My daughter wants an airbrush for art work and I know very little about them as I know some of you do a bit of modelling I was hoping to get a bit of advice as to what to look for
You can get ‘dual action’ or single action.
Dual action is very good but it takes a lot of skill and practise to master controlling the amount of air through the needle at the same time as controlling the flow of paint, this is done using just your fore finger by pressing down (air flow) and pushing the trigger forward (amount of paint).
I would suggest using a single action for a first time newbie, you’ll get just as good results from a quality single action airbrush.
You need to be looking at Iwata or Badger. Don’t waste time and money getting one of those Humbrol things, batter known as ‘splatter brushes’ or ‘splatter guns’, they are cheap but crap! They splatter rather than spray because they mix the paint and air externally instead of internally. They are also made of plastic whereas a quality air brush is a precision instrument and must be looked after as such.
Personally, I use a Badger 150 single action. Ive had it for nearly 20 years and its still as good as new, superb multi purpose type air brush. I can create a smoke mark on a model, it sprays as fine as that with a medium needle! I can make a fine line like a pencil line if need be.
With any air brush, you need to strip and clean them properly after each use, it’ll knacker it if you don’t.
Also, don’t waste money on those cans of air, they are expensive, freeze up after a few minutes and don’t last very long. You can use a spare car tyre and adapters are available for the purpose but instead of all that, your just as well getting a small air brush compressor off ebay, I bought one of these a few years ago-
ebay.co.uk/itm/HIGH-PERFORMA … 2335775225
They are available with a tank aswel for extra £££ but it doesn’t need it! It has a regulator and a water trap included. Mine came with the 2 airbrushes (available on another listing but I don’t get on with them and don’t use them, I think they “come free” for reason!
Hope it helps.
Gembo, thanks for that, that is the sort of info I was looking for.
knight2:
Gembo, thanks for that, that is the sort of info I was looking for.
Your welcome.
One other thing I would add, your daughter would really benefit from a book on the subject of which there are many- no need to spend more than a tenner or so. Personally, I use enamel paints thinned with white spirit to the consistency of milk- like the way milk sticks to the side of a glass is about right. Consistency is important. This varies slightly again if you spray with acrylics (water based). Believe it or not, the best thing to thin these is screen wash fluid!!
Oh, and if using enamel paints, don’t breath that crap in! (like I normally do- its not good for you 
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