Painting Question

[LARRYADAMS]

Hello everyone, I was trying to work with my Badger 200NH airbrush today with some new Createx paints that my friend bought for me today. I have not been getting good results at all. I'm wondering if it's the brush or the paint, or me. When I start painting I'm getting little bumpy looking lines, and before I can even finish a somewhat straight line, the paint stops flowing. So I opened it up a little more and a little more, each time it stops until its all the way open, and the SPLAT, a big huge blob on my work. I have tried to thin the paint with water, no effect! This is getting very frustrating. But I'm sticking with it, no matter what. I really like working with airbrush's. I just want to get better. Also, when you do your art work, do you draw your subject first in pen or pencil, or do you just make the picture without any previously draw outlines to fill in?

Thank You

Larry

[airraid]

Set the air pressure to 70 psi and with acrylic paints you have to clean the needle tip often there cannot be any dried paint on it. Most artists draw their subjects in pencil or sometimes will just freehand paint using no guides at all.

Acrylic paints including Createx do take a little more psi since they are thicker & seem to have larger pigment, but 70 psi sounds a little high--it's really a preference thing & I use between 55-60 psi..tip dry just comes with anything you use, but more rapidly while using acrylics & you will have to pick the tip of your needle every 1-15 seconds or after the same amount of dots done in a row..Very few artists work without any guide at all..even with some lettering (especially double stroked bold) I always use a layout & I value my stencils as an important part of my business..you can use a soft lead pencil or my preference is thin vine charcoal sticks that you find at hobby & craft stores..the marks you make & decide you don't want with the charcoal (if not made too hard on the surface) clean right up by blowing air with your airbrush.. It first started with my sign kit & now I'm busy as a bee cleaning some of my past & laid away airbrush equipment & it's cleaning up nicely..something we have to do periodically...

[LARRYADAMS]

Ok, but what if your compressor only goes up to 30psi. Would you need to thin the paint even more? Should I be using water to thin my paints? I clean my airbrush every time change colors is that to much?


Thank You

Larry

Larry, you can't clean your brush too much so that's taken care of..I'm not sure what you mean by cleaning?? I don't always break my brush apart to clean, but I flush & backflush real well..if your compressor only goes to 30psi you may need to work with your acrylics much thinner than I do working at a higher psi..you can thin with water but run into problems with separation & molding..I much prefer thinning with Future floor finish found near the mops & brooms at your grocery..

[LARRYADAMS]

I don't completely break down my brush every time. I mean flushing out all the old color, cleaning the tip, etc. I did not know about the floor finish stuff I'd like to try it. I have not been feeling very well for about the past week or so bad flu symptoms, fever that comes and goes, pains in my bones I feel bad right now. But I still try to get some painting done when I feel up to it.

Thanks Darla

Look forward to hearing from you anytime

[vilner]

Larry, does your compressor have a storage tank on it? The 'bumpy lines' you are getting can be a few things. Pulsing from your compressor, a dirty nozzle, or your paint is to thick. I have used the old model Badger 200 single action for many years on model kits mostly for spraying primer or base colors. I suggest since you are just starting out learning how to airbrush that you really thin down your createx with water maybe 60%paint 40% water to cut down on clogging. Once you get the hang of using your airbrush you can cut down on the thinning.
You are going to get tip dry no matter what so get use to cleaning the tip of your needle every few minutes, I use a paint brush.
John

[LARRYADAMS]

Thanks Vilner, I don't a seprate air tank.