Hi everyone - another newbie needs help!

[greenjack]

Hello to all, I don't typically get involved in forums, but having spent many, many hours scouring the web for useful info on techniques and materials I can across your group. Brilliant!

I’m new to using an airbrush and haven’t involved myself in any artistic activity since school (quite some time ago now). I recently purchased a Badger 360 with modelling in mind, the fact that it seemed to be all singing, all dancing, suitable for fine medium heavy lines, all mediums and featuring bottle and cup swung the balance. Since owning it I find myself attracted to large white surfaces and have acquired frisket, CS10 board and Golden opaque airbrush acrylics. That was the easy bit.

I’ve subsequently produced 5 practice pieces, the third (flower) and the fifth (portrait) having been posted. Both are on CS10 board with Golden acrylics, I’ve also used some lower cost ‘general purpose acrylics’ although I’m less happy with these as they tend to clog. The flower has been masked only with frisket, whereas I’ve used frisket and hand held masks on the portrait. Highlights on the flower have been scratched, on the portrait I’ve used a hairy stick.

As you can see I have a lot to learn, but I’m willing to open my efforts up to scrutiny in the hope that it will be rewarded with helpful advice.

Initially I could really use some help in the following areas:

Masking – Just how do you get Frisket back where it came from (repeatedly)?

Mixing – I’ve a tendency to use paints straight from the bottle, although I’ve tried some mixing. What’s the best technique for mixing very small quantities of paint? A few drops in the cup goes a long way, whereas a few drops on a palette or in a tube for mixing tends to stay there. Should I start with a very light base and keep adding to it to increase the density for each subsequent spraying. Plenty of opportunity for misaligned masks here!

Golden Extenders/Mediums – I’ve struggled to find a ready source of these in the UK, does anyone have any readily available substitutes.

Finer Brush – I bought the Badger as it said it would do just about anything and only required a single needle for fine/medium/heavy. Can I expect to get a much finer line with a dedicated fine brush?

Cleaning – Got fingerprints on the portrait and have scratched the surface cleaning it. Thought I would post as is, as further evidence of my inexpert handling. In the event that I do this again, what should I use to clean the surface. Do people generally finish with acrylic varnishes or equivalents.

Can’t paint for toffee – Made the mistake of using a hairy stick for eyelashes and eyebrows on the portrait. Wish I hadn’t. Any tips for someone without a painting background?

Comments and suggestions gratefully received. Having spent most of last weekend building an acoustic enclosure for my 90 dB compressor I’m looking forward to some painting this weekend.

[jonquil]

wow! the posts you have look great. airbrush has always been, for me, a hard-to-control medium and it looks like you've got control of that Badger.
I can't help you with all of your questions, but i do know that different airbrushes can absolutely get you different fine/medium lines. for a super fine line I reccommend the Iwata brand. This is my favorite, especially because I like detail/photo realistic illustration.

[Caterwallin']

Hello greenjack!!!! Welcome to WC and to our forum!

First off, I think your paintings are great! If these are examples of early paintings then I expect huge things from you! I'm so very jealous of you having the ability to purchase CS10! Stick with this board, it's great stuff! Don't feel vulnerable or as though your under scrutiny, a great and awesome airbrush artist recently said to me, "When the tide rises, all boats rise with it." That's a great philosophy and we embrace it here!

You will get many replies and response to each of your "areas". This is great because the one thing we can all agree on is that we're all different and do things unlike each other! It's up to you to try or ponder the suggestions and decide what will work best for you!

Frisket: Never could get that stuff to go back exactly where I wanted it, and when I did, it pulled the paint off. My main beef with it though was the hard edges! I stopped using it altogether! I went to drafting film and I'm 100% content with it! Please see other suggestions!

Mixing: For small areas and if I'm not going to have to reproduce the mixture later, I just mix it right in the airbrush! I use gravity feeds, you may have a harder time of this. If it is a color that I will be using later, I just keep all of my empty paint bottles (can you say OCD!) and I mix them there. Great storage and easy to transfer to airbrush! I also use a small, round, ceramic palette "thingy" that has deep wells. I use eyedroppers to mix and remove paint to the airbrush. (M.Fredrickson trick) Please see other suggestions!

Golden anything: Seek someone else, I don't use them!

Finer airbrush: Yes you can! Not that there is anything wrong with the Badger 150, but there are many airbrushes available that will offer much finer results! High end Iwata, Olympos, Devilbiss 63 etc,......

Cleaning: Hummmmmm. Can't say that I have ever cleaned a painting! I wipe them off with a clean dry cloth, but I would not use anything else! If you place a fingerprint, like on a wet or partially dry area, let it dry completely and paint over it. I always seal my paintings! I think this is an absolute must! Please see other suggestions!

Toffee: Yep, I would suggest that you use the lightest color to start off with. For example, in your painting, use a smaller, finer hairy stick and paint with the lightest shade of the color you want for the end result. In your case it was black, you may ask how do I lighten black? Don't add white, just keep diluting it until its mostly water/medium. Practice on another piece of support just like the one your using! Gradually increase the darkness. I also use the airbrush to "soften" the base of the hairs.
Please see other suggestions!

Good luck, happy to have you join us, and ask as many question as you like!
Hope you get to paint this weekend!

Sam

[HF AIRBRUSH]

hey jef,
welcome from holland.....man your paintings look already great...i like the flower...great job..

and about mixing paint...hmmmm...well im not the right person to answer i think...hahahaha...
when i mix paint i always use empty bottle's and when im ready they are allready half full...
but i don't mind...i use those colors many times again...
i even draw on the bottle were i used it on so i can remember wich color it was....hahaha..

and im sure we all will help you when you got any questions...

henk

[Keith Russell]

From where are you getting CS-10 board?

Please let me know, thanks!

K

[Penny220]

Welcome aboard! Don't be shy we won't bite, well most of us won't.

Mixing: Like Sam I keep my empty paint bottles around, pill bottles work nice too but the paint won't last indefinately in them, another thing I like to use is a syringe minus the needle, the paint keeps great in them, they are relatively clear, I can re-mix the paint and get out only one drop at a time.

Golden: contact Golden if you can't find it locally, they ship world wide. You can also email me at anytime. I live near them and when it's time for me to buy my paints I just take a ride in the country to the plant. The best part is my paints haven't been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long.

Finer airbrush: I started a post awhile back that compaired airbrushes.

Cleaning: Clear coat on a painting is the same as clear coat on a car. Henceforth, you can wipe them down with anything you would wipe down a car with, wax included.

I really like your flower. As far as any critique, it seems a bit pointless at this stage of the game. For only having done 5 paintings I would say you are getting an A+, you seem to have good control of your airbrush and that's the hardest part to learn.

[MKathleen]

:) Hello welcome to the Wet Canvas Community and to the Airbrush forum. As you have already discovered we have some really terrific artists in this forum. Always welcoming and helpful.

[AlpineAirbrush]

Hi Jeff ! Welcome to W.C.

First off let me say I love that flower, you did a great job on that piece. :clap:

Looks like you've already recieved some good advise on most of your questions already, so I'll just address the last one. You asked for Any tips for someone without a painting background?

I hope this will be of some help, and it's just my 2 cents. ;)

On the portrait painting it looks like you're using black for shading areas of the face. When you use black for this you will usually end up with something a little "cartoony" if you know what I mean. When I first started I used to use black to shade as well, but was never really satisfied with the results. Then one day I ran accross an article on the web entitled "What color is a red car?" It talked about the fact that shadows are usually violet, purple, brown, etc...and that the only time to use black is when the actual color of someting is black in real life, ( one example being the garment the lady is wearing in your portrait ) .

Here's a link to that very article
http://www.westcoastairbrush.com/WCA3-pages/cobrahowto.htm

It's pretty simple, but I hope you can glean something from it. :cool:

For a newbie to airbrush, you're doing excellent work and I'm looking forward to seeing lots more from you !!

[greenjack]

Many thanks for all the encouragement and helpful advice, I'm overwhelmed.

I get CS10 board from a local art and stationary suppliers, I will try to track down the primary source and post the info.

[Milo]

Something one of the artists where I worked suggested when they where doing masking or multiple levels of masking was to tape down one corner and using that to fold it back out of the way, then one edge is already set. I haven't done enough to know how well it works but he painted really well.

He even did where he had pieces that was taped and folded away on each edge layering them.

Anyway don't know if that helps
Milo

[ADCook]

Well, I was reluctant to offer input, since the feedback I've read here is great! (What a great group of talent here at WC).

I did want to offer one quick thing though in regards to saving mixed colors. I use Fuji film containers that I get for free from a local film processing lab (can you believe people still shoot film?). Anyway, they're small, air-tight and see through - must be Fuji containers though - most everyone else (Kodak, etc.) use black ones.

Grab up that CS10 board if you can get it. I heard from a pretty solid source that the factory burned down a couple years ago, and from what I've hear... when it's gone it's gone, at least for a while - possibly a long while. Cross your fingers and hope for otherwise.

A.D.

[eyeburp]

Masking – Just how do you get Frisket back where it came from (repeatedly)?
Sometimes you just need to re-cut them. Especially after repeated spraying sometimes the cuts fill in and it's hard to find the edge and the pieces become opaque and covered with paint. Sometimes they stretch a little or tear when removing them and you'll never get them to seat right after that. Most of my masks are cut for one-time sprays. It can be a pain but in the end I think it actually saves time since it reduces the amount of white slivers I need to retouch ;)

Also like Sam mentioned, loose masks are great for so many reasons.

Mixing – What’s the best technique for mixing very small quantities of paint?
Again, I do like Sam and frequently mix small amounts right in my cup (gravity feed).

Golden Extenders/Mediums – ...does anyone have any readily available substitutes.
Water.

Having spent most of last weekend building an acoustic enclosure for my 90 dB compressor ...
Got any pics of that?

[eyeburp]

P.S. - I also heard years ago that the company went out of business or wasn't going to be making CS10 anymore. I can't remember where I got my stash. I thought it was a little on the pricey side though.

The CS paper is nice too. It's just the surface of the CS10 board without the chipboard backing. It's good for transfering drawings with a light table or painting elements and cutting them out for either collage or client alterations where you can make their change and drop in onto the board without completely starting over.

[greenjack]

Hi Eyeburp,

I've attached a pic of the acoustic enclosure. Its a simple chipboard box with a detachable end panel for compressor removal and a lift up flap for control access. It's lined with polystyrene ceiling tiles. Multi-layer acoustic foam would be nice, but I think that's pretty expensive. The box stands on rubber feet and the vent holes in the end panels are covered with foam backed carpet 'tunnels'. I may yet line the whole thing with a layer of carpet for further improvement.

It's not exactly 'silent', but it's taken the noise levels from 'heart stoppingly loud' to 'tolerable' when the pump kicks in.

[Penny220]

You can also use carpet or syrafoam insulation. Be sure that the compressor isn't getting hot in there and that the regulator is where you can reach it without needing to get into the box. Also be sure that you don't forget to drain your tank "out of sight, out of mind" Nice job.

[Keith Russell]

Many thanks for all the encouragement and helpful advice, I'm overwhelmed.

I get CS10 board from a local art and stationary suppliers, I will try to track down the primary source and post the info.

Thanks!

K

[Keith Russell]

P.S. - I also heard years ago that the company went out of business or wasn't going to be making CS10 anymore. I can't remember where I got my stash. I thought it was a little on the pricey side though.

I spoke to Frisk Products two years ago, and at that time, they were no longer going to import CS-10 into the US. Coast Airbrush still sells CS-10 (I think) in the 20 x 30 size, but I preferred working in the larger 30 x 40 size.

Frisk told me that under no circumstances would they ship CS-10 from their British warehouse to the US, except large quantity orders to a valid wholesale reseller.

I explained that I was a working airbrush artist, who had pretty much based my techniques on the CS-10's unique capabilities, and that I was in big trouble if I had to 're-tool' for another surface.

They would not budge, and I thought their attitude was more than a bit apalling.

To my knowledge, no US retailer has picked up the CS-10 line, and the situation is still as it was...

K

[eyeburp]

Thanks for the pic. Any problems with heat? I'm about to move and I'm thinking in my new studio space I'll just put my compressor in the basement and run an air line up through the wall, but the box idea is a nice alternative.

KR, I don't think I ever had any of the larger sized CS10 or I'd send it to you. I think all I have left is small pieces in a box somewhere.

[greenjack]

Not running the compressor in anger yet, so no feel for how warm it's going to get. However, it's pushing air out of the box vents at one end, which suggests it's dragging it in at the other. The compressor has a fairly large reservoir so under typical usage the motors not running 70% - 80% of the time, we'll have to see how it goes.

No chance that 'Frisk' will take a mail order for a reasonable amount of board and post overseas I guess? When I bought my badger 360 I imported it myself and saved a huge amount on UK pricing. It costs about $15 for documentation if you use Fed Ex. Then there's duty, of course.

[Punch]

Thanks for the pic. Any problems with heat? I'm about to move and I'm thinking in my new studio space I'll just put my compressor in the basement and run an air line up through the wall, but the box idea is a nice alternative.



My little workstation is at the back of my house. When I first started using the airbrush I had a particularly loud compressor :eek: . It used to scare my Airedale [almost as bad as July 4th].

I set the compressor outside under a bench to protect it somewhat from the elements and ran 3/4 in. PVC to a spot close to my workbench and put fittings at each end. This has worked great for a long time. I'm thinking now of adding in a larger gang of PVC as an extra air tank.

Kent

PS... I have been lurking in this forum for a while and have already learned a lot. :D I just recently got back into airbrushing and am determined to finally master it. One of the most important things I miss from my art student days was just hangin' out with others more talented than myself.

[eyeburp]

The PVC works OK? Any problems getting fittings? I was thinking of going with copper but PVC is probably cheaper.

[Punch]

The PVC works OK? Any problems getting fittings? I was thinking of going with copper but PVC is probably cheaper.

I have been in other shops where we used pvc for large compressors with plenty of PSI. Just make sure all the joints are well glued as that is the weakest part [if they fail you may hear a rather loud bang but I have never had the pvc pipe itself rupture]. Just be sure to use schedule 40 although for low PSI thinner should do. We ran a couple hundred feet of the stuff and had air at several stations.

You can find PVC pipe fittings that work great. Use teflon tape when you attach your fittings to the PVC.

Kent

[Penny220]

You can use PVC for up to 1" hose and 150 PSI but I would recommend copper for pressures that high. It works great for the standard 110 psi compressors with the standard outlets. Not only is PVC cheaper and easier to work with if PVC goes it simply cracks, no big deal, get out the hack saw and piece in a new section.