trying to get started on tight budget

[redhouse3]

Hi everyone,

My name is frank and I have been trying to get started airbrushing now for nearly 2 years but my budget just doesnt allow me to get off the ground. My friend has let me borrow his gravity feed brush and left over paint a couple of times but I cant keep that up for long. My main interest is in painting cycle helmets and the gravity feed seems to work good at the downward angles.

Does any one know where I might be able to buy a cheap discontinued brush or paint to help me get going ?

[redesigns]

Try hitting up auto body shops...
Ask the shop formen if they have any left over paints they would like to get
rid of... And while you are at it see if they have any equipment they
want to sell...
Try ebay as well..

[Airbrush Dreams]

What I have done most of the time is when I sell some thing I reinvest by buying a airbrush, or paints and what ever else. It is best not to invest in a cheap airbrush though. You will only be right back out there buying a better one latter. I would suggest a versital airbrush like a Iwata eclipse gravity feed. You can change needle sizes with the brush making it a very versitile airbrush. Dixie Art Supply on line usually has the best prices, but check around.

Fred

[pitontheprowl]

if you think you are broke now, spens some time on this site
Dixie Art & Airbrush Supplies Home Page: Airbrush and art supplies
every time i get an extra $60 saved up, they get it.
$60 and up is FREE shipping

[Cameron Arts]

Good advice you've gotten so far. I wholeheartedly agree with Ebay & Dixie. Dixie is my friend! LOL! They do have the best prices on a lot of supplies, & it's worth saving up a bit to get that free shipping.

I agree, don't just get the cheapest brush you can find. Get one that's comfortable in YOUR hands & is versatile enough to use with a variety of paints. However, YOUR best brush may not be the most expensive one, either. I painted for 15 years with a set of old & abused Paasche VL3 brushes (all covered in teflon tape) before I finally got something "higher ended". A lot of the subtleties that make some of the more expensive brushes so great & so responsive are best appreciated when you have more experience. If I'd picked up my Iwata HP-BC or my modified Richpen Mojo when I first started, I honestly don't think it would've made a whole lot of difference in the quality of my work. But that's just my opinion.

Good luck!