[CUSTOM] Airbrush vs hand painted

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:31 pm

I am very intrigued and have been wanting to get into kitbashing items such as Transformers for sometime now.

I was wondering which is best to use an air brush or paint brush and if anyone could point me in the direction of some good paint products to do this with. Thank you all very much.

Post by **Clay** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:17 pm

I primarily use an airbrush kit now, but that's a bad name for it. They're actually aerosol cans that have attachments on top that hold the paint bottles. Air blows over the nozzle, and paint comes out. It works exactly like an industrial airbrush, but it doesn't need a compressor or other expensive equipment.

This is what the basic kit looks like. You can buy extra cans of aerosol afterwards.

I still use a brush for small details.

MissingSea · Post by **MissingSea** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:05 am

I paint with a brush, but that's because I haven't been able to find a good airbrush here in the UK. If you do use a brush I've found that a slightly larger brush with small bristles is best for reducing brush marks, I thought that using a smaller brush would be better for that sort of thing and my first repaint the paint is uneven because I was using the smaller brush. Though the smaller brushes are used for the finer details

As for paint, depends which side of the pond you are. If you're US based, then I've heard that Testors are quite good. Here in the UK I've struggled to find many suppliers, but Humbrol do a good range of acrylics and enamels (though I only use the enamels for silver/metallic highlights).

Post by **Sades** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:23 am

Betcha Michael's would have 'em...

Post by **Clay** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:41 am

Michaels doesn't carry acrylic paints or aerosol cans, though. Hobby Lobby is the place I go.

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:43 am

yeha but there is a few hobby shops I can think ofthat might have such a kit. if not I'll borrow my compressor from my brother in law and get myself a decent airbrush and off I go .

Tramp · Post by **Tramp** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:52 am

Airbrushing is definately the better way to go, with hand brushing being used for details. The only reason why I've been hand-painting most of mine is because my Grandmother has emphasema and can't handle the paint particles in the air. That means I can't use my airbrush.

hXcpunk23 · Post by **hXcpunk23** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:48 pm

Clay wrote:Michaels doesn't carry acrylic paints or aerosol cans, though. Hobby Lobby is the place I go.

The Michaels here in Destin, FL carries Testors acrylic & enamel paints, as well as the Testors airbrush kits that someone mentioned above. I just raided it a few days ago for more paint and brushes.

Sonray · Post by **Sonray** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:20 pm

Airbrushing gives the best, most even, smoothest and most realistic finish possible. You can use the best paint in the world but as long as you apply it by hand brush it will always look a bit uneven in areas and there will be visible brush stroke marks.

Invest in a small home airbrush kit with a compressor and you will be laughing! Its so much fun too! (obviously small detailing still needs to be done by hand though)

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:08 pm

Well thank you everyone for the advice. I happen to own a very large air compressor but it might be easier if I buy an airbrush kit as well.

Would any of you happen to be able to tell me how much around I should be paying for a decent airbrush with or without a compressor. I have a friend who bought one for around $25 and made a mess of some models. So obviously I don't want to do that.

Sonray · Post by **Sonray** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:35 pm

Soundwave wrote:Well thank you everyone for the advice. I happen to own a very large air compressor but it might be easier if I buy an airbrush kit as well.

Would any of you happen to be able to tell me how much around I should be paying for a decent airbrush with or without a compressor. I have a friend who bought one for around $25 and made a mess of some models. So obviously I don't want to do that.

I got a really cheap bundle from ebay, cheap doesn't always mean crap, its more to do with the person operating the equipment, although good tools always help :P

Heres one similar to what i have, its a great little thing (you MUST buy airbrush cleaner and use it on your airbrush after each session as these things will clog up and start to malfunction if you dont.) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AB-130-PRECISION- ... dZViewItem

And heres the compressor i have.: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BABY-ELEPHANT-COM ... dZViewItem

Its not very big but its perfect for airbrushing toys and its all you need.

Tramp · Post by **Tramp** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:53 pm

My suggestion would be to get a Paasche double-action Airbrush. It's one of the best.

Post by **Clay** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:44 pm

Sonray wrote:Airbrushing gives the best, most even, smoothest and most realistic finish possible.

You forgot to mention that it's much quicker, too.

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:54 pm

Well I will definetly have to look further into this airbrush thing and get myself a good one.

Sonray: thanks those are some nice links or at least the equipment looks nice. However I will have to look for something a bit more north american based.

Thank you all very much this give me a lot of ideas of where to begin.

Sonray · Post by **Sonray** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:24 pm

Soundwave wrote:Well I will definetly have to look further into this airbrush thing and get myself a good one.

Sonray: thanks those are some nice links or at least the equipment looks nice. However I will have to look for something a bit more north american based.

Thank you all very much this give me a lot of ideas of where to begin.

Well, i figured they wouldn't be any good to you since they were from the UK, but they showed you what you need at least so you can look for similar items on ebay America.

And yeah...i forgot to mention airbrushing is much quicker too. :P

superquad7 · Post by **superquad7** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 7:07 am

Well, I think it's pretty much known that I'm one of the few that still use brushes primarily. I do a lot of sanding too

Sonray · Post by **Sonray** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:00 pm

superquad7 wrote:Well, I think it's pretty much known that I'm one of the few that still use brushes primarily. I do a lot of sanding too

Ditto (the sanding part) i always sand down my toys before airbrushing as it roughs the plastic up just enough to give the paint something to adhere to. If you leave it smooth and shiny the paint wont stick as well as it could.

frenzy_rumble · Post by **frenzy_rumble** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:15 pm

Here's a trick.

Want your paint to stick better to the plastic? get a clean brush, and some paint thinner, and a dry place. Paint lightly the entire figure with thinner. You will notice a cloudy formation on the plastic...this is good! The cloudy resin will bond your paint to the polymors in the plastic.

Pun-3X · Post by **Pun-3X** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:00 am

Another good trick I've learned by chance, which is rather similar. using 91% alcohol to clean factory paint off my parts has a bit of an effect. I've noticed parts soaked in the alcohol (not long, just long enough to get your paint off) have an easier time with paints sticking to their surfaces. I think either one is effective, although the thinner might yield better results. (Don't use thinner much to remove paint these days--either alcohol or Brasso)

frenzy_rumble · Post by **frenzy_rumble** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:27 am

Pun-3X wrote:Another good trick I've learned by chance, which is rather similar. using 91% alcohol to clean factory paint off my parts has a bit of an effect. I've noticed parts soaked in the alcohol (not long, just long enough to get your paint off) have an easier time with paints sticking to their surfaces. I think either one is effective, although the thinner might yield better results. (Don't use thinner much to remove paint these days--either alcohol or Brasso)

this is the same procedure as paint thinner, a little safer, but same concept.