Benefits of an Airbrush

I am in quite a few different groups on Facebook, it seems like it is almost daily, i see people asking how to get a level finish on large sections ( wings, hulls, car bodies ) with no brush strokes. Or someone else showing a picture of either a crazed paint job due to too much paint being applied and lifting the other layers or drips in the paint. Or the pics of someone trying to do pre-shading on either an aircraft or armor, with a brush ( or i have even seen them try to use a sharpie....)


In this day and age, i am going to go on record here and just say what i think.


There is no good reason that every modeler should not own ( and use ) an airbrush.


The benefits of using one are reason enough to make sure you own one.


Benefits:

Affordable

No more brush strokes in paint work/Uneven coverage

Much better control of coverage over both a regular brush and a spray can.

Less wasted product ( because you control both, the air flow and the paint flow )

Unlimited color opportunities

Pays for itself over time.



Lets start at the top. How much is your average model kit? This will vary depending on what you build, but overall if we use the baseline of $30 it will show what i am talking about. Now go into Google and type in 'nail art airbrush'. Now some of you already have alarm bells going off in your head. your mind has been trained to think that if it is not made for the hobby, or if it is being marketed for something else, we cant use it. Do you know what the difference between the nail art airbrush and the model hobby version is? Nothing, aside from price. Now before someone goes trying to blast me saying ' those are cheap!!!'..Yes they are. They are not the do all, end all, of airbrushing. But i know people that have used that same basic kit for years and never had a problem with them. As long as you keep them clean and maintain them, they are both reliable and dependable. They are meant to get your foot in the door and open you up to the rest of the benefits of airbrushing.


That brings us to the second point, brush strokes. Even properly thinned paint requires multiple passes to achieve coverage. the problem is the standard brush will leave things thinner on the flats and build up on the irregularities. in effect, wasting product to get an even ( for a brush) finish. With an airbrush you eliminate this entirely. While you do still make multiple light passes to build coverage, it is possible to achieve a much more uniform finish without buildup and brush strokes.


Control is the third reason and waste is the fourth, for wanting an airbrush. They go hand in hand. Do you regularly use spray cans?..if so then this one is directed your way. Spray cans are not cheap, yes you can still find some relatively inexpensive brands on the market, but as an example.. Testors spray enamel can be found for about $6 for the 3oz can. Duplicolor can be found for about $10 for the 8oz cans. Not saying there is anything at all wrong with either of these paints. I am saying that if you are using them directly from the can, you are wasting money and product. If you took those same paints and decanted them ( sprayed them into a cup and shot them through your airbrush) you would get 1.5 to 2 times more coverage out of them. that means being able to paint almost twice as much with the original amount of product. Have you ever tried to pre shade an aircraft with a can...( not really a thing) Also...have you ever got half done with a can and it just stopped spraying so you threw it away?.. there are ways around that waste as well if you have an airbrush.


Now the fifth reason is one that a lot of people are blinded to. Remember the alarm bells from before, here they come again. You don't have to use hobby specific paints. I have shot so many different types of paint through my airbrushes, from water based acrylic craft paint , nail polish and all the way to 2 part urethane, and everything in between. There is a full spectrum of colors at your disposal. Many of the branded for hobby companies even make their paints in 'airbrush ready' form to make things even easier.


Now lastly, think about this... With what you save in just wasted product alone, that would cover the cost of an airbrush itself. Add to that the ability to shoot other less expensive paint lines ( acrylic craft, nail polish ) that you cant do without an airbrush, and you are above the curve.


Whats your excuse for not owning one?


cya soon