Airbrush Shopper

How To Choose The Right Airbrush

Tips From A Professional Airbrush Artist

With so many models and types of airbrushes on the market these days it can be a little confusing and overwhelming when it comes to making a sensible choice. Hopefully I can simplify the process and help you make a good educated decision.

The best airbrush, equipment and supplies for you depends on the type of work you wish to use it for. My own background is in airbrush illustration and photo-retouching. For you it could be t-shirt painting, custom car or motorcycle art, cake decorating, hobby modeling, sunless spray tanning, taxidermy, make-up applications, temporary tattoos, body painting, medical illustration, fine art on canvas, technical rendering, fingernail art, ceramics, or any number of other uses. As you can see, the airbrush is a very versatile tool!

Airbrushes can be purchased individually or in sets or kits, which can include an airbrush, compressor, hose, various needle and tip sizes, color cups or jars, maintenance tools, tutorial book or video, cleaning fluids, and more. If you are just starting out, getting a full kit can be a good option.

Single or Double Action?

When it comes to deciding on an airbrush the first consideration is the control: single or double action.

Single action is okay for simple craft or hobby applications where detail is not an issue - and cost is. They are simpler and cheaper than double-action guns. But for any serious airbrushing where total control is required, double action is the only way to go. This will give you control of the air flow as well as the paint flow, in two separate movements. Between these two operations plus manipulating the distance of the airbrush from the painting surface you can attain a very high degree of control over your art project.

I have expanded on this topic HERE including the issue of internal and external mixing.

Gravity Feed or Suction Feed?

The next consideration is whether to go for a gravity feed or suction feed airbrush. I have always had both types in my studio for various applications. For fine detail illustration work where lots of small color changes are required, the gravity feed type is best. A top or side mounted color cup can dispense the tiniest amount of pigment, and is easy to clean and change. A suction feed airbrush which usually has a bottle mounted underneath the unit is great for situations where a lot of one color is being used, or where a thicker paint is required. In my illustration work, this is what I would use for my backgrounds.

Brand and Model?

The next thing to decide on is the brand and the model. After narrowing down the previous considerations, the brand to go with is really a matter of personal choice. I have enjoyed using Iwata, Paasche, Badger, Aerograph and others. My favorite is Iwata but that is just a personal thing. It best suited my type of technical illustration work at the time.

New or Used?

While buying something brand new is always nice, there's a great variety of used airbrushes on the market today that are well worth considering.

Airbrushes are generally well-designed, hard wearing long life instruments. I personally have airbrushes which are decades old and still going strong, so don't hesitate to look at 2nd hand models that come up for sale.

As an example, take a look at my favorite airbrush, Iwata. All of these units are available for sale today. Click any item for more information.

3 important tips I learned as a professional airbrush artist

During my years of working as a technical illustrator, photo retoucher and airbrush artist, I picked up many tips that made my airbrushing more efficient. I'd like to share some of those with you.

Tip 1. The Needle Cap

It's sometimes better to work with the airbrush needle cap off. No matter what type of ink or paint you are using, it will inevitably build up on the end of the needle. With the cap off you will be capable of more detailed control and it just takes a gentle fingernail scrape on the needle point to clear off any pigment build-up. A word of caution though - the needle tip will be much more vulnerable to damage if you drop the airbrush or bump the tip. Always take extra care when the needle is exposed, and have spares handy. (Note: Not all airbrush models have a needle cap.)

Tip 2. Pre-mixing

Pre-mix your paints or inks. If possible also use multiple paint cups or jars (if your airbrush is configured that way.) I often had 6 or 8 color cups at the ready, all charged up with my different colors. For this reason, I would recommend an airbrush with interchangeable cups.

Tip 3. Ventilation

Create a safe working environment with some sort of ventilation system. If you can't have proper extractor fans, at least have open windows nearby. And make yourself a spray box.

I always made a simple spray box for cleaning and blasting out my airbrushes. This consisted of a cardboard box with a short plastic tube sticking out to bring it up to elbow height. The tube, like a drainpipe, was then capped off at the top. A small hole, just big enough for the airbrush nozzle was poked in the end of the tube cap. Inside the box I scrunched up newspaper and rag, and sealed it all airtight with tape. In between color changes or during cleaning I would spray blast the airbrush into my very effective (but not so pretty) spray box. Wearing a mask during heavy spraying is also a good idea.

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Over the years I have owned and tried out many airbrushes. My favorite is Iwata, but I've also enjoyed using Paasche,  Aerograph, Badger, and a few others.

Good luck with your airbrushing!

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