Airbrush sources

An airbrush is a versatile precision instrument capable of producing finely detailed illustrative paint work. It was developed originally in the 1920s from a tool used to retouch monochrome photographs. The airbrush works by passing compressed air over a reservoir of paint, which is sucked out in a fine spray and atomized or broken up into tiny droplets.

Regulating screws and levers on the airbrush are used to adjust the paint texture and fan profile as it leaves the nozzle cap, so that a range of effects can be achieved. The paint is diluted with thinners, and the airbrush body has a valved adapter through which compressed air is supplied, either from an aerosol can or an electrically driven compressor.

The simplest type of airbrush works by a single action trigger lever. When the lever is depressed, it allows compressed air to escape from the reservoir, pass through the body of the airbrush and out through a fine nozzle at the front. The gas jet blows across the opening of the paint pot and draws paint up through it. Thus an atomized spray is produced which is directed on to the workpiece, controlled by the amount of pressure applied to the trigger.

The more sophisticated type of airbrush has a double action trigger lever, which allows a flow of gas when it is depressed and a flow of paint regulated by a needle when it is pulled back. The operator can control these actions to vary the thickness of the paint spray to achieve any desired pattern of spray and regulate the desired finish of the work with a high degree of precision.

The type of colorant to be applied will depend on where the finished result will be used. Normal or acrylic lacquers are best suited for a car or bike. Other mediums include ink, water color, gouache and enamels, each giving a different effect and used on different products. The height of the airbrush from the surface will also determine the density of the medium sprayed over the area to be covered.

Most airbrushed designs are made by progressive masking, which is blanking off the areas that are not painted with tape, masking paper, stencils, and frisk film. Narrow masking tape is used for intricate designs. Stencils can be made by cutting a design in a piece of card then spraying through it to lay the design on the surface to be painted.

Frisk film is transparent plastic sheeting with a slight adhesive on one side. The design is drawn on the area to be painted and the frisk film applied on the top. Areas to be sprayed are carefully cut out with a sharp blade, taking care not to score the underlying surface.