Pigment particle size in airbrush paint

Up to a few days ago, I used to think that airbrush paints could roughly be divided in two categories that determined the ease with which they could be sprayed:

1. Paint consisting of coarse pigment particles
2. Paint consisting of fine pigment particles

After reading two rather deep digging articles about the measuring of particle size and their behavior, I began to realize that matters may be slightly more complex than I had been thinking before reading those. The articles dealing with these matters have unfortunately been removed from the web.

Paint pigments

Airbrush newbie info

When browsing on airbrush forums there is one problem that bugs newbies always: the spraying of fine lines. In the process of mastering this technique, the possibility to create more types of art comes within the reach of the artist - as the artist's skill increases, the level of art goes up. All experienced artists at one point were newbies and had to find ways to grow beyond this stage. There are several matters that affect the ability of the airbrush to produce a fine line:

1. The quality of the airbrush
2. The quality of the paint
3. The adjustment of the airbrush
4. The mix-ratio of the paint and added liquids
5. The quality of the compressor
6. The setting of the compressor's air pressure

Rafael exhibition

Today I visited the Teylers Museum in Haarlem, The Netherlands where an exhibition was held of Rafael (Rafaello Sanzio), Italian painter of the High Renaissance who lived from 1483 - 1520. I don't want to go into too much of his history, but more into the aspects of his work that astounded me.

Rafael at 15 or 16 years - self portrait

In-depth info on paint additives

To understand the properties of paint is imperative for airbrush artists. The best equipment will not make bad paint spray well, especially when attempting to spray fine detail.

Media spray cone of an airbrush

Indians in my living room

One time there were seven great indians on a wall in my living room. Portraits that are freehand airbrush paintings that I sprayed on T-shirt.

Indians in my living room

Iwata Models Tip to Trigger Compare

Artists hold a color pencil as close to the tip as possible to draw detail. The same goes for an airbrush as the outlandishly talented Alberto Ponno indicated. In the design of many airbrushes this is an underrated construction feature. In side cup or siphon feed airbrushes and gravity feed (with the paint cup placed on top) airbrushes the distance between tip and trigger are different which is inherent to their construction.

Nature of the airbrush classes

We made a clear choice to share freehand airbrush knowledge. It is definitely not a technique that will allow you to complete an airbrush painting in no time. Those who are looking to master such fast spraying techniques would do better to look for a different school. Freehand airbrush requires meticulous working methods, specific adjustment of equipment and mixing paint in a particular way. Progress is commonly slow, but you will learn how to master the airbrush in every aspect. We will even teach you how to tune your airbrush gun and make it spray better than when you bought it from the store when it was brand new.

Airbrush poem

I tried to put to words what I felt while airbrushing Chief Plenty Coups

Easy Iwata Trigger Mod ! ! !

Today was the first day I sprayed with the Iwata Custom Micron SB and it swept me off my feet! Now the CM SB is at least on par with the Paasche Turbo where the control over fine lines is concerned. Not only does it spray ultra fine lines, but the measure of control over variations in the lines is absolutely fabulous... From now on I will no longer need the Turbo to spray ultra-fine detail; The Iwata does the job equally good!

Iwata Custom Micron SB Trigger Mod

Interactive PDF resumes

In times in which jobs are becoming more scarce by the day, applying for a position becomes a task that requires a lot of thought to increase the chance to be successful. One of the first instances of contact between an employer and the person who is applying for a position is the exchange of the resume. As we all know, first impressions are important. It contributes a major factor to the decision of the human resource department people who are responsible for hiring a person or not.

Adding Interactive Tabs to your resume makes it appealing and orderly

The future of airbrush is ultrasonic

Possibly the Iwata Microns (and their tuned variations) mark the end of an era in which the limits of mechanical and chemical design have been reached. The mechanical limitations are caused by the physical options of the construction of airbrush guns, the chemical ones by the paints and additives. So after the Microns different ways have to be found to make airbrushes produce a finer, more consistent and easier to control spray.

Ultrasonic atomizer

How to make great PDF's

There are two programs capable of creating excellent across platform PDF-files for those who do not own Adobe's costly InDesign application, both of which have distinguished properties. These programs are:

1. CorelDRAW
2. Apache Open Office

Thin line between thin lines and spiders - II

Modifications that can be considered to make an airbrush better capable of spraying fine lines are the following:

1. taller trigger
2. lower needle rocker spring tension
3. polished needle
4. processed water

Taller triggers have to be moved over a slightly longer distance than short standard triggers to make the needle travel the same distance. This means that the artist has finer control over the needle movement It is made visible in the image below.

Tall trigger modification

Thin line between thin lines and spiders - I

There is a thin line between thin lines and spiders (or splatters). Spraying with ultra low air pressures tends to make airbrush guns react in a more critical way to trigger action than is the case when using higher pressures. Using a low pressure is not always the best way to avoid the dreaded spiders. But if an airbrush is adjusted in an optimal way and tuned correctly, it is among the best solutions to spray fine detail.

Spider - rampant splatter of paint