Home › Forums › Explore Media › Airbrush › Airbrush is DEAD
- This topic has 28 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 8 months ago by John Emmett.
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January 19, 2017 at 7:01 pm #994772
Yup it’s over…. Lost cause….. Fini
What can I say; it was a good run, but it is over! The Days of using an Airbrush as an industry is over!
How can I say that? Maybe a little background will help you see the light.
Mid 1960’s, I see an airbrush being used to touch up a lacquer paint job;
“What is that?” asked the young high school student. The rest was history.
I purchase a “Binks Wren” single action airbrush, which I still own to this day.
That student becomes a bump and paint guy, plus studies “Art Education” at college. Goes off to Vietnam with the 101st Airborne. Later gaining experience using an airbrush starts using the tool with standard artist equipment doing his fine art work. The 70’s are the go and the demand for “Airbrush Murals” on Vans and motorcycles is full on. That demand and the middle class money are ripe.The custom painting opened my eyes to glazing techniques using “Candy Apple” (translucent) lacquer paints. “If it works on custom painting, why not as a glazing tool on my paintings”. An eureka moment; I start adding “over coats” of airbrush glazes on my acrylic and water colour landscapes. Suddenly my seascapes and cloud formations are brilliant and very colourful and no extra brush marks… I’m a gifted genius!! I moved to Australia.
I hit a point where there is only so much anyone will pay for a mural, no matter how detailed or awesome it looks. They just had a “Bloody Shootout” at a motorcycle show in Sydney! Screw this, I leave the custom paint world, and go full time selling my paintings. Suddenly, for no reason, memories of a War I thought were gone return to haunt me, and I start painting about Vietnam, and again to my surprise, start selling those works, leading me to get involved with museums and Veterans groups.
I take a job a News Limited and at the same time do a fair amount of “Photo retouching” (which I hate… so boring) as a side money maker. I fixed up a fair amount of B&W Vietnam photos that GI’s had folded up and now want to be used in publications.
Then I saw it: The Computer…. What the hell is that, there are no missiles here???? At News Limited, late 80’s…people are losing their jobs as the computer programs are replacing them. Past up section, spell checkers, bromide cameras, even the waxing machine in the art room is replaced. I say goodbye.
During the late 70’s and all through the 80’s I was asked about teaching people how to airbrush. Most all the request were by companies who felt it was a smart way to make money. In the past most artist I knew ran workshops to help cover their rent! These companies wanted me to run classes with 25-30 people in each group. No way could I deal with that many people and be able to give the students the attention that they needed to operate the tool and also understand the technical aspects of spraying mediums on the different substrates. I could handle say 6-8 (maybe) beginners, but with simple issues like a blocked airbrush stopping the class progress would be a real problem. So I told them no.
The other problem I saw would be the small number of people interested from the local area. After a couple of years, your market would pretty much dry up, requiring you to find students from out of town, adding to higher course prices (food and lodging), plus travel expenses. In my humble opinion; running an airbrush school was a fad, and now, with YouTube, plus other on line videos, why bother? You have to remember the costs of equipment and the space for those classes.
The computer has taken over the;
1) Signage Market 2) Photo (Adobe) 3) Airbrush T-shirts, Murals, Automotive all performed by Computer/Print shops. 4) Illustration work 4) Movie postersSo what do you think? :confused:
January 20, 2017 at 2:59 am #1263996Ignore my post.
January 20, 2017 at 5:14 am #1263978Why mate? I asked for what people think… I didn’t ask for everyone to agree.:clap: Feel free.
KenJanuary 20, 2017 at 5:55 am #1264003Well, I use it as a tool, so I make fine art, and use my airbrush for giving effects or making parts of it…. as a tool is still there for me
Not to worry, there is always some stuff that will keep coming again and again to paint… our creativity has not been replaced yet by a computer. As from living from it,?… well I believe the artist has that kind of problem in whatever branch he goes… Music, sculpture, painting,… anything…
AB is a tool and meanwhile someone uses it, is still aliveFederico Garcia
My Blog
C&C always welcome
"...when someone gives a critique of your work, fear not. It usually means they like or care more of your work than when they just pat your back." - Tiago
January 20, 2017 at 7:24 am #1264004What is really dead is the airbrush forum… you can hear the wind…
Federico Garcia
My Blog
C&C always welcome
"...when someone gives a critique of your work, fear not. It usually means they like or care more of your work than when they just pat your back." - Tiago
January 20, 2017 at 7:35 am #1263999maybe a reason is not bothering to reply to posts until someone says it’s dead ,, airbrush sales have probably never been higher for all sorts of craft uses ,, so the users are out there
[FONT=Fixedsys]if at first you don't succede !!!![/COLOR]
[FONT=Fixedsys]
[FONT=Fixedsys]give skydiving a miss !![/COLOR]January 20, 2017 at 2:15 pm #1263994I make side money with mine all the time. I paint hats at Scifi conventions, and it’s my primary tool for my fine art. Shirt airbrushing goes in waves, and in some parts of the US it’s still huge.
In fact I’d say it is evolving from a more commercial/illustrative tool to being a fine art tool. Custom painting relies on the economy and we’ve still not really recovered from the 2008 downturn yet, but I can see it coming back. Even the best vinyl doesn’t look as good as a custom paint job so I think we’ll see a wave of it again.
The special effects industry uses them a lot as well, with painting costume appliances still a big industry.
January 20, 2017 at 4:38 pm #1264002January 20, 2017 at 7:42 pm #1263979First off I am basing the information on the Australian Markets as I have dealt with them for over 30 years. Sales of airbrush equipment is down here. Most retailers have dropped their margins just to stay above water.
The issue about posting responses changed some years ago on this site as we had people from all over the world posting works here, plus tutorials and works in progress.
That was the days when our dear friend “Mary” ran the show. Two big issues come to mind; 1) posting work and then having opinions and recommendations to improve one’s work, which would usually follow.
People like MARISSA from https://marissaoosterlee.com/ was great at helping, but then some people just wanted a warm fuzzing rub on their head, praise and adoration, so they took offense to any comment that didn’t reinforce that self image.
This over time scared away many professionals including J.W.Baker who made his living with fabric art… Honest opinions; http://www.jwbart.com/, (Note:I’m not talking about 10 minute quickie shirts, I’m talking 200-500 dollar works of art)
Finally most postings were the “Dig me” paintings.. Just letting us know they were still the Greatest Show on Earth ..The second issue were “trolls” nothing you could really do. They were banished from other airbrush sites and then came here. Some were just promoting their business and classes. It hurt everyone here, so most left.
To be honest… try to Google airbrush blogs and look at the posting dates and their sponsors names. Let us know if you see any current dates.
Ken
January 22, 2017 at 11:45 am #1263993My air brush I paid half price 15 years ago is back in the box and in storage. I went to digital, it is sooooooooooooooo much FASTER and no more toxic pigments to breathe!
Jan
January 23, 2017 at 4:15 am #1264005First off I am basing the information on the Australian Markets as I have dealt with them for over 30 years. Sales of airbrush equipment is down here. Most retailers have dropped their margins just to stay above water.
The issue about posting responses changed some years ago on this site as we had people from all over the world posting works here, plus tutorials and works in progress.
That was the days when our dear friend “Mary” ran the show. Two big issues come to mind; 1) posting work and then having opinions and recommendations to improve one’s work, which would usually follow.
People like MARISSA from [url]https://marissaoosterlee.com/[/url] was great at helping, but then some people just wanted a warm fuzzing rub on their head, praise and adoration, so they took offense to any comment that didn’t reinforce that self image.
This over time scared away many professionals including J.W.Baker who made his living with fabric art… Honest opinions; [url]http://www.jwbart.com/[/url], (Note:I’m not talking about 10 minute quickie shirts, I’m talking 200-500 dollar works of art)
Finally most postings were the “Dig me” paintings.. Just letting us know they were still the Greatest Show on Earth ..The second issue were “trolls” nothing you could really do. They were banished from other airbrush sites and then came here. Some were just promoting their business and classes. It hurt everyone here, so most left.
To be honest… try to Google airbrush blogs and look at the posting dates and their sponsors names. Let us know if you see any current dates.
Ken
This is sad… I don’t post in this forum basically because there is no feedback or comments. I love critiques because they make me improve, but of course not based on taste or opinion, but well structured ones. I wanted to get more techniques and tips of how to do Air brush stuff and I had only posts from up to 2010 maybe…
I use my airbrush for everything I can or its suited for. Yes the cleaning, the trouble, etc… but the results are just awesome. I normally post on Acrylic or Animal and wildlife forum but for 90% of my works I’ve used my AB. Its just the best tool one can have…
Federico Garcia
My Blog
C&C always welcome
"...when someone gives a critique of your work, fear not. It usually means they like or care more of your work than when they just pat your back." - Tiago
January 23, 2017 at 3:09 pm #1264000I used them for years, mostly on vehicles…vans (when they were popular) cars and trucks, motorcycles, models and snowmobiles. I also used it for regular art work with acrylic paint. I still have a half finished large airbrush work that I may finish this year, since I’m retired now. My wife has allergies to the paint so I have to refrain from my basement shop which is set up for several brushes which my children could use all at the same time when they still lived at home. I haven’t touched the airbrush (Aztek 3000s) in years.
January 24, 2017 at 2:39 am #1263980A little about my business history; First off let me say I have done many mural projects over the years both in the USA and in Australia. I also saw a market to repair damage murals. Sadly, a few scum bags thought spray can tagging was clever. I, having experience both in photo retouching and colour matching (as a young teen, my father was a painter/decorator and he paid me to mix and match older house colours). So it seems I had a good eye for colour matching.
GM paid me to restore a beautiful mural at their Phoenix Centre in Pontiac Michigan in 84’. I was only planning on spending a few months back in the USA, but word got around and I ended up almost three years painting murals some up to 45 feet in height. I made enough to buy a house (try that painting hats) in Oakland County, which I sold to move back to Sydney(my wife was homesick…end of story).
Back in Australia I went back to the hourly job (wife and child), plus writing technical sheets/articles, airbrush demonstrations and sales information (what fits what type of workshops). Finally servicing airbrush equipment for most of the importers in Australia.
In 1993 the Federal government award me a small business grant to start Australian Airbrush Co, and free training at the University Of NSW taking business courses. It was hard and I was putting in some ungodly hours, 7 days a week.
My original business plan was to run classes 4 nights a week and the odd weekend workshops as a way to pay my rent, and a source of talent that I could find good employees from. I also started producing pigmented base airbrush paints. After the first year I wanted to cut back on my classes (six students per class max) and go into the Mural Production Business. It was working well and projects from clubs to counsels were at my door. I had three full time employees and several part time talents.
Long story short; I suffered burns and spinal damage in Vietnam. It came back to haunt in 2000 and I was force to give it all up. Many operations, battles with the VA and I don’t know how many drug trials to relieve my severe chronic pain. Now I can only stand or sit in one position about 20-30 minutes.
Many people (like JW Baker and Dru Blair) on this site advised me to purchase an artist quality printer. I just finished up with all new doctors and again it’s all new. I am able to drive, so I plan on touring Australia and painting the outback and country towns. Producing prints and cards. I made a living for a couple of years just selling paintings in Sydney… seascapes and wild animals. The airbrush is still a great tool, but I know “when to” or “when not to” use it to produce my style of art. It all started in the 60’s for me and I hope I’m able to be buried with my airbrushs..lolFebruary 1, 2017 at 2:31 pm #1263981My final post….
First thanks to all those who posted, to those who contacted me direct (I do wish you would post your views), and finally to those I spoke to personally.
Below is a list of Airbrush Blogs you can check out. It pretty much backs my comments.
http://www.airbrushtutor.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/airbrushtutor
http://www.airbrushforum.org/
http://airbrushtechniquemagazine.com/
http://www.airbrushmuseum.com/airbrush_101.htm
http://www.airsickhowto.com/
http://www.airbrushtalk.com/learn.htm
http://www.airbrushaction.com/blog/
https://marissaoosterlee.com/
http://www.foxystudio.com/Category/courses/
http://howtoairbrush.com/airbrush-lessons/
http://howtoairbrush.com/
Making it as an Airbrushist
http://howtoairbrush.com/airbrush-lessons/
http://howtoairbrush.com/
I deleted about 8-9 more sites that have vanished from my old listings.
Reality hurts… what can I say? This has been a major part of my artistic
adventure. It led me to some very high levels in the art world. It also opened my eyes to “crooks and lairs” who’s only motivations were to make money off those who knew the least about the airbrush. Classes promising the world by people who couldn’t make a living themselves using that very tool. Over the past 50 odd years I have used an airbrush in my careers, I have pretty much seen it all. I will say it does sadden me, but I can walk into my art studio and do the work I love anytime day or night…
Good luck to you all.
February 1, 2017 at 10:55 pm #1264001I’ve seen a few but this is my favourite “downer”.
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