New brush

In regards to the vid. Edd Hubbs looks to me to be using an opaque white paint, (which is how I do it too). You can tell because when he adds the second layer, it is covering over the layer underneath. If it was trans, you could still that layer below.

A brief summary of trans and opaques for anyone following this who doesn't know:-

Opaque - Will cover up what is below, and will reach its optimum colour density and then not change. So you can thin it, and it will act almost like a trans but more layers will just make it a solid, reaching the colour on the bottle and going no farther.

Transparent - Does not cover the layer below, and the more layers you add, the deeper the colour becomes, so a sepia for example will eventually become black looking. Also, without an intercoat between layers, colours can bleed into each other, so spraying yellow over red will give orange. This gives you endless colour combos developing directly in your work.

Just a simple explanation, but hopefully you get the drift.

Anyway, back to the plot - his second layer covers the first. If you are trying to recreate that effect with trans, it will not look the same. Plus, as has been said, fire is one of those looks easy things, that is actually pretty hard to do, so don't beat yourself up on that score.
 
Thank you....Trust me to start on the wrong on...( I think I will put it on a low gas ) and try one of tutorials
An other question how do I strain the paint ( I mean what do I strain it through)?
I noticed the other day it has a film around the lid ( they are two years old ) so if there in the lid they might be in the bottle
Thanks for all your help
paul
 
Thank you....Trust me to start on the wrong on...( I think I will put it on a low gas ) and try one of tutorials
An other question how do I strain the paint ( I mean what do I strain it through)?
I noticed the other day it has a film around the lid ( they are two years old ) so if there in the lid they might be in the bottle
Thanks for all your help
paul

Hi Paul, if you wan tot strain your paints you can buy straining cones at any auto/decorators shop and cut out little squares of the gauze that's on them, or you can cut up little squires of old pantyhose/stockings and stretch them over the neck of your bottles, I recommend transferring your paint to another bottle if your current bottle is caked, check the photo below, if your paint came in such a bottle you can take the nozzle apart to clean it which I recommend you do frequently if the bottles lie for along time, even if you have the flat top bottle lids it makes sense to clean the lids often since paint will dry up in them and can cause you problems with clogging, anyway, the photo should give you good idea what I mean:)

20161002_123650.jpg

If you need bottles like these just Google or search ebay/amazon for "Tattoo ink bottles";) these bottles are great for placing precised drops straight into your cup, they are easy to clean and reusable, assuming of course you're using water based paints, they are also fairly cheap depending on where you find them, I got 20 for €10 locally.
 
Yup our Malky's got your back. Decant into a fresh bottle filtering as you go. You can just stretch some pantyhose over a bottle and go (which I do very occasionally due to laziness) but you are then concentrating what is left in the bottle. Wicked paints in particular with their heavy amount of pigment will then be too concentrated to use when you get down to the last 1/8th of the bottle. You can add transparent base (basically the paint carrier without pigment) to bring it back, but it's much easier to just do what Malky said - about paint anyway. Other things may need confirmation by a medical practitioner to make sure its safe lol lol lol.
 
Yes that is the nut that adjusts the tension on the trigger. Malky's got you covered with regard to straining. There are also some small strainers you can buy at your art supply store. I got some from DickBlick online. It makes straining a bottle of paint much easier. But use the stocking method for when you put your paint into your AB.

As far as doing flames as a newbie. I can tell you that experienced artists struggle with flames. My suggestion, try painting a skull. Learn how to do textures. There are a number of videos you can learn these techniques from and they will become a part of your arsenal when painting other subjects. Right now, its all about learning to control your AB. Try not to get frustrated and enjoy the process of learning. Also, you should post up your works so we can help guide you to success. I hope my tips help. :)
 
I think there is a little misconception theses days as to what some understand as opaque and transparent paints, it should be perhaps better discussed maybe as opaque and transparent pigments.. I know they are making transparent whites these days and for me there kind of is no such thing unless its a new synthetic pigment I don't know about which could very well be the case and if so ignore the rest of my post LOL.

What gives paint its color and opaqness is generally what pigment type is used. In traditional oil paints and the like we have pigments (used in whites) such as titanium, zinc and lead. many of these natural organic pigments have now been synthesised in the lab but they do retain the original qualities of those natural pigments and in many cases their names so its not so much those particular compounds in some paints these days but scientifically matched ones. When discussing white in various art area's un-associated with the airbrush a better term used I think is opaque and less opaque, not so much transparant as transparency suggests light passing through rather and perhaps some kind of crystaline structure may indeed do that to slightly argue with myself LOL. There is no true transparent white as we see white because ALL the light color wavelengths are reflected (only an opaque pigment can do that), thus you cant really have a true transparent white..Its just a watered down opaque white LOL, same with black, instead with black all light waves are absorbed thus devoid of any reflected color. Thus transparent black is just watered down black. Both in essence as pigment form are true opaques if indeed we are talking pure white or pure black..Transparent pigment allows certain wavelengths though and reflects others thus we see it as a color or a mixture of refracted light from colors below. We then add white to make it opaque unless the synthesised pigment is already opaque in which some cases it is but adding any type of white will generally turn that transparent opaque. But white and black are a different story..But may be wrong on that these days, lots happening in those labs I have no idea about LOL..Not really important to how to paint true fire LOL but maybe interesting reading or thoughts for some..
 
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Another question..the brush The bit in the center part of the brush that holds the spring, it has a screw tread on it,..is it suppose to be screwed all the way in ? it got blocked to day and I taken a part to clean it, and it way screw was only half way..( the brush is micron cm plus)
Ive been practice all day and getting nowhere fast, it nearly went in the bin a few times..
Paul
If your throwing it in the bin you can just throw it my way:D:D:D I would help you get it out of your life (and into mine);)and I won't tell your wife:eek: lol
 
Thank you guy's ladies Yes I now got my paint strainer thanks to Milky, and I know what what Cheryl is coming from I thinks it's known as..
don't run before you learn to walk my excuse was I thought it was easy ( it just tell you what I no ) I will go back to shading and learn texture and all of the other stuff I should have done in the first place...
Bebelair that was interesting.. but i know where you are coming from.. but I thought white was white ..
Basepaint I'm sorry to disappoint you, I think I need it as know I have to textures But if I'm going to bin it Ive you a shout
Thanks for all the answers guy's laddies
Paul
 
Thank you guy's ladies Yes I now got my paint strainer thanks to Milky, and I know what what Cheryl is coming from I thinks it's known as..
don't run before you learn to walk my excuse was I thought it was easy ( it just tell you what I no ) I will go back to shading and learn texture and all of the other stuff I should have done in the first place...
Bebelair that was interesting.. but i know where you are coming from.. but I thought white was white ..
Basepaint I'm sorry to disappoint you, I think I need it as know I have to textures But if I'm going to bin it Ive you a shout
Thanks for all the answers guy's laddies
Paul

Milky? lol, I'm actually quite brown for a honky;););) lots of working outdoors:thumbsup:
 
The professionals make everything look so simple and easy. LOL I don't mean to discourage you, I think that you will have better results if you practice on something other than flames. You are right, learn your textures and fades and before you know it you'll be producing some awesome pieces.

FYI, I spent an hour cleaning out two of my brushes that weren't working right last night. All I needed to do was finish the rat's nails on the back feet. Took me much longer than it should have. Things just weren't working for me last night. If you heard curse words emanating from the sky last night.. that was me. So, we all have issues with the AB's sometimes.
 
No you dident discourage me. Yea I will try something different like a scull...I'm am having trouble with my MAC thing I carnt seem to get it right
I don't understand it...I thought if you wanted a thinner line the psi had to up but the mac i would have to turn the mac so as the psi was turns down
or something like that I don't under stand it
paul
 
getting a nice thin line depends on your airbrush , how thin your paint is and the pressure , in general a nice thin line means go close to your substrate but that way you risk the paint spidering so you turn down the pressure .
the mac valve all the way out means you get the pressure set on the compressor , by turning it in you get less pressure going trough the airbrush and less pressure gives you more control over thin paint .
how much pressure is right depends your airbrush and your paint , I always use a test paper to get it just right I start with the basic pressure set on the compressor and start turning the mac valve in till I get the perfect line I need / want
 
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