Weolcome to airbrushing!!! Lol! You've just highlighted what I think are the main problems when starting out. You don't know what to buy, so a kit seems ideal. But generally the kit doesn't contain the best quality items, and so frustration soon kicks in. That's not to say it won't work, but it may not work well, or consistently, which when you are trying to learn is far from ideal, as you won't know whether it's inexperience, or the kit that is the problem. If the compressor doesn't have a tank, you will get pulsing, which also won't help. The other major problem is the phrase "use the proper mixture". That is misleading in itself as it implies there is a magic formula for mixing paints that just works. If you have tried to search for this formula you may have found it hard to find. That's because there really isn't one. There are too many variables. It depends on the type of gun you have, whether it's gravity or siphon fed, what paint brand you use, even what colour in that brand range you are using, what the temperature is like, how humid it is, what surface you are painting on,( textiles, canvas or metal for example may require a different ratio), whether you are trying to get super fine detail or cover larger areas, your personal painting style and preferences etc etc. Then you have to factor in your air pressure, again there is no set number as it needs to suit the paint mixture. When you get the balance right between the two, you will have found your sweet spot and life is suddenly good! Sounds confusing, but it's not really when you know, and you've come to the right place. When there is a bit more info on your kit and paint, then we can start to point you in the right direction. It takes a little experimentation at first, but it soon becomes second nature. The basic rule of thumb is that the more reducer you use, the lower the air pressure. If you are using proper airbrush paint it will have a recommended paint / reducer mix, but this is really just a starting point. Another common issue is that your airbrush works well at first, but next time splats, skips, and paint bubbles in the cup. That is down to cleaning, especially the nozzle, as Jord mentioned above. You think it's clean, it even looks squeaky clean, but that paint is sneaky and tricksy, and you'll be amazed at how much can stay in there. Also cheaper brushes tend to have rubber o rings instead of Teflon, which can get easily damaged/swollen with stuff like paint thinners, so get the proper stuff. The needles and nozzle are also usually soft and it is easy to bend the needle or flare the nozzle if you are a bit too vigorous when you clean them. Most of us have had similar issues when starting out, but you'll soon be on your way:encouragement:
