New by try to paint non-porous surface

[Jayhawk]

I've tied searching for my answer but haven't found it. I'm a total beginner with art in general and airbrush specifically. Having a lot of fun trying as it is a 180 from what I normally do.

I just started a week ago and at first I had to have the air at about 45# to get any paint to flow. Through reducer ( water ) and patience I'm able to blow at about 20# now. My gun is an iwata HP-CS and I'm using Comart opaque and trans, or Createx. They're bot available at the local Hobby Lobby.

I've watched a number of videos on painting where the artist erases the paint for highlights. That is getting to the nut of my question.

To practice on I've been using regular typing paper since its cheep. I've got some Bristol paper just t have something "better" to work with. None of these will erase , I think because they are so absorbent that the paper is stained. I bought a tablet of Strathmore palette paper that has a poly-coated surface. It erases great. I assume that because the paint lays on the surface and not absorb into it. Great!, but, since the paint doesn't absorb it tends to spider all over the place. I'm assuming even 20#s is too much for this surface? The other observation is that if I go light enough to not run the paint I have to wait a long time for it to dry enough for a second coat.

Questions:
- best paper to start with for learning technique?
-is water acceptable for reducer do above mentioned paints on that medium?
-what is the "normal " suggested pressure setting for my gun and paints for non-porous surfaces?
-do you use heat gun to dry the paint faster?

Thanks

 

[markjthomson]

Lower pressure helps, build up layers slowly. Learn how to start an effects at 10% opacity and build it up, that will avoid runs. Practice on the substrate with dots and daggers to get control. Regarding reducer, check what the manufacturer says but as a general comment water is fine with water based paints.

There is a bit of a discussion about, somethings erase really well (yupo, synthetic paper, some cards) some scratch well (some cards and papers) and some don't at all. On paper you can paint a layer of gesso that will help. Have a look through the WIP's people post to see what they are using and how they work the paint, that will help get a good understanding. I worked art card, bristol with and without gesso, crescent board, yupo and clayboard.

There is no "normal" pressure for anything, there are some recommendations and it depends on more than the substrate. If you are spidering you are putting on too much paint with too much pressure or are too close, change something to see what happens.

How are you getting paint runs by going too light? You only get paint runs by going too heavy. Perhaps it is an odd turn of phrase you used...

Force drying paint is generally a bad idea and something only done by rough as guts operators or the incredibly desperate (not to be confused with heat curing of 2 packs) - IMHO...

 

[Squishy]

Firstly a hard or non porous surface is less forgiving than other surfaces, but when you get it, other surfaces will be easy.

Unfortunately there is no 'normal' setting. There are too many variables - area coverage, paint thickness/intensity required, brush/needle nozzle size, paint brand, reduction, conditions etc. However spidering is either too much reduction or too high pressure. You have to decide if you want a lot of reduction to make your paint more trans, a lees intense colour or have the control of building up more slowly, or doing finer work, have less overspray - then lower the pressure. Or you might want more intense, quicker covering paint, a more solid look, or more paint to make erasing more effective, then reduce less, compensating with higher pressure. Its a bit of a balancing act at first, just be methodical, and you'll find what works for you.

As for reducer, what line of createx are you using? The original is mainly just for textiles and prefers less/no reduction but pressures up to around 60psi for t shirts to push paint into the fabric. Other lines like Wicked or Illustration don't like to be reduced with water at all but work best with 4012/w500 reducer, which also speeds up drying. Hopefully some one will chime in with com set info, I've never used it but know it sprays right out of the bottle so needs little reduction.

You can use heat to spped drying, but I would use a hairdryer as a heat gun is quite aggressive. If paint is quite thick however you can dry the top layer, but it can still be wet underneath.

On a side note - if the paint is spidering because you are pulling back for paint, nothing happens and then a lot comes out at once, your nozzle has a blockage.

 

[Jayhawk]

Gesso question. More or less know what it is, for paper, what do you use and how is it applied? If it is air brushed on I'd rather not use my iwata, but have a Garbor Freight siphon brush I'd be willing to try (they're only $20 when Not on sale).
I got some Wicked op black #0300 and some 4012 reducer I'm going to load up now and see what happens.

 

[markjthomson]

Gesso is a primer that's used for preparing canvases and other surfaces for painting. It smoothes out the surface and makes it so the paint doesn't soak into the canvas or other substance you're working on.

Brush or spray. Put your paper on some strong card otherwise you will get bendy paper...

 

[Jayhawk]

Just to prove I'm a newby here's a couple exercises I'm playing with.
Following lines with low pressure (15#) and thin:

 

[Jayhawk]

Any brands or type of gesso? Hate to just buy stuff without a clue ( like I've been doing everything so far )

 

[markjthomson]

Check your local art store, get at least a "student" quality (mid range)

 

[Jayhawk]

Thanks for all your advice Mark. I've only been messing with this for about a week. Think I've come a long way, for me, but miles away from making "art". I'm and engineer that's been in the construction industry for 30+ years and haven't had much exposure to the artistic types, so this is all new.

 

[markjthomson]

Ask lots, best way to learn!! Engineer's make good artists! There's a few of us here

 

[JackEb]

I'd personally save the gesso for mdf or canvas.

Even non engineers and non artistic computer nerds can learn to paint something that resembles something, I'm proof of that