Years ago I studied with an amazing painter by the name of Jack Reilly. He taught me how to use an airbrush, and really see color. I studies with Jack for several years, and learned a lot. Eventually Jack left the studio, I took over the studio and the students. I taught surfboard makers, car painters, illustrators, fabric designers, model makers, and special effects guys. I taught a beginning airbrush class, and learned a lot also from my students with all of the different applications they were using.

We used an H1 Paasche airbrush, it being a single action. The single action brushes are very easy to use for beginners. You press a button and that gives you spray, then you use the appreture setting at the tip to give you line/spray width. To start out with, I find it’s a lot easier to work with your paper or canvas hung on a wall, you standing in front of it level. Instead of worrying about learning over and spilling ink or paint out of your airbrush, with the artwork on a wall your body can move an adjust. It’s very important to keep a good stance, loose, and be able to move with fluidity. You are strifing for fluidity with the use of an airbrush, so when you FEEL fluid this helps your work. Bend at the knees a bit, and plant your feet apart even with your shoulders. You will feel steady and in control, a good thing to be while airbrushing.

Look through a magazine for a photograph of folded or draped fabric in a solid color, or shoot a pic More…

It gets pretty boring when you driving down the highway and you see all the same colors of vehicles. Sure they are different makes and styles, but color wise they are all the same and uninteresting. Then every once in a while something really dynamic pulls up beside you. Its one of those cars that has been painted with a custom design. To paint a car is one thing but to custom paint it is a whole new world.

At least when you went to buy your car you had a few more color options then perhaps your grandfather did in his day and age. Now today, not only do you have to decide on color, you need to decide if you want metallic, or rust free or even scratch proof finishes.

When you get down to wanting to paint a car with custom colors you have to really give some thought as to what you want. It isn’t cheap to custom paint a car. The paints are a very high grade poly urethanes.

When it comes time and you want to paint a car and you have decided to have a custom design put on it, then you are going to have to choose which type you want. A few years back the burning flame was the rage. To see a black car with those flames running down the sides was the envy of every avid car lover.

The flames are still very popular but the designs are somewhat different. They cover more of an area.

Another popular design is animals such as the wild mustangs or the flying eagle. Then there are designs that are just abstr More…

The airbrush paints available in the market today are non-toxic and water soluble. They are used in applications like temporary tattoos, automotive, modeling, fabric and by custom surfboard makers. They are available in craft shops, stationery shops as well as art stores. I find it very easy to use craft and textile paints and if you learn the basics, it becomes even easier.

These paints come in two different colors i.e. the opaque and the transparent types. The opaque is usually referred as the base color, non transmitting or the impenetrable to sight. They have a higher amount of pigments and can clog your brush easily at the tip. Whereas the Transparent paints allow light to pass through it so that other objects or bodies can be seen distinctly.

Some of the airbrush paints include: acrylics, gouache, and water colors. These are water based colors that come in tubes and in pre-reduced form. Acrylics are available in both transparent and opaque colors, they are easily thinned and cleaned using water. They are used in painting clothing and textiles. sign paints, oil paints and cratex colors are reduced with spirits or turpentine. They can be opaque or transparent depending on the level of reduction.

To apply a airbrush paints on fabrics, first you will need to try it on paper or canvas as you may well know, colors turn permanent on drying. Clean the leather by rubbing with alcohol or spirits. Spray a mild base coat of Opaqu More…