Pleasure to make your acquaintance because hello was too short.

S

Samsquanch

Guest
Englishman living in the US, not new to art but absolute beginner to airbrushing. Always wanted to give this a go, my lovely wife just bought me a beginner set up for my B'day as a surprise. I have no idea where to start but this seems like a friendly place so I'll hang out for a while and see if I can get the hang of this.

Guess I better guess this thing out of the box then, its a good job my wife bought the warranty to my set up because I can see me punting it out the window if things don't go well :)

P.s Nice to meet you all, would like to thank anyone in advance right now for any help I get in the future.
 
I know a song about that! Check out the airbrushtutor youtube and his website, lots of good tips there. What sort of kit did you get? "Beginners" kits can lead to frustration but we have a resident expert on this type of brush. He seems a sucker for punishment but can often helped out. @DaveG sir, that would be you!

Don't skimp on paint, get one designed for an airbrush. There is enough frustration ahead of you that you don't need that grief! Then brush up on your Mr Miyagi training methods and break out the dots and daggers, you can thanks me later! :)

Oh and welcome from New Zealand!
 
I know a song about that! Check out the airbrushtutor youtube and his website, lots of good tips there. What sort of kit did you get? "Beginners" kits can lead to frustration but we have a resident expert on this type of brush. He seems a sucker for punishment but can often helped out. @DaveG sir, that would be you!

Don't skimp on paint, get one designed for an airbrush. There is enough frustration ahead of you that you don't need that grief! Then brush up on your Mr Miyagi training methods and break out the dots and daggers, you can thanks me later! :)

Oh and welcome from New Zealand!

Mr Markjthomson thanks for the warm welcome :)

I got a Master MAS-TC 40 which came with three brushes (or is it a gun? I upset tattooists with that mistake all time, so don't mention the word 'gun' while referring to a tattooist's apparatus...unless you want your killer ink to look somehow odd. I'm waffling sorry)
The brushes are G22, G25 and a E91...this means nothing to me right now, I know this will be no where near the top of the line for equipment but I'm hoping there is enough quality here that I get bit by the bug.

It also came with some opaque 6 color starter set (they rub that in your face don't they, oh hey beginner here's some beginner paint *snicker*)
Oh and A cleaning kit with a color wheel that I just gave to my cat to play with.

Also can't wait to get paint all over the walls because I forgot to set up some sort of play area or booth and then tell the Mrs I was just waxing on and waxing off cuz Markjthomson said it would help me :)...that's gonna go down real well mate :p
 
Welcome from Australia Samsquanch,
As you have an art background then the learning curve will be a little less traumatic for you, you are now just learning how to drive a new tool. ( and yes we call them brushes, the next size up is referred to as a gun (spray gun)

Don't think that because you have a head start with an art background that you will have an easy time of it, because you wont. Learning to use an airbrush will be one of the most patience testing things you will do. so many variables like air pressure, weather variations (no I'm not kidding, humidity/dry air changes things) paint & reduction variables, airbrush not playing nice, learning to clean the thing properly

Have I made you cry yet ? :D
Yes ?...... well it was nice knowing you and please warn passers-by and your good wife before flinging your brushes out of the window. . .
No ? ..... Good, it shows you're serious about learning and we like people that are willing to give it their best shot.

The brushes you have may cause you a bit of grief, they can be a bit hit and miss as to wether you get a good one or not but it will give you a taste of what you are in for. if you feel you're being held back by the brush but are enjoying your journey so far then upgrade to a brand name brush.
Be warned, you may have issues with the compressor as it is tankless and could cause water / pulsing issues

Above all this is meant to be fun. we're not masochists here, well, not that we admit to ! so take your time, investigate the forum, ask questions and if you haven't noticed yet, we don't take ourselves to seriously and enjoy a laugh.

Jump in boots first and throw some paint in the brush and test drive it, we look forward to seeing your first painting, even if it is just dots and daggers as you practise and get a feel for your addiction.... because if you don't get deterred it will be addictive, it seems to be all or nothing with airbrushing :confused:
 
Thank you for the input guys, I really appreciate it! If you don't mind me asking as I'm sure there is a post here somewhere on the subject and I promise to use the search function in the future.....but what make and model brushes/compressor should I be looking to upgrade to in the future?

Also the colour wheel is no good as I just pulled it out of the litter box, it only shows different shades of brown.......only jk :p..........there's some yellow on there too :)
 
Thank you for the input guys, I really appreciate it! If you don't mind me asking as I'm sure there is a post here somewhere on the subject and I promise to use the search function in the future.....but what make and model brushes/compressor should I be looking to upgrade to in the future?

Also the colour wheel is no good as I just pulled it out of the litter box, it only shows different shades of brown.......only jk :p..........there's some yellow on there too :)
OK, the answer is what is your budget...? Brand wise, Iwata and Badger are both good, I'm a die hard Iwata fan. You can't go wrong with an Iwata eclipse. Absolute work horse used by beginners and experienced painters alilke. Compressor, have a look at this.

http://www.airbrushtutor.com/compressor/


One with a tank is best. Then depends on where you are using the brush. You can get one that will do the job admirably but is a little noisy for a reasonable costs. I just schilled out some coin and got a quiet one. Worth the spend.
 
Welcome Home! Being that you live in the USA. Check to see if you have a local Hobby Lobby in your area. If so either put the 40% off coupon app on your phone or print the weekly coupon and head there for your paints. Wicked and Wicked Detail can paint on pretty much any surface and it is a good paint brand.
https://www.youtube.com/user/airbrushtutor/videos here is the Link to AirbrushTutor's youtube page . While everyone hates doing dots and dagger strokes that is the main things to learn to build muscle memory . Some folks just starting out take to airbrushing like a duck to water. I was not one of those and I still always learning something new . But I do find it relaxing :D
 
Welcome aboard! Good luck getting started, and do not be afraid to try, try, try! All of it will be new to you, and some of it may feel frustrating, but will all be part of the learning curve, and experience.

I am familiar with the equipment you are starting with. It can be a bit of hit an miss, the G22 could quite possibly one of the most prolific imports around. Some of them work really quite well. Some, not so much... There can be a bit of variation due to loose tolerances in manufacture. The other two are also quite common, the single action the least effective piece in the kit.

I generally try to steer beginners towards something along the lines of a Badger Patriot, perhaps an Anthem, or an Iwata Eclipse to get started. I usually refine the recommendation once I get to know the kind of work the individual is looking to do... These brushes help to eliminate some of the unknowns brought on by the inexpensive brushes. That being said, if budgets do not allow, I have found that in an inexpensive import, this one has been stellar -http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Action-Airbrush-Gun-with-Gravity-Feed-MAC-Valve-/272241174967?hash=item3f62d6a9b7:g:2nQAAOSwR29ZNdag

I have purchased close to a dozen of them, many branded with different names, but same build. All of them have been good to great when compared to some higher priced airbrushes.

I also have a Facebook page that I started to help document some of my experiences with many different airbrushes, and there may be some info there that could help as well - https://www.facebook.com/davegs.airbrush.exploration
 
Welcome to the forum. Hopefully you won't have trouble with your brushes, your compressor will need a little rest every now and then to be on the safe side, but you will be able to check how warm it gets to gauge when it need a rest.

Lee
 
Ummm, why do I feel I'm all of a sudden not one of the cool kids...
We can be uncool together Mark, I don't have one either - but then everyone knows my approach to colour. Can you say Wing It? Lol. We'll make our own cool club.

Anyhoo, back to the plot. Hi Samsaquanch, welcome from a fellow Brit residing in the Motherland. Welcome to the world of airbrushing, the most fun with a gun you can have (I'm a rebel, I call mine a gun. Well sometimes I call it my dearly beloved - other times it's nothing but a mother funsting flying trucking swank stain - I'm sure you can pick the bones out of that lol) - with your clothes on anyway. Other times as you can probably tell, it the most frustrating thing - ever. But usually that all evens out after a while and you get to grips with things. But don't waste the brush by throwing it out of a window. At least tie some string to it, so that you can reel it back in and have another go, harpoon style. You might catch an annoying neighbour - or a passing old lady. Just make sure none of them are inflatable. You don't want that whizzing around the room, and it could be hard to explain to the wife.

Anyway get some paint through those brushes, and enjoy. Then show what you did here. Good, bad or whatever, no trolls only friendly and constructive advice. And when people can see what you're doing, it could save you a ton of time and experimenting. Or you can get a thumbs up and know you're on the right track.

If you do want to upgrade, take a look at the Iwata hp-cs eclipse. It's a lot of brush for the money. An all rounder so pretty much good for everything except large coverage. You can get those with discount in hobby lobby too. While good for detail, the slightly larger nozzle is a bit more forgiving of paint reduction compared to dedicated detail brushes, and in airbrushing terms, is pretty much bulletproof. Less fiddly parts, so easier to maintain too, and the drop in nozzle makes life much easier, with no worries about snapping threads or having to seal with wax etc. As for paint I am a fan of the Wicked mentioned above, as it is good for practically any surface, and I like to mix things up, but it can take a bit of getting used to, and you need to use the branded reducer to get the best from it. But it's well worth it as it has many other great properties as well as reducing, and it is also a good cleaner.

But I suppose before we start bombarding you with advice, we ought to know what kind of stuff you are hoping to paint, and on what surface, and the sizes you're likely to prefer etc, to make sure we are steering you right.

By the way stop picking on Hello for being short. We don't want any of that size-ist stuff on here. Just because it has small word syndrome, and probably starts lots of fights in the pub to make up for it, we can't be putting it down. Anyway at least its better than "Hi" lol lol lol
 
I'm overwhelmed by all your support already thank you so much!

For the time being I am going to be learning the in and outs of maintenance, cleaning and all the relevant beginner stuff before putting paint to canvas. Eventually I would love to do portrait work but especially animals, sometimes I see those realistic pieces and I just have to be able to achieve that one day. I am also going to be mixing it with my love for guitars, buying old beat up ones, restoring them and then custom painting and sending them to new homes (eventually)

Mr. Micron, I was in Hobby Lobby just the other day and bought myself some reducer and other bits. The Mrs loves that store so now I won't complain about visiting, in fact she will have to drag me out.

I also love the sense of humour here, I think I feel at home already :)
 
I love guitars too, but have only painted one, if i get one, I get emotionally attached and don't want to part with it lol. With that in mind I think the Eclipse hp-cs and Wicked combo would be good for you.

Just be aware with the brushes you have, they are quite cheaply made, and with inferior materials, so taking them apart and cleaning etc, may damage them. You need to be careful of any seal or o rings, threads, particularly on the nozzle - overtighten and it can snap inside the body of the brush. Also when cleaning the nozzle (an art in itself and well worth learning to do properly as IMO 95% of any newbie issues begins and ends with paint left in the nozzle) be careful not to flare it, and watch for cracks or other deformities, and don't use anything inside there that could scratch it. Masters seem to be the better of the non branded brushes, but though they may work ok at first, they can soon deteriorate, and sometimes that is due to parts not holding up to cleaning etc. With more experience its not so bad, but can be easy to be a little heavy handed at first.

As for the humour around here, some people can't take anything seriously, and spend their whole time making gutter based innuendos and completely lowering the tone. Luckily I am not one of them and maintain dignity and decorum at all times. :whistling:
 
I love guitars too, but have only painted one, if i get one, I get emotionally attached and don't want to part with it lol. With that in mind I think the Eclipse hp-cs and Wicked combo would be good for you.

Just be aware with the brushes you have, they are quite cheaply made, and with inferior materials, so taking them apart and cleaning etc, may damage them. You need to be careful of any seal or o rings, threads, particularly on the nozzle - overtighten and it can snap inside the body of the brush. Also when cleaning the nozzle (an art in itself and well worth learning to do properly as IMO 95% of any newbie issues begins and ends with paint left in the nozzle) be careful not to flare it, and watch for cracks or other deformities, and don't use anything inside there that could scratch it. Masters seem to be the better of the non branded brushes, but though they may work ok at first, they can soon deteriorate, and sometimes that is due to parts not holding up to cleaning etc. With more experience its not so bad, but can be easy to be a little heavy handed at first.

As for the humour around here, some people can't take anything seriously, and spend their whole time making gutter based innuendos and completely lowering the tone. Luckily I am not one of them and maintain dignity and decorum at all times. :whistling:
You can go to hell for lying in that last statement Squishy;)lollollollol
 
Back
Top