Choosing your Airbrush

Buying an airbrush can appear quite daunting if you have never owned one before. Here are a few things to consider before you buy your first airbrush or upgrade your old one.

These are some of the major factors you will need to consider when choosing your airbrush:

• What type of paint or fluid do you wish to spray?
• What detail or areas require spraying?
• What degree of instant control would you like?
• What may be your future needs?
• What is your price range or budget?

Our list of technical terms may help you to decide which airbrush to choose for your particular application. If you are unable to decide, ask someone with the appropriate knowledge or contact us.

When choosing your airbrush, you will want it to meet your current requirements and probably go beyond those as you progress and you’ll want something that is going to last for a long time. So we’re happy to offer as much assistance as we can until you’re completely satisfied that you’re making the right purchase.

Nozzle and Needle Sizes

Airbrush

The nozzle (or tip) and needle size determines the amount of air/paint mixture that can be sprayed through any given airbrush. These sizes typically vary from 0.10mm to 0.5mm on airbrushes and 0.6-1.5mm on small spray guns. Most airbrushes come with one nozzle and needle fitted and the option to change to a larger or smaller if required. This would be as an optional extra. Airbrush sets often come with other size nozzles and needles. (Fine-0.2mm, medium-0.35mm or heavy-0.5mm). The smaller the size, the finer the work will be achieved. Most airbrush users will own several different sized airbrushes, as one size will not provide the versatility they require.

Having said that, a medium sized set up (for example a 0.3mm nozzle) will give a fine line to around 0.3mm at its finest up to 50mm at the wider end. When changing sizes both the needle and nozzle need to be changed. In most cases the nozzle and needle cap will also need changing.

It is also important to bear in mind the type of paint you will be using as well. All media that are to be sprayed through an airbrush needs to be of a “single cream” like consistency. If it is not already pre-thinned, then it needs to be thinned to this level. The thicker the paint, the larger the nozzle will be needed. Emulsions and Metallic’s for example will typically need a nozzle size of at least 0.6mm.

Internal Mix

The fluid is mixed with the air right at the tip of the head assembly inside the cap, and because the air passes all around the tip the fluid is thoroughly atomised to micro dot size.

External Mix

The paint and air are mixed outside the airbrush as the air passes over the fluid tip. An external mix airbrush will produce a less atomised spray with a larger dot pattern, and is less capable of fine line work.

Single Action

Airbrushes which when the trigger or button is depressed the air flow is turned on and a pre-set amount of fluid will be sprayed. The amount of fluid is controlled by turning, with the other hand, either a fluid tip or cone on external mix airbrushes, or a needle at the back of a handle on an internal mix airbrush.

Double or Dual Action

Airbrushes on which the button or trigger controls both the air and the fluid. The trigger is pressed down for air and pulled back for fluid, the further you pull back on the trigger the more fluid is introduced. This type of action allows the user to change the width of line as well as the volume of paint and its coverage, all with one continuous finger movement.

Gravity feed

Airbrushes which have cups or cut outs in the top of the body. Less air pressure is required as the fluid is dawn to the tip partly by gravity, and is particularly useful for finer and slower detail work.

Siphon or Side feed

Airbrushes which can have either cups or bottles plugged into the side which can rotate allowing the user to work at most angles. Allows fine detail work without the eye been obstructed by a cup on the top. Useful where many colour changes are required as colour can be kept in a bank of cups or bottles, or where a differing amount of quantities are used, from a few drops to large areas, by using different size containers.

Suction or Bottom feed

Airbrushes which have either cups or bottles that plug into the bottom of the airbrush. Particularly useful where large quantities of paint are required, as large bottles can normally be plugged into this type of airbrush, or again where quick colour changes are required.

Know More about Airbrush Equipment and Accessories

The type of airbrush equipment that you will need will very much depend on what you need to do with it. Whether you work in a beauty salon or a graphic design studio, there’s an airbrush to suit your individual requirements.

When it comes to airbrush accessories, there are plenty of stencils available for body artists, illustrators and cartoonists to use. Other types of accessories available include cleaners, valves, custom grip handles and more varying from brand to brand. Although all this choice may sound daunting, it actually makes it easier to buy airbrush accessories as you can get ones that are considered standard to use for the type of project you are doing.

If you are looking for Iwata airbrush spares, they have a wide variety of products available from nozzles and air caps to fluid needles and air valve plungers. One of the unique things about Iwata airbrush spares specifically is that they are easy to distinguish from as each sub brand specialises in a different type of spraying technique.

For example, Paasche airbrushes are well known for their high quality. Therefore Paasche airbrush spares are made to match the extensive range of high performance single and double action brushes that Paasche is so popular for. Badger airbrush spares are a better option if you have a Badger airbrush and are targeted at beginners.

When looking for airbrush equipment it can be a good idea to stick to name brands because not only do they all have extensive product ranges, but they are also more reliable quality wise. If you are a beginner, opt for an airbrush kit as it saves from worrying about having to buy airbrush equipment separately and will help ensure that you get everything that you need in one go.

If however you do buy all your accessories separately, you will need to purchase some airbrush paints to put the finishing touches on your project. There are a wide number of paint brands on the market, all of which specialise in various types of paint.

To buy airbrush accessories online, visit the Graphic Air website today. They have a wide range of high quality airbrush equipment available to suite all your creative needs. Their products are also handpicked by top art and graphic experts.