Hi all

as per title and can anyone recommend one for figure painting.

Thanks
Dave

Hi David
I use a iwata revolution , for the price you can not beat it !
Have a look at the airbrush company in lancing west sussex
Sam

Thanks for your help fella's.

I like the look of the iwata's, especially the HP C+ but rather exspensive, however it will be set to good use given I am more in to diorama's so groundwork, buildings, armor so need a good all rounder at value for money.

No point in going for pro airbrush when I am not a pro painter.

Dave I use Iwatas Custom Micron,can shade 35th scale with it even though use brushs but have done in past,also use the HP-C Highline with built in MAC Valve... I use that mostly but both are awesome brushs suitable for the most finest of stuff you could wish for in modelling...xpensive but good tools allways are !

Carlos

Hi David,
I started with (and still have) a $150 dollar airbrush, use it quite happily as an all rounder tool.

Lays down primer, first coats, does some shading. Lines as fine as 3 -4 mm.

Not quite as precise or as sharp as I want it to be some days, I reckon it's the guy holding the airbrush, not the air brush itself that occasionally gives not so great results.

Brand is a Sparmax, DH-103, double action (way better to use then a single action!)

This will serve me for many years (barring accident) until I can justify shelling out for a better model.

As for results, search for Pepa, she does some great stuff with an airbrush!

Cheers

Hi Dave i think the airbrush for figures is great?
if your doing say winter uniforms it is a great way to fasten the job up.
I also think for some camoflage such as splinter camo its great for doing the red and green colour and of course you can do faces with it to. But i perfer to stick to brush painting when it comes to painting faces. I have an Iwata eclipse cs airbrush.


hope this helps

Tom

As always, fantastic help from everyone.

Looks the CR revolution gets the vote at around £75, just need a decent compressor that will not destroy the relationship with my neighbours lol.

Once again your supportabd suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks
Dave

Hi Carl

IM new to Air brushing got Iwata micron B but keeps clogging up or paint runs
Any tips

Ronnie T

Hi Ron, I use an Iwata Eclipse HP-BCS, and usually if the paint clogs it means either the pigment is unsuitable for the size of needle/nozzle you are using or needs thinning more.
When the paint 'runs' it is either too high a pressure, spraying too close, paint too thin or too much too soon. It can be a combination of the above just to confuse you.
Hope this helps. Cheers, Ron.

As stated, you get what you pay for. If it's something you plan on using a lot, buy the best you can reasonable afford. There's nothing worse than struggling with bad equipment when doing something that's supposed to be enjoyable.

You can't go wrong with Iwata. I'm still using my first (nearly 30 year old) HP-BC2. Original needle as well and this one gets the lion share of use. My kids have been using it now too, the single action Badger I bought for them doesn't float their boat anymore.

Ron, it's all about paint prep, pressure and atmospheric conditions. It's something you'll need to work through and will develop with practice. There are flow meters, etc. to help, but the paint will still behave differently on different days.

yea I was beginning to think along those lines my brush is expensive so
looks like i just need to get the flow right.

Cheers

Does anyone have feedback on the Paasche Talon?

Thanks,

Ronnie

Ron, which sort of paint do you use?
H

Hi David. I use 2 different airbrushes. I have an Iwata HP C+ which is considered "the workhorse" for model builders and I just purchased a Harder & Steenbeck 2 in 1. The Iwata has a .3mm needle and the H&S has a .15mm needle so I get really thin lines with it. I'm really just learning how to use them for figure painting as I normally use them for painting armour.

Good luck!

Gary Daugherty

I use an Ancient Devilbiss Aerograph Super63e. It's hard to get parts for these days but it'll paint a consistent line 1/32 wide. For non detail airbrushing I use Paasche V. For clear coating and base coating I use a good old single action Paasche model H I have had for 30 years. Sprays like a champ and has three parts to clean 4 if you include the color cup.

Dave, general rule of thumb with airbrushing is that unfortunately the compressor tends to cost more (sometimes a lot more) than the airbrush.

In terms of what you need/'need' in an airbrush, like with anything a lot depends on what you intend to do with it. For a total beginner I would strongly recommend not getting a better brush to start with, because not only is the AB itself expensive but it's actually very easy to damage them with improper use or handling.

It's for this reason among many that I recommend Azteks to new users. They're hard to damage and with luck you'll never need another airbrush for modelling purposes (and not a single spare part), so they're by no means a beginner-only choice.

If you're interested in a traditional-style airbrush though you might like to consider the Premi-Air G35; it's significantly cheaper than the Iwata and in many ways sprays just as well. I posted a list of entry-level airbrushes in this thread last year:
http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34589

Einion

Fantastic help guys, thank you!

I'll do a tad more research but my main use will be nice consistant priming on my figures followed by a base coat. The rest I will do with oils but will then use the airbrush for those very fine details like splinter camo for example.

The rest will be for Armor at 1/16 scale and the odd 1/35, not to mention large areas of groundwork, so it will have a multiple purpose.

Einion, thanks for your input and the link, everything you say makes perfect sense so I'll have another ponder given your recommendations.

Thanks everyone
Dave

Welcome Dave. Just to note, most airbrush artists wouldn't try to spray details as small as camo elements, they'd just do those with a standard brush.

Most airbrushed figures aren't painted detail by detail even if the finished model gives that appearance. Without complex masking or a really tight spraying technique using a tiny nozzle it's just not feasible to paint each highlight and shadow individually* and it's not necessary anyway - with a generic bottom-up + top-down technique (creates overhead or zenithal lighting), and with a little retouching by brush afterwards, you get the right effect in far less time and effort.

*The smaller you go the more and more true this becomes.

Einion