Do-it-yourself airbrushing on a car. How to paint with an airbrush? Airbrush on paper for beginners

Oddly enough, there are still weirdos who paint their models with a regular brush, but one can easily argue that painting with an airbrush in 99% of cases (not for figures and some other specifics) will give an incomparably better result when painting. A tuned airbrush in skillful hands works wonders, allowing you to bring the model's appearance as close as possible to the copied original.

A lot has been written about working with an airbrush, but I would like to clarify some points (for example, working with acrylic paints), and let’s just say so. it's time...

But first things first. The most basic information.

An airbrush is a tool that sprays paint in a kind of “torch” formed by an air flow mixed with tiny droplets of paint.

The airbrush allows you to dose the supply of this mixture and apply it in the form of a thin film on the surface to be painted. A good airbrush, when used correctly, “can” create spots or stripes with a diameter (width) of 1.5-2 mm, and therefore sometimes it is possible, and indeed necessary, to do without masks when applying, for example, camouflage on Luftwaffe aircraft.

There are two main types of airbrushes: the so-called single And double actions.

For the former, when adjusted with a key (or button), only air supply is controlled, for the latter, both air and paint are controlled simultaneously. The former are simpler, cheaper, have fewer parts, which are also more convenient to clean. But they “don’t know how” to make small spots and stripes and are more roughly regulated. The latter are, accordingly, more precise in their work, but more expensive, contain more parts (which “tolerate” rough or careless handling less well), their cleaning is a more delicate and difficult process. Of course, this is the most general assessment.

If it is possible to take an imported one, see with your own eyes (which is very desirable somewhere in the outback, far from specialized “shops”) of its capabilities, consult with the “grandfathers from the stand” and make a decision.

Of course, one airbrush is half the battle in painting models and, alas, not at all “half” in the ratio of the upcoming veils to the source of compressed air, so necessary for the success of the process. However, there are options. Let's start with the cheapest ones. You should not buy, “buying” into simplicity, disposable branded cans with a charge of compressed air - they are enough for one or two small models, and the pressure drops noticeably when air is produced from them. A somewhat better alternative to the latter is an inflated car tire (the larger it is, the longer the operating time) and cylinders with carbon dioxide (there is a regulator and a pressure gauge). The latter, for a relatively small fee, can be recharged; they will never cause condensation, but require careful handling and safety when charging and storing. But if assembling a model is not a sporadic process and life without plastic is not nice, a compressor is needed.

Airbrush compressor

Of course, the most correct way is to unfasten several hundred “greens” and acquire an almost silent, shiny, branded beauty with a receiver, filters, regulator and pressure indicator. A noisy, but cheaper alternative to a piston compressor - its membrane counterpart will cost less. But the pressure it creates is less. (The ability to regulate pressure, as will be discussed below, is sometimes very important, because there usually is not much of it.)

Today, the JAS 1203 compressor is optimal: a productive, quiet compressor with a receiver - I recommend it.

I've been using this for several years now:

Excellent results will be achieved by using compressors from household and industrial refrigerators (our brother uses the most of these in Rus'). It is easy to modify such a compressor with a homemade receiver from a plastic bottle.

It will significantly reduce pressure fluctuations (pulsations) and prevent oil and moisture from getting into the airbrush (which is unacceptable, otherwise droplets of unwanted liquids will ruin the whole thing!!!) If the compressor is new, the receiver can be equipped with a pressure release needle or something similar to regulate the pressure downward. You can, for example. insert into the line a piece of metal tube with a hole drilled in its wall. By blocking it to varying degrees with a flexible line tube, we get the same effect as from a needle.

Of course, there are many branded filters that perform the same functions. In general, methods of purchasing compressors and (or) their modification is a big and painful topic. I would like to wish my beginning colleagues to be more inventive and enterprising. But vacuum cleaners and car compressors, alas, are not suitable - I’ll omit the details - they do not create the required pressure.

There are a lot of paints now, as well as articles about them. Of course, expensive paints from Acromaster, Tamiya, Gunze Sangyo and more affordable Model Master, DuPont, Humbrol and Revell are definitely better than “nitra” bought for half a liter from familiar artists, but they are not a panacea for the very unimportant results when using them, and other Nitra is better than the same killed - matte paint from Humbrol. Read special articles, study photos and make a choice based on your wallet. It is highly advisable to use branded paints, but not necessary. You can, through trial and error, stock up on nitro paints purchased on occasion. However, when it comes to adhesion and hiding power, a good “brand” is definitely preferable. And the dispersion is much better.

To work successfully with an airbrush, the paint must be of proper thickness and free of foreign particles and dirt. We’ll talk about cleaning the airbrush and the features of working with acrylic paints later, but for now remember the following. Mix the paint thoroughly before use.

If necessary, add solvent to the paint, but do this not in a can of paint, but in a separate container. You can use, for example, film cases or other suitable containers. The consistency of the paint for spraying is “milk”. When you shake a jar of paint, it leaves faint translucent marks on the walls.

Let me say right away that the degree of dissolution is a delicate process. Glossy paints require slightly more solvent than matte paints. In addition, domestic nitro solvents (acetone 646, 647, etc.) are quite suitable in some cases for replacing the “company”; you just need to take into account that the higher the number, the heme is “heavier” the solvent, because it takes longer to dry and, with longer drying, gives the paint more time to spread evenly over the surface being painted, which means it will make it less dull. If there is any uncertainty, experiment first, then use a suitable solvent.

To prepare the color (if the neg is ready), also use a separate container.

If the paint is of unknown origin or old, filter it through at least clean gauze (2 layers).

Do not pour the dissolved paint back into the original jar!

Wash the airbrush after changing the color with a clean solvent (the same as that used for paint), and after completing work on the next model, disassemble the airbrush and give it a general cleaning.

If you are saving the paint on the side, make sure. that the settled binder was not cast for you. (The paint consists of a coloring pigment, a binding liquid and a solvent. There is also a matte base - tooth powder was used everywhere among USSR modelers.) In general, before any pouring of paint, mix it thoroughly.

Video: Working with an airbrush

Airbrush art is divided into several types depending on the technique used by the artist, materials and tools chosen for the work. You can apply images not only to the body of a vehicle, but also to decorate a variety of household appliances, the body of a mobile phone, airbrush on the fabric of a T-shirt or simply on paper.

For work, special paints and coloring compositions are used, which can be in liquid or powder form, some of them are sold in specialized stores in ready-made form, and most must be diluted independently with water or using solvents.

Some manufacturers produce special water with which you can dilute the paint to the desired consistency. Anyone can find airbrush lessons on the Internet on specialized websites or sign up for courses.

What you can do with an airbrush:

Create the effect of a three-dimensional pattern using simple movements of the airbrush and its approach or distance from the surface to be painted.
Change the thickness of the paint jet and the intensity of its spraying.
Treat large areas.
Create almost imperceptible transitions from the background color to the main shade.
Create various effects using a regular sponge and other available tools.
Draw silhouettes as quickly as possible or apply many identical design elements to the surface thanks to the use of stencils.

Some disadvantages of airbrushing:

Expensive. For work, you need to purchase special equipment (airbrush, compressor and consumables), and performing all the work in a car repair shop is also quite expensive.
Drawing fine lines and small details is quite problematic even with the use of mini nozzles.
You need to know exactly how to use an airbrush. This is not easy for a beginner, and especially for those who are used to working with a brush.
Creating new shades is problematic because each new color is in a separate jar that is attached to the airbrush.

Airbrush for beginners is like a beginner's painting course for young artists. The process of creating a drawing has a lot in common with its usual implementation with a brush, but besides this there are many features and subtleties of the work. It is imperative to carefully study the following components:

Technology of applying a pattern to a car body (what paints to use, how to dilute them, the tools needed for the job and how to prepare the body surface for airbrushing).
Specifics of working with an airbrush (how to operate it, what the device consists of and how to create the desired design in the shortest possible time).
The artistic component (rules for creating a composition and sketch, its refinement and features of transferring it to the surface).

It is undesirable to mix all these components, because airbrushing is the most complex way of applying a design.

It is necessary to strictly comply with all requirements and technology for applying airbrushing. Therefore, you need to carefully read the theory and only after that move on to the practical part.

Airbrush lessons for beginners

You can learn how to apply airbrush even if your drawing skills are limited to the school curriculum, but there is a strong desire to become familiar with the technique of performing the work. At the initial stage, you need to purchase all the tools and materials necessary for the work:

Airbrush.
Spray gun and compressor ensuring a uniform supply of paint.
Special nitro paints or other types of coloring compounds.
Solvent for removing stains.
Special containers for paint.
Individual protection means.
A surface that can be used as a canvas.
A room specially equipped for high-quality work.

Everything for airbrushing can be purchased in specialized stores, after consulting with the seller.

And you can master the necessary skills without a professional airbrush kit. You will need:

Good knowledge of drawing techniques on plain paper.
Knowledge of various computer programs that allow you to create preliminary sketches of a drawing.
Good imagination and taste.
Diligence and patience that will be needed during the work process.

Airbrush. Where to begin?

First you need to familiarize yourself with all the types of paints. Most often, artists use ordinary art paints, which must be diluted with water. They have a lot of advantages, they allow you to get good quality drawings (it will also be resistant to negative environmental influences), and are inexpensive.

Special nitro paints are also used in the work, but one of their main disadvantages is the dull drawing that can result. It is better for a beginner to start working with art paints; they need to be well diluted and a small amount poured into the spray gun for trial sessions.

Paints can be regular matte or fluorescent. They are much more difficult to work with, but they allow you to perform luxurious airbrushing that will attract attention to the car even in the dark.

It is not recommended to use acrylic paints at all, since they contain a hardener, and washing it out of the airbrush can be quite problematic. If you do not clean the device in a timely manner, it can be damaged very quickly, so experts do not recommend leaving the coloring composition in the airbrush for a long time.

Beginners can make drawings using special disposable stencils that you can make with your own hands; this will greatly simplify the task.

You can purchase regular paint in cans, but to make a high-quality drawing, in most cases a special paint sprayer is used - an airbrush. After all the basics of spraying have already been completed, you will also need to purchase a spray gun in order to carry out larger-scale work.

The painting spray gun is very easy to use and will not cost much. With its help it will be much more convenient to paint parts over a large area, and it sprays the paint a little wider than an airbrush.

Today there are many airbrushes on sale from different manufacturers at different prices. It is not at all necessary for a beginner to purchase a professional airbrush; you can get by with a high-quality, inexpensive model with a double-action regulator.

When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the diameter of the nozzle. The optimal option is considered to be a diameter of 0.3 mm, with which you can draw small details. A diameter of 0.5 mm is more suitable for painting volumetric parts of the picture.

An important tool that you don’t need to save money on is a compressor. The main characteristic that you should pay attention to is the pressure obtained (should be in the range of 200-500 g/). You also need to buy several jars for storing paint. Compressor characteristics:

Noise level (the device can be very noisy, relatively quiet and almost silent, but it will also cost more).
Availability of a receiver and its size.
Power level (high and low power).

How to paint with an airbrush

You need to start small and not rush to complete a large-scale drawing on the entire body of the car. It is better to start working with small drawings, including no more than three shades. All the artist’s movements must be practiced almost to the point of automatism; you need to know how to hold the airbrush, at what angle to the surface being painted and how best to direct the stream of paint.

You can practice on old parts of a car body, or try your hand at painting the doors of a refrigerator or other household appliances. Beginners gain experience by drawing a variety of simple shapes, straight lines and smooth transitions. You can study on your own, or you can enroll in special courses.

It is better to take airbrush lessons from real virtuosos, this way you can avoid wasting consumables and master all the nuances much faster. It is possible to learn even without special expenses, simply by watching many videos on the Internet, where masters give video lessons for beginners, and also reveal the secrets of performing various drawings.

Even after mastering all the basics of airbrushing, you shouldn’t rush to start working with complex designs. You should try to spend as much time as possible learning the intricacies of operating an airbrush, and you can even create a special tablet for training.

A metal sheet about 5 mm thick is suitable. It is varnished and you can try to draw various designs on it; they are very easy to remove and after that you can apply airbrushing many more times. In the process of work, you must definitely learn to relax, because tightness will not allow you to clearly complete the drawing.

You must be able to draw lines of different thicknesses and in different directions, as well as diagonally. Then you can learn to draw a "dagger strike" - a line that starts wide and tapers towards the end. Long, hard practice will allow you to hone your skills and all movements will be well remembered.

It is imperative to learn how to properly prepare the surface for applying airbrushing, because even following all the rules for applying a pattern does not guarantee its resistance to ultraviolet radiation and negative factors.

The paint will not adhere smoothly to the smooth surface of the paintwork, so it is necessary to carefully sand the body and smooth out all chips and dents.

Before starting all work, the vehicle must be thoroughly washed and dried, only then can you begin to putty. For each type of surface, putty is selected individually, and you must pay attention to its properties.

After the putty layer has dried, the surface is sanded and now it is necessary to apply a primer. In most cases, a primer is used in special aerosol cans, which must be applied very carefully and evenly.

During the work process, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:
Before starting work, you just need to run the airbrush along the route without spraying paint. This way you can rehearse the necessary movements.
The airbrush must not be touched to the surface being painted. You need to keep it at a short distance and strictly perpendicular to the body.
Correcting various defects that appeared during the work and possible smudges is allowed only after the paint layer has dried.
It is forbidden to spray paint in two layers at a time on the same place. It is necessary to give each layer time to dry.

The airbrush needs to be cleaned. This should be done before starting and after completing all work by simply running the solvent through the device (there is no need to disassemble the airbrush for this).

Applying airbrush yourself

After all the theory has been studied and you have some practical skills, you can move on to more complex drawing techniques and become familiar with the features of creating a gradient (a smooth transition from one shade to another).

This way you can create a smooth transition between lines. A dark shadow will be obtained if the airbrush is located close to the surface to be painted, and a light shadow - if it is far away.

In most cases, beginners try to add volume to a picture by simply darkening the part of the picture that is further away. This technique can only be used if objects that do not reflect light are depicted.

In other cases, creating a three-dimensional drawing can be quite difficult, and to perform it correctly you will have to carefully study the reference book on still lifes. When the gradation turns out well, you can try to transfer the image to paper.

To begin with, it is better to choose drawings of geometric objects, because it will be much easier for a beginner to maintain the correct proportions when transferring. At first, special stencils will help you avoid mistakes, but more experienced craftsmen can determine the proportions simply by eye.

conclusions

To become a good artist, you need to constantly improve. You definitely need to carefully study your mistakes, look at ready-made airbrush drawings and constantly practice. An aspiring artist who wants to make a living by airbrushing must definitely study special manuals and learn to master the airbrush flawlessly.

Recently, airbrushing has become increasingly popular. This is an accessible and very effective form of creativity. Not only the drawing is admirable, but also the place where it is located; the skillful airbrushing on expensive cars is especially impressive. Although airbrushing transforms not only expensive cars, but also budget models.

In skillful hands, airbrushing surprises viewers. Many people resort to airbrushing to highlight the uniqueness of themselves and their car. The design on the car will not only become a decoration, but will also reduce the car’s attractiveness to car thieves: it is known that car thieves avoid noticeable cars with bright distinctive features. This article has everything that someone who wants to learn how to learn airbrushing on a car needs.

Tools for work

Carefully select the nozzle and needle for the spray gun. The amount of paint that will be sprayed onto the surface of the part, as well as the quality of the design, depend on them. So that you can work out small elements of the design, the nozzle diameter should be approximately 0.20 mm and 1.5 mm for large details and main lines.

Also make sure that the power of the compressor matches the needle you choose and the diameter of the nozzle. Based on this, you need to select a compressed air receiver.

If you are just taking your first steps in airbrushing, you will need an airbrush with a nozzle of 0.3 - 0.5 mm. This compromise option will work well for both small parts and larger elements.

If you search hard in stores or online, you can find a relatively inexpensive airbrush. You can also choose products from Chinese manufacturers; they are usually not much inferior in quality, but are much cheaper than their Western counterparts.

You can purchase the device in the price range from 500 rubles to 2 thousand. Of course, a device of this cost will not be of very high quality, but with it you will, in principle, be able to understand how to learn how to paint with an airbrush. After learning how to airbrush, the future artist buys a more expensive model.

Of course, you may prefer to paint with spray paint, but it's expensive and you won't be able to get the fine details done with a can of paint. However, the advantage is that this method does not require electricity.

If the price of airbrush tools is important to you, choose a compressor responsibly. This is the important part of the airbrush that blows air. If you have already bought a compressor, then take care of the oil filter, because droplets of liquid from the engine will mix with the paint, and this will negatively affect the quality of work.

You may be interested in a membrane compressor model, which costs up to 3 thousand rubles; it can be purchased at many art stores. By creating a pressure within 4 atmospheres, the membrane compressor can serve as a source of air for several spray guns.

If you choose a piston compressor, keep in mind that it operates very loudly. If you do not want to distract other people with noise, you can place the compressor at a distance, connecting it to the spray gun using a long hose. To avoid having to do this, you can always buy a low-power model if that suits you.

But if a compressor is too difficult for you, you can purchase CO2 cylinders. Such a cylinder can serve you for a couple of months, then it can be refilled again. It makes no noise at all and does not require electricity to operate. Another plus is that there is no need to install oil filters.

The choice of pressure regulator is no less important - it affects the quality of the suspension supply. You can change the pressure level depending on what work you are doing. Connect it to your airbrush hose or compressor. It’s a good idea to buy a dehumidifier that will protect your future drawing from drops of water accidentally formed in the paint supply system due to condensation.

If you use CO2 cylinders, you will need a special pressure regulator. Equipment made of metal is suitable, since a conventional regulator simply will not withstand the pressure in the cylinder. If several airbrushes use one cylinder at the same time, it must be heated, otherwise it will freeze so much that ice forms on the surface.

Exactly the opposite problem awaits the owners of the compressor, which can overheat and fail. Even if it does not turn off, the quality of the pattern will be greatly degraded because a lot of water droplets will be generated.

Therefore, make sure that the compressor and airbrush are compatible, namely their parameters such as nozzle size and compressor power. A system for automatically turning off the device will also be useful.

How to choose paint?

People ask if it is possible to learn airbrushing without knowing how to draw. Of course it’s possible - just as you can learn to do anything, just with effort and perseverance. And before that, you need to thoroughly study all the information on the topic. For example, about how to choose paint. This is an important point.

There are three types of paints

artistic
airbrush paints
automotive

Take a closer look at each of them. Select a base coat and a coat of varnish. As for the last option, you will find base paints in the catalog of any company that sells such things.

Buy not an expensive, but not a cheap option, stay in the middle. The range of colors is usually very diverse, you can choose any to your taste. These are car paints that dry very quickly, and, if necessary, they can be removed from the body using a simple solvent. They use a pigment that is suitable for use with small diameter nozzles.

Do not forget that to prevent harm to health, you must work in a respirator - this is a mandatory requirement.

Artistic options are harmless to health. You can try acrylic or watercolor, various vintage paints, oil - the main thing is that you apply a varnish on top that will prevent rapid abrasion.

This type of paint can be removed without much effort. You may need to dilute the acrylic to a transparent state - then use a binder. This is not the same as a thinner because the solution base maintains the viscosity of the paint. Viscosity can be adjusted separately using an alcohol solution.

This method has its disadvantages:

Inability to thin the paint after final drying;
The presence of large pigment, which makes it problematic to use with airbrushes;
Slow drying when adding water;
Possibility of paint drips.

Regarding ready-made paints, we can say the following: a beginner airbrush should try the above methods in order to subsequently choose suitable products for themselves. The main thing when experimenting is to remember that gouache, alkyd enamel, and nitro paints are not suitable for airbrushing. Now you know how to choose paint for your car.

Airbrush technique

When you draw, keep an eye on just a few parameters:

distance to the working surface;
jet angle;
processing time of the area.

In all schools where you can learn airbrushing without much difficulty, they will tell you that air is usually supplied faster than the paint reaches the part. Make sure that the jet angle is 90 degrees during operation.

As for the distance from the working tool to the surface, the thickness of the lines depends on it. The closer you move the airbrush to the body, the less area the jet covers. To create a gradient, you will need a distance of half a meter, but you need to monitor the exposure time, which should not be long, otherwise drips may form.

When you first start, don't try to paint on a car right away. It's better to use plain paper to acquire basic skills. Do-it-yourself airbrushing on walls is also an option, especially if it’s a fence wall in a village that no one pays attention to (at least while you’re studying).

You should practice until the lines are straight and smooth. Try changing their thickness, direction, brightness. Be careful with the paint supply, otherwise you can quickly ruin even a good drawing. One of the important rules is to never touch the design with the needle or shake the airbrush, otherwise the air stream will be uneven and the design will be ruined.

Preparing for painting

If you will be painting the car body, clean the surface before painting. You can use detergent. Then carry out degreasing and ensure that the unevenness is eliminated. In order for the paint to adhere well to the old one, the body must be sanded.

Scotch Brite or a sanding machine can help with this. It is not necessary to adhere to a certain direction of matting, the main thing is not to rub it to the metal. Also use special grinding pastes to be sure of the quality of the future drawing. Then degrease the surface again, blow off the car, and you can start creating.

You can learn airbrushing not on a car, but, for example, on walls or ceilings. They also need to be processed before you start painting. Clean the walls from dirt, dust, and level out uneven areas. You can use putty mixtures. Small flaws can be removed with sandpaper when the surface is dry and the putty has set.

Secrets of mastery: gradient

When you start to get good lines, start drawing. Drawing on a car is not quite the same as on a sheet of paper: the surface has volume, and this must be taken into account. Don't forget about perspective. But the main thing is a smooth color transition.

Before you learn how to airbrush, you must be able to create smooth color transitions. A great exercise will help you with this: start drawing two lines, and each of these lines will have a different shade. Try to make a smooth transition between the lines. Make the distance to the surface larger if you want a light shadow; bring the airbrush closer when you need a dark shadow.

People who have recently become acquainted with the principle of airbrushing try to create volume by darkening the area of the object in the drawing that is further from the viewer. This technique is good for drawing objects that do not reflect light.

But in reality, the path that light travels is much more complex. Reflection of light can be studied in a still life reference book. It is worth looking at the works of medieval engravers, who very carefully and patiently outlined the transitions of shadow and light on the objects they depicted. This will improve your skill.

Once you have mastered the gradations, try transferring a not very complex image directly onto paper. To begin with, it is better to choose some geometrically correct figure. The proportions of a geometric figure are much easier to understand in the initial stages. The basic proportions can generally be transferred in the future using stencils, but it is very important for an airbrush to have a good eye.

First experience

It will take a lot of time until you begin to achieve adequate transfer of halftones, light and shadow, and highlights onto paper. To try to repeat the same thing on a real car, it’s good to have a few successful works in your portfolio. While you are studying, be sure to whet your interest in this business, otherwise, due to the first failures, you can quickly abandon this business.

To learn how to paint with an airbrush well, you don’t have to be able to draw truly professionally. There are a huge number of airbrush people who don’t really know how to draw, but they have well mastered the art of using their professional tool - a spray gun.

This gives them the opportunity to earn money. But if you have talent, the art of drawing from a distance will eventually become yours. The most important thing is to practice a lot, constantly improve, compare your and other people's work. Don't stop - and you will succeed!

Successful airbrushing on cars with your own hands is a source of special pride. The technique is in demand wherever you need to evenly apply color in thin layers to the surface. The paint is pressurized from a spray nozzle, which is why the method itself is called “air brush painting.”

Non-absorbent surfaces are sprayed with appropriate paint; sometimes the surfaces themselves must be prepared for finishing with a special primer.

This primarily includes airbrushing on cars, motor vehicles, water transport and other metal and composite objects.

Types of airbrushing

Idea! If you don’t have enough experience to fully implement the idea - enhance the contrasts, work out the nuances... You can complete the work to an affordable extent, then invite a professional to finalize it.

Tools needed for airbrushing

The most convenient gravity feed sprayer. The paint reservoir in such a device is located on top. You need to choose a spray gun with a double setting, which allows you to control the air supply and paint flow, that is, with pressure adjustment on the pneumatic device itself.

Airbrush

Sold in departments with goods for creativity, nozzle thickness 0.3 mm, intended for drawing strokes and lines.

Mini spray gun

Sold in departments with goods for cars, nozzle thickness 0.8 mm, for creating backgrounds and gradients that do not require detailed drawing.

Compressor

Sources of compressed air are a compressor for an airbrush and a hose with corresponding connectors at the ends:

spraying is most often carried out at a pressure of 2–2.5 atm, which means that the compressor must provide this mode;
The hose for the compressor is included in the kit, but if you need a longer one, you can always buy it separately.

Acceptable phase - the workshop capabilities must match the compressor settings; three-phase equipment will not operate from a two-phase current source.

Important! Oil and moisture eliminators will come in handy for the job.

Protection

You will need: painting glasses, a mask with carbon filters, a cap or bandana to cover your hair, and gloves.

Place

The worktop is equipped with a hinged protective box in which the hood is mounted. If there is no such device, then you will have to work in a cloud of paint. Additionally, an external air supply system is connected to the room.

For one-time work, you can consider the option of renting. A suitable object would be furniture production, carpentry ( where frames are made and painted) or an art workshop.

Basic paints

There are car enamels on sale on different bases. Recently, a large assortment of acrylic ones has appeared. But it will be easier for a beginner to get his first experience with alkyds. They are more docile due to their plasticity and high covering ability.

Good choices would be the brands MOBIHEL and COLOMIX.

Colors and toners

There are three ways to get an assortment of paint:

The most reliable. Buy a set of airbrush paints or buy cans of colors that you need a lot of. Then go to a store where car paints are tinted and purchase the necessary ready-made colors, 50–100 ml each. Their basics must be the same.
Not for beginners.
Buy basic colors - white, yellow, red, black and blue. Then mix as needed. Ready-made mixtures can be stored in plastic bottles for some time.

The most difficult. Add universal colors to the primary colors. Such compositions must be carefully filtered.

Work performed on a car is covered with a two-component auto varnish, which consists of a base and a hardener. These varnishes are sold as a set and are accompanied by instructions with recommended mixing proportions. For mixing accuracy, you can use disposable syringes.

Important! Varnish mixed with hardener cannot be stored. After application, you must immediately disassemble and thoroughly rinse the spray gun with solvent, then keep it in acetone for some time.

Solvents

There are special solvents for car enamels; they are sold in the same tins as the paints themselves.

Universal solvents for alkyd enamels are No. 645 and 650; they are also used to wash the spray bottle when changing color. Solvent No. 646 also does the job, but it is still intended for nitro enamels. Car enamels mixed with No. 646 will fly “drier” and apply “harder”.

Stencils and patterns

You can buy ready-made ones, order plotter or laser cutting, or do it yourself:

disposable stencils made from thin cardboard, thick paper, thin plastic, unnecessary x-rays. But the best choice would be an adhesive film; it adheres tightly to the surface and prevents paint from getting onto the protected surface;
reusable stencil can be done by laminating a disposable one.

Airbrushing on cars. Video lesson for beginners:

How to attach the stencil?

A simple disposable one is attached with masking tape. A strip of masking tape is applied in the middle to the edge of the stencil and the edges of the tape are folded inward. Nevertheless, when painting, such a stencil is pressed with your hand, because the air from the sprayer blows it.
Disposable adhesive film will ensure high quality. This stencil is indispensable when you need airbrushing on motorcycles, and there is a little trick to position it as accurately as possible. The surface should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle, a stencil should be applied and straightened as required. Then use a napkin to remove the water, smoothing the stencil from the middle to the edges.

Painting stages

Preparation

If necessary, the surface is sanded with a machine or sanded by hand with the addition of polishing pastes, napkins and other auxiliary things, then primed. You can degrease the surface before painting with alcohol or an alkaline solution.

Preparing the Paint

Pigments that provide density and opacity settle to the bottom of the jar. Therefore, any paint must be mixed. It is convenient to do this with a drill at low speeds with a long drill bit or a thick wooden skewer.

Applying paint

If the surface needs to be primed, then this is done from a distance of 25–30 cm, so that the paint is applied perpendicularly. For gradient and artistic works, the angle of paint application changes.

Each master adjusts the pressure differently. Some people can paint evenly with low pressure at close range. Others find it convenient the other way around.

The part to be painted should be positioned horizontally

The basic application of paint is carried out in 1–2 layers, then the surface must dry.

Drying time depends on conditions including the specifications of the paint itself and can take up to 12 hours.

Ideal when the paint does not stick at all. If you continue to work on wet paint, a new layer, especially a different color, will mix with the bottom one. The result will be a pale or muddy color.

Local pattern - here the layers dry quickly, in 10–15 minutes.

Principle

The paint is applied in layers starting from light colors. You can highlight details in the finished drawing. If the work involves a bright white color, then it is better to protect the desired area with a mask made of adhesive film or masking tape.

For example, the sequence of performing work in blue tones is structured like this:

White zones, then light blue or light gray, dark blue, blue, dark blue ( To do this, black is added to blue) and, if necessary, black zones.

How do you get vibrant color?

Multicolor work also done from light to dark, taking into account colors. Task: we need fire. Sequence: white, light yellow, yellow, yellow with a drop of red, orange, red, dark red, brown, black.

Each subsequent layer is applied to a smaller area. The spray angle is varied to achieve different effects, including "transparency".

Attention! To apply an even layer, you need to move your hand smoothly without stopping!

In this case, spraying should begin following the area of the surface to be painted and also finish by moving the airbrush to the side. Otherwise, at the beginning of spraying, the paint will form a spot.

Applying varnish

It is important to dilute the varnish correctly. Since there are no exact recipes, you will have to select the “right” consistency by gradually adjusting the pressure and adding solvent. Be sure to try it on a test surface.

The varnish is applied perpendicularly. If the varnish “floods” the surface, most likely it is too liquid. When it appears in spots, it means it is too thick or there is too much pressure on the feed.

Cleaning when color changes

The procedure is quite simple. You need to wash the tank with a wire brush and solvent and wipe with a rag. Then add solvent and spray until the airbrush is thoroughly cleaned. When using dark and light colors, consider two or more airbrushes to prevent cross-contamination of colors.

Having finished working and washed the airbrush and spray gun, you can pour a little solvent into them and leave it until the next session.

Errors

Usually they relate to the proportions of paint or varnish and thinner:

An excessively diluted composition will form streaks;
not enough - a rough surface layer, an effect called “shagreen”.

“Shagreen” tends to form with other errors:

Necessarily! There should be a test surface for test spraying. It can be a sheet of cardboard or even a wall.

Tricks

Airbrushing is characterized by some blurriness. If the drawing requires particularly detailed precision, this is achieved by drawing with oil paint and a thin brush. The disadvantage of oil is long-term drying - up to two weeks or 4–5 days in a drying chamber with a temperature of 60 ° C.

A solvent mixture will help speed up the process ( №646 ) and drops of vegetable oil added to the paint. This technique will ensure quick drying within a day or two.

Important! When painting with oil, you should avoid using whitewash; it takes longer to dry than all other colors. Black dries the fastest.

Painting your car with auto enamel from a can is a bad idea. If only because the pressure can be anything, including very low. Considering that it is not adjustable, the result will be wasted money or large drops of paint on the element.