Airbrush Upgrade

While I have said this before, and caught flak for it, my personal opinion is that there is too much dependency on airbrushes. I like other methods for fine detail, as well as occasional larger areas. I speak of watercolor pencils, pastels powders and pastel pencils, acrylic washes, using paint brushes of different sizes, etc. My opinion is that a fish can be done like a multi-medea project with better results.

There are certainly those who believe that all the colors must be of the same manufacturer, and laid down with an airbrush. They feel justified with their results and spend a lot on airbrushes that can do incredible things!

I will NEVER deny that great results are possible with an airbrush, and so many artists prove that. But as a beginner, it is important to know that many ALSO achieve great results with simple, single action airbrushes as well!

I don't know whether you are looking into doing this for commercial work or just for yourself, that also has a bearing since doing fish commercially requires the ability to work fast to make a profit. Doing them for yourself, however, you can spend the time on every tiny detail that makes it come 'alive'.

Just my opinion of course,

~S

 

Try Derwent Inktense and regular watercolor pencils. Also, Golden High Flow acrylics are highly regarded and have some transparent colors. I also like Createx Airbrush Colors and Wicked colors. They are transparent, but need thinning. They also have a line of Illustration colors that allow 'erasing' for up to 24 hours. I haven't tried that yet, but I thought it sounded interesting for lifting colors for lighter markings instead of masking. I used to do that with lacquer thinner when I used lacquer paints. These are all available from Blicks, some from Hobby Lobby.

~S

 

I retired a long time ago, but I used water based at that time. I only want to do a few for myself now. Many people like lacquers, they have their pluses and minuses as do the water based paints. It's all a matter of what you like and get used to I guess.

 

If you use the Createx or Wicked wated based, order the reducer for those also. there is a reason. 4012 is the number of one of the reducers. These reducers do not reduce the adhesion strength of the binder. 4012 can be used with Hydromist and WA series of polystranspar.

 

Just reaching out for an opinion here. I tried Hydromist water based to get away from the worry of fumes of lacquer based paints. It seems to me that the water based was somewhat duller than lacquer. Is that my imagination or do you folks here think possibly I am doing something wrong? Or maybe I should try something else besides Lifetone paints?

 

I have a badger renegade and love it.

 

I never tried Lifetone. I used Polytranspar, but did it different. I got gallons of the gloss clear, and then got paint pigment from a local Walmart for outdoor paint. I was able to tint whatever color I wanted from those pigments, as opaque or as thin as I wanted. Lifetone wasn't in existence back then (yes, that long ago). I also got the 'shimmer' powders.

Today there are so many choices in airbrush paints, but as John C. mentioned, some need to be worked with within their own system, i.e. thinners and such. I, and several others on here have tried Createx with success, they have a lot of options all the way up to automotive paint, so they seem to know what they are doing. Even Iwata makes airbrush paints, but I have no idea as to whether they would work on fish or not!

Don't be mislead by water based as being "safer", you STILL need lung protection!!!! It simply is not flammable. As to gloss, the final gloss coat determines how 'shiny' the fish is. If you need to see that, intermediate coats can and should be done between layers, although matte or semi-gloss is better if more layers of powder, pencil, etc., are intended due to it having more 'tooth'.

~S

 

I have three different badgers and they do as I need
but the airbrush is only 25% of my paint job
Powder, Markers, makeup, water pencils, sponge and even cigar ashes
I use what I need to get the effect needed
Carl

 

You can't argue with any of the above answers as they all work. Renegade airbrushes work but my preference is with Iwata and I use their Micron series especially for the use in fine detail work.I also use hand brushing a lot and paint pencils as I have evolved as the methods were promoted by others. Try whatever you think will work for you and don't limit the methods by listening to others who don't evolve. My son uses Iwata brushes and is a great airbrusher, but not for taxidermy.Want to see what you can do with an airbrush, visit me son's website www.killerpaint.com. Good luck...JL

 

Dayuuuuuuuum! Your boy can flat PAINT!!!!