Airbrushing, new to me, looking for help advice

[Ken_NJ]

Nick, the scallop shape at the bottom is the end of stretching out the paint which is applied at the top.

Its seems if I apply more pressure at the top it removes most of the paint there and makes it thinner, lighter at the top. I'm swinging away at it!

Wednesday going to start on the dive planes.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Press at the top of the stroke. Back off half-way down the stroke. Keep swinging, Tiger. You're almost there.

Get to work!

David

[Monahan Steam Models]

It looks good to me in the second photo. The curve at the bottom that isn’t noticeable in the second photo, is that from a change of applied pressure to the brush perhaps? Anyways I think your work is looking good and always getting better.

[Ken_NJ]

Bought a pack of cheap kids brushes and cut one short to make it stiffer. Did the same with a cheapo 1 inch brush. Used those to hope make it scratchier. In this experiment it did come out scratchier, I think. Seems how I apply the paint always results in always having a curve at the bottom. I dunno, not feeling confident on the results.


Before top coating


After top coating

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

First attempt on test hull. Hard to get a good picture with light glare.

Now use a brush with stiffer bristles -- you want a 'scratchier' looking array of streaks. Experiment, experiment... experiment!

[Ken_NJ]

First attempt on test hull. Hard to get a good picture with light glare.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Alrighty on those techniques. Starting today, practice on the test article.

For the sail planes, top would be non skid surface, bottom side oil caning? For the stern planes and rudder, oil canning on all sides?

Yes. Yes. And... yes.













David

[Ken_NJ]

Alrighty on those techniques. Starting today, practice on the test article.

For the sail planes, top would be non skid surface, bottom side oil caning? For the stern planes and rudder, oil canning on all sides?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Keep experimenting with various sized, bristle strength, and shape of the brush. And shake out and rub out even more paint from the brush before doing the streaking thing.

Craft is not invented. Craft is only refined and passed on from one to another, and another, and...

David

[Ken_NJ]

Your approach to learning the process is much more methodical and structured than mine, Ken. You're taking ME back to school! Wonderful stuff. You'll be there in no time.

David

I'm just doing what you have been showing us all this time with your posts. If it wasn't for you, I probably would not be attempting this. Same as your encouragement to get me scribing on the Marlin. Always fun to acquire more skills and do something you haven't done before, as apprehensive as you may be with starting the unknown to yourself.

On another note. The bottom one of that last attempt I did. How can I get less paint on the subject? Was trying to figure what to do on that matter. Or don't worry about it and it will be covered by the over spray of the topcoat? May try more practicing tomorrow on that.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I am done for now. Used a triangle and a different brush. Going to use multiple brushes on the test article. The triangle does guide the brush better for vertical strokes but slows the process down some. Patience is all I can say. In the previous post I think I applied the paint on too heavy. Here I lightened it up. This has the base coat applied. It appears lighter in the picture than in person. My Skipjack is going to look great!

Your approach to learning the process is much more methodical and structured than mine, Ken. You're taking ME back to school! Wonderful stuff. You'll be there in no time.

David

[Ken_NJ]

Thanks Nick. I'm curious what you will be doing with your VIIc. That would be a whole different type of weathering than my Skipjack.

[Monahan Steam Models]

Looking good Ken!

[Ken_NJ]

I am done for now. Used a triangle and a different brush. Going to use multiple brushes on the test article. The triangle does guide the brush better for vertical strokes but slows the process down some. Patience is all I can say. In the previous post I think I applied the paint on too heavy. Here I lightened it up. This has the base coat applied. It appears lighter in the picture than in person. My Skipjack is going to look great!

[Ken_NJ]

More practicing. I am using a fan brush to apply paint. The white acrylic is mixed 1:1 with reducer. Sometimes I apply a blob of unthinned paint with a q-tip. I use the fan brush horizontal and vertical. Vertical when I want more paint to go on to get a more dense streak or to get a narrow run. Then I use a large brush and vigorously brush the paint vertically. The top base coat was sprayed on in a vertical motion like David said to do. Not using a triangle here. I will have to try with the triangle and use a different brush to see how that comes out.


Before black top coating.



After top coating. Top try my first attempt. Lower try came out better, but I don’t think I’m there yet on technique looking at Davids examples.


Fan brush to apply paint and large brush to stretch the paint out.