Airbrushing is a painting technique in which artists use liquid or powder paints sprayed under pressure. It’s a popular technique for custom automotive artwork and murals.
Airbrushing is also used in modeling, creating frescoes, textile design and printing. It’s a great way to create fine shades of color, and to have smooth transitions between different colors.
Paints
Airbrush paints are used to fill in areas on an art piece. They can also be mixed together to create gradations and transitions in color.
The best airbrush paints spray evenly and have short drying times. They are available in acrylics, inks and dyes, oil paints and urethanes.
Airbrush ready paints are convenient for beginners as they do not require thinning. Alternatively, you can mix your own paints, but this is not recommended for advanced artists.
Stencils
Stencils are adhesive templates that can be used with an airbrush to add details and patterns to a variety of surfaces. They are commonly made of thin materials, such as mylar or vinyl, and have cut-out areas that correspond to the desired design.
Many miniature wargamers and modelers use stencils to add intricate patterns and designs to their models and wargaming terrain. The stencils are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Generally, the more detailed and finer the pattern, the better the result with a self-made airbrush stencil. Paper, cardboard, pond liner or transparent film are suitable as stencil materials for simple shapes and contours.
Pencils
Especially for your first airbrush mural it is a good idea to make sketches with pencils, because it will help you realize the painting better. It also allows you to correct small details that may have been missed by your airbrush template.
Charcoal is a great sketching tool and works well for rough proportions and composition. If you need to paint over a charcoal drawing, it is best to seal the work to prevent smearing or washing away.
Markers and pens are also great for creating thin lines that would be difficult to do using a brush. However, the lines will only be permanent after they are dry, so if you want to erase them later, you must use an eraser that is not waterproof.
Plasticine Eraser
When doing airbrush murals, it is important to have a good plasticine eraser on hand. This tool is ideal for correcting small details that cannot be achieved with an airbrush template.
These erasers are made out of a grey or white malleable gum-like material that resembles putty or chewing gum. They can be easily shaped and molded in order to fit the art-making needs of the artist.
These erasers are great for ultra-precise erasing, pruning lines, cleaning edges, creating highlights through subtractive drawing, and performing other detail work. However, they are not suited to fully erasing dark areas, as they can smear or stick. They also tend to dry out and harden if they are not stored properly. Therefore, it is important to store them in a protective storage box.
Shading
Shading is one of the most important techniques to use in airbrush art. It allows you to create designs with greater depth and dimension, as well as adding texture to your painting.
Adding shading is fairly easy to do, and it’s a good way to practice your technique. You can practice shading by using simple shapes, such as a circle or sphere.
You can add drop shadows to your design by lightly spraying a color next to the edges of your lines. This is a great way to give your flames or lettering more definition, without having to add stencils.
Adding a glaze to the surface of your painting is also a useful technique for adding dimension and shading. You can paint a thin layer of a different color over a green underpainting to create the illusion of a field of plants dappled in yellow sunlight.