helps the paint last throughout the spraying process and keeps it at the ideal consistency. Airbrushing can also be done with spray paints and markers, using a simple spray gun that works with all spray paints and spray varnishes.

How to Use an Airbrush

Popular products include Molotow airbrush paints, which can be thinned with water or thinner (acetone). Airbrushing can also be used on fabric, but the paints need to be thinned sufficiently beforehand, or you can use fabric paints in a spray. Other essential airbrush supplies include a paint bottle, a pipette for measuring paint accurately when thinning it, film for cutting out designs, stencils, and transfer paper for transferring designs. Finished artwork is usually sealed with spray varnish.

From Our Blog

Back to School! Art Supplies for Kids and Adults