createx paint help

hi i recently just got into airbrushing,i have a dual action airbrush,a oiless airbrush compressor that pushes out 30 psi max,i have two 6 ft ropes connected together,my problem is i was using acrylic walmart paint but it kept clogging my brush and would only work if i watered it down,but then it would be to watery and it would mess up the paper,so i went and got createx and was told its made so you dont have to water it down,i tried with that and it also clogged my brush,i cleaned my brush out thoughrly and tried again but once again it clogged,i would highly appreciate some tips

[shanesiemens]

Hey Ice! I'm just a newbie , but I can safely say there is lots of info on mixing createx in the forums! The overwhelming concensus of the wal-mart paints is that it is a no-no. I mix my createx generally 1 part water to 1 part paint, although I was chatting with another artist who stated he mixes createx 1 part paint to a half part water. Its yours to experiment with. Remember that air pressure can play a lot with your results. I use 30 psi, but that can high, depending on your surface and skill. Use the forum, you'll see advice on pressure for T's is higher than newsprint, etc. Recomeneded consistansy is like the consistancy of milk. Study the forums, experiment , have fun!

[fontgeek]

Createx was formulated for doing textile painting (that's the "TEX" in Createx), it is typically sprayed at 40-65 psi, and with the paint reduced to about the consistency of milk, well mixed and strained before it's put into the brush.
If you are just looking for paint to use on paper and the like, I would look at something like Golden Airbrush Colors, Etac, Com-Art, Dr. PHMartin, or something similar to use. They are lighter viscosity paints, and reduce and spray much easier than the heavier textile paints.

I know Createx advertises their paint to be used on almost anything, but that is because it helps their sales, and for those that are only going to buy one paint, getting something like Createx that will handle the textiles easily and work on other surfaces seems like an easy choice for them.
THe other paints I listed can also be used for textiles and other surfaces, but they typically take an extra step or two for those uses.

For those just starting out, I would strongly suggest getting a bottle of Golden Airbrush Color, Carbon Black, it's ready to go right from the bottle, no muss, no fuss, and using the one color lets you focus on learning and fine tuning your skills rather than getting carried away with all the other wonderful colors and effects. You have enough on your plate to deal with, you shouldn't have to be fighting with your paint and setup just to learn to use an airbrush. While you may go on to use other types or brands of paint or pigment, the basics of airbrushing remain the same, so learning them on something safe and easy to use makes sense.

I would also strongly suggest that you learn to do a thorough cleaning on your brush, and get into the habit of doing it at the end of every paint session. A clean brush is a happy brush, and a clean brush will perform like it's supposed to.
The more challenges or problems you can eliminate right off the bat, the better and easier it is to learn your craft.

As you have already learned, cheap paints are typically worth what you paid for them (or even less).

[iceberg77]

thanks for the help,i used empty bottles and mixed 3/4 paint to 1/4 water and it came out realy nice,two questions for you if you dont mind,i use a 30 psi compressor and i was wondering is that good enough or should i invest in a bigger one,also the airbrush i use i got at harbor freight.com and it was a dual action for about 20 bucks,yes i know you get what you pay for,lol,well i was thinking of purchasing the iwata eclipse and i was wondering your thoughts on that brush,thanks again for the help