How to start airbrushing models

Airbrushing models can be tricky to learn if you’re a beginner. There are lots of tips I’d wished I’d known before I started. This post aims to be a practical guide on how to use an airbrush. I’m going to list what airbrush supplies you need and extras I recommend. Then discuss what you should learn before you use an airbrush for the first time and finally some helpful tips that are going to make your time airbrushing much easier. Hopefully, you can learn from my mistakes.

Why should I use an Airbrush?

If you're reading this you probably don't need convincing, but here some of the reasons you should use an airbrush.

Airbrushing allows you to basecoat a model any colour you want in a short amount of time. You'll also get a smoother coverage than you would with traditional painting, especially over large areas. This is great for vehicles and scenery. Painting an Astra Militarum tank company or Imperial Knight household can be completed in a short time.

You can also use your airbrush to prime your models regardless of the weather. This is because using an airbrush is not affected by temperature and humidity in the same way a spray can is. So priming your models in the depth of winter is now possible.

It gives you access to results that are hard and time consuming with a traditional brush. Such as smooth gradient effects.

Getting started airbrushing is not cheap, but it saves you time and opens up techniques you couldn’t otherwise. If you collect Warhammer 40k an airbrush will help you take your hobby to the next level.

Airbrush Supplies

What you’ll need

Airbrush

The brush part of the airbrush. I'd recommend a dual-action gravity feed airbrush. Dual-action means the air and paint can be controlled separately. Gravity feed means the paint is fed by gravity. For a beginner, I'd suggest investing in a good airbrush. There are cheap airbrushes available. My compressor came with two cheap airbrushes and I found both frustrating to use. There are expensive airbrushes available, but if you have money to spend it's better spent elsewhere. I bought the Neo for Iwata CN Gravity Feed Airbrush when I started. I still use it today. It costs ~£70 and you can buy it from Amazon by clicking the image. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Airbrush Compressor

The air part of the airbrush. You can use cans of compressed air. While it is cheaper initially, you will go through cans quickly. You don’t want to worry about losing air while you’re trying to learn. A simple airbrush compressor is a similar price to a good airbrush. I bought my generic compressor with accessories for £70. You can buy that from that from amazon too and I earn from qualifying purchases. Airbrush mini compressor with 3L air reservoir Fengda FD-186

Airbrush Hose

This connects your airbrush to the compressor. You might get one with the compressor. You should ensure the hose connection is compatible with your airbrush and compressor.

Cleaning tools

Cleaning is an important part of airbrushing. You should always clean your airbrush after use. These tools help to reach the places you wouldn’t be able to usually.

Airbrush Paints

You’ll need paints to paint with. I’d suggest using the ready to spray paints, rather than ones that need to be thinned down. This is to minimise your frustration and maximise your learning. There is enough to learn when starting. You don’t want to have to learn the right consistency of paint to spray. When starting I used the Minitaire range, which sprays without any need to thin. The GW air range is nice to use too and matches the existing citadel paints. The only issue is that they come in citadel pots rather than dropper bottles, so best to get some Pasteur pipettes if you plan to use them.


The cost of the essential airbrush supplies should be less than £150, without the paints.

Recommended

Airbrush Spray Booth

You should only use your airbrushing in a well-ventilated area. For most this limits us outside and the mercy of the weather. Unlike a short prime spraying session, you can be airbrushing for as long as you usually paint for. Not having a Spray Booth is what prevented me from airbrushing more. Since mine arrived it has been easy to spray any time I want. I bought a generic model for £80. It came with a nice turntable and lights inside which have been useful. You can buy your own here Display4top Airbrush Toy Model Parts Spray Booth Hose Kit Paint Craft Odor Extractory Hobby Spray Booth Portable w/LED Light Turn Table Powerful Fan with Filter Extraction, and I earn from qualifying purchases.

Airbrush Cleaner

It makes cleaning the airbrush easier. It isn’t required as water will do the job, but it makes it simpler. If you do buy any, make sure it's suitable for the paints you use.

Protective Mask

Paint in your throat and lungs is not good. Infrequently spraying might not harm you, but regularly it builds up. I’ve heard people saying they’re fine spraying in a ventilated area or with an extractor, but these issues develop over time. I’d rather not take the risk. Wear a mask to keep the worst of it out of your lungs. You should consider your health if you’re planning to regularly spray.

The cost of these extra airbrush supplies should be around £100.

Getting started

So you've ordered everything and you're ready to learn. There are great guides on the internet already, so find tutorials about using your specific airbrush and paints. I suggest you study the following.

• How to clean your airbrush - This is important, the sooner you clean it after you’ve used it, the easier it is. You don’t want to spray and then have to look up youtube videos on how to clean it. All while that paint is drying on your new airbrush!
• How to use your airbrush - This should be straightforward. What happens when you push the trigger? How to start the air? How to start the paint? There will likely be settings you can adjust, so learn these too.
• How your airbrush mechanism works - This will help you troubleshoot if anything goes wrong. The airbrush mechanism is fairly simple, and the specifics of your one will vary.
• How to use your compressor - Again, this should be straightforward. Make sure you know how to read, increase and lower the air pressure
• The pressure for you paints - This is often only a rough guide, and usually varies from colour to colour, but you should be able to find some idea of what pressure your paint will spray at to get you started.

Once you've learnt these basics, you'll be ready to airbrush.

Airbrush Tips and Tricks

Time to start spraying. Here are some tips and tricked I'd wish I'd known.

• Have somewhere you can put the brush down, without the paint spilling out - If you’re spraying and the doorbell rings or you need to reach something further away than the length of your hose. You’ll want somewhere to put the brush. You can buy stands, but you can make do with leaning it against something. Make sure you test it and have a plan ahead of time.
• Do not trigger the air on the brush when pointing at a model - This causes a burst of air, that launches excess paint in the nozzle to splatter out. It won't look good on your model and is difficult to get rid of. Start the air pointing elsewhere and then move the brush over the target area. Having a card you can hold over the model and spray onto, before removing it to spray the model is helpful.
• Start with cardboard and scenery - When you start, you are going to be bad. Your results will have poor consistency or splatter. Don’t worry, adjust until you get it right. With this in mind, it’s best to practice on models you care less about than a £100 tank from forge world. Cardboard is good to improve your technique without ruining a model. Scenery models are great because it matters less than your army. Often they're left unpainted because its time consuming with traditional techniques. Use this as an excuse to paint it up. If it’s messy, it's only used as terrain.

• Have a plan on how to move the model - You don’t want to touch the model until the paint is dry, but might want to move the model. To spray the other side or to move onto the next model. A turntable or a piece of cardboard to put your model on is best.
• The air can disturb paint that has not dried yet - The closer you are, the smaller the area you spray. The further away from the model, the larger. When you are close, the air can move paint that isn’t dry yet, so watch out.
• Take your time - Make sure you have enough time to get a good session in. Unlike traditional painting, where you can paint for short periods and leave easily. It takes a while to set up and clean up when airbrushing. Make sure you give yourself enough time.
• Use Blu tack to hold your models down - The air from the airbrush can push a model, especial if it’s light. Blu tack is great for holding them in place.
• Sub-assembly - It’s easiest to spray a model if it’s broken down into pieces that match the various colours you plan to spray them. Sub-assembly will prevent paint from getting on other parts that are going to be a different colour to the one you are spraying.
• Airbrush first - Airbrushing should be done before any traditional painting. It's easier to fix a mistake on an area with a base coat, than intricate highlights. You can see where the orange has sprayed onto the legs on the right Wraithlord. It's easy to fix, as seen in the left one.

• Have a water tap nearby - You will use be using lots of water to clean the airbrush. You need to clean between every colour.
• Test your airbrush with water - Paint costs money. Water is cheaper. To get a feel for your airbrush use water instead of paint.

I hope this guide has helped you get started airbrushing.