airbrush brands

[zombiefury]

Just starting out and don't know where to post this,I own a master and just curious if these are a decent brand to use.I hear of everyone using bigger brand names and wondering if master airbrush is even worth a crap or d o I invest in something else.can I achieve decent work with this if I practice? Thanks.

 

[JackEb]

hit or miss with the Masters / chinese knock off brushes, if you get a good one it will be rare. I bought 2, (different size nozzle and cup) they're both 'ok' but I also didn't have anything to compare it to at the time. They were enough for me to 'play around' with and get a feel for how airbrushing works etc to know I was going to be doing it for more than 5 minutes so I bought an Iwata HP B+, After using that I realised how 'not good' the cheap brush was!

If you could stretch the money to get a brand name entry level brush then do so, you wont regret it.
My cheapy brush is now delegated to large area coverage only, because it has a larger needle and cup size. I now own several good brushes, but I've stuck with Iwata rather than have different brands with different idiosynchrosies to learn (they still have their little quirks but not as much as using different brands)

 

[Bodyworx]

You're gonna wanna use what you have for now and get down some mechanics but i can tell you that a finicky brush might frustrate you and make you WANNA give up. Don't! There are some really nice brushes out there that are not that expensive. Badger sells quite a few and i have a Paasche Talon TG that cost about $70. Nice durable brush. I really like it.

 

[splasha]

I first bought a "cheapy" Supercheap Auto airbrush kit for about $70AUD.
Was alright, until I had a windfall and bought an Iwata HP-C Eclipse.
The difference is unbelieveable.
Now, like most of us here, I have a small collection of a/b's, including a H&S Ultra.
As JackEb said, they all have their own little idiosyncracies, but generally behave well.
In your case, if I may, I'd suggest something like the Neo, or if you can stretch it, any of the lower end Iwata, Badger or Passche 'brushes.
Excellent value for money, and reliable supply of parts and user information.

 

[OzAirbrush]

The biggest difference between a cheapy and a good, known brand is the quality of the materials used to make the needle and nozzle and other moving parts like the air/trigger mechanism. The machining of these parts is very important, particularly the needle nozzle match up, the rest is not nearly as important though.
Cheapies use softer/poorer grade materials that bend easier or do not machine as well and produce a much more inferior seating with the needle/nozzle.
Some people have had good cheapies, maybe they got a 'Monday' built one that was built when the machine was retooled so everything was machined well, I don't know.
We've all been there and all say the same thing - wait and save your money, it will save you much frustration and wasted time.
You don't need a Micron, just get the best known brand you can afford and you will be very happy you did so, you can always upgrade later and then have 2 good ab's

 

[Squishy]

Agree completely. Get the best brush you can afford. Getting the balance of air/paint/reducer is something that takes a little bit of experimenting to get something that works for you (it can be slightly different for everyone depending on paint brush type/brand, weather humidity etc). It makes life infinitely harder if you are always having to second guess as your brush is not behaving as it should, or is performing inconsistently. You can then waste a lot of time trying to get everything to flow, and become very frustrated with the whole thing, and not get the consistent performance you need to be able to learn the techniques.

Even if you get a good knock off, they don't work well in the long run. By the time the inferior quality parts need replacing, it is often cheaper to replace the brush. If you then buy another, you have probably spent almost as much as a lower end branded brush.

A good quality brush will allow you to concentrate on getting the paint flow right, and then when you have that, you can actually learn how to use the brush.

I personally recommend the Iwata HP-CS. While not the cheapest it is a great brush for the money. Great for beginners, but not a brush you will soon grow out of, as it is so versatile, and can produce some really fine detail when you get to know it well. It's also easy to strip and maintain and (unless you try and play darts with it or it takes a nose dive) is a really reliable brush in the long term, and should last you for years. But any branded brush will perform better, be more reliable and last longer, and also make learning a lot easier.

 

[zombiefury]

Thanks for the great info everyone.Will look into a higher end brush in the near future.I just didn't want to get frustrated with a scrappy airbrush and give up.

 

[Cpt.Nemo]

I had a $20 master airbrush off eBay as my first and it was pretty cool. Got in some good dots and daggers practice in. Had a lot of fun and I still use it as a secondary brush for non detail stuff. Upgraded to Iwata eclipse hp-cs and it's been great! I would definitely recommend it and lots of people here use it. I got mine around $100

 

[zombiefury]

I've heard iwata is one of the best to go with,you guys are full of useful info and I appreciate all the help.is badger another good brush?Just comparing prices between the two and I want to go with something that I won't have to upgrade in a year.

 

[Jezurus]

I'm pretty new at A b also, I went with a Badger Krome first time out, has a very fine tip that requires a prop reduced paint, but does work very well, it's not as finished as an Iwata, which I plan to buy next.

 

[Cpt.Nemo]

I've had the eclipse for about two year now and I'm nowhere near maxing out its capability. It's a very smooth bush but I haven't tried badger. I'd probably go to one of those microns next for super tiny detail. It depends on the paint you use too though. Createx regular is pretty crappy I never use that for details. Wicked paint is better, flows smoother, makes it easier to paint. I'm sure there are other brands better than wicked

 

[kjukju]

Just my two cents: i tried different brushes H&S, Rich and iwata. Since all of these were not cheapos, i stuck with iwatas. These are the ones i have the best feeling with (what does not help much regarding my performace ). If you can afford go for a HP-C+ for example. You wont outperform this brush soon. I never will cant say anything about eclipse or revolution but heard only good things about them. Use good tools and you only can blame yourself.

 

[OzAirbrush]

Grex is also another worthy brand, not just 'cause I sell them either (I sell other brands as well, just thought I'd throw them into the mix). They are very well made, you can have multiple needle nozzle combo's and they are more affordable than some others. A very durable and reliable ab that I use all the time.
I also have a HP-C+, a Talon and a Sparmax which are all very good. As long as you buy a reputable brand you will do fine, just don't fall for the marketing of fine detail brushes just yet, paint flow will give you better detail before an ab will.

 

[splasha]

Hi,Oz.
What you 're suggesting is that paint flow - reduction, has more of an affect on your ability to produce detail work, than the airbrush itself.
I'd suggest that these factors, in combination with a particular air pressure combine to allow the production of the detail, along with the artists abilities.
Granted that this has long been a bone of contention among all of us, but when you seriously consider all these factors, it is astounding what we're able to do - well, some of us, anyway.
People being individuals will always have their own personal choices, for whatever reason, but the results speak for themselves, IMHO.

 

[OzAirbrush]

Hi,Oz.
What you 're suggesting is that paint flow - reduction, has more of an affect on your ability to produce detail work, than the airbrush itself.
<snip>...

Pretty much. If you haven't got control of the ab or can mix your paint, a micron isn't really going to help, in fact in regards to paint it will only be more frustrating.

To use a surfing analogy, just because you own the same surf board that Kelly Slater rides will not suddenly give you the same abilities, you need to learn how to ride the wave first, then you can experiment with different boards.

But, as you say, it's a personal choice.

 

[Mr.Micron]

I look at airbrushes like this. When you first start out and are not sure if you will actually stay with it affordable is a good thing. after you get the bug your next airbrush should be a named brand Badger, Iwata , H&S all make great airbrushes that will last a life time. Even Paasche make a work horse of an airbrush which is what I started on , it was 30+ years old when I got it and had to put about 10 bucks in to get it running good.
while I never use that airbrush any more I still have it.
But make a budget you can live with and stick to it. Buy the best brush you can afford at the time or save up until you can get the one that you dream of.

 

[jagardn]

Hi,Oz.
What you 're suggesting is that paint flow - reduction, has more of an affect on your ability to produce detail work, than the airbrush itself.
I'd suggest that these factors, in combination with a particular air pressure combine to allow the production of the detail, along with the artists abilities.
Granted that this has long been a bone of contention among all of us, but when you seriously consider all these factors, it is astounding what we're able to do - well, some of us, anyway.
People being individuals will always have their own personal choices, for whatever reason, but the results speak for themselves, IMHO.

I agree with splasha on this one. I have a bunch of detail brushes and I could produce the same quality of painting with any of them. As long as you buy a good brush, it just takes time to get to know it.
I've bought quite a few different brushes over the years and my favorites are H&S, Iwata, and Olympos. Badger are great brushes also, I just prefer the others.

 

[Nada]

The best work I have ever done was done with my Sparmax , which was a pretty decent brush on its own right. My Krome is barely used anymore mainly using my iwata eclipse. If my sparmax were working properly I would likely reach for it as much as my Eclipse. Detail brushes are great for certain things but bear in mind, you have more issues with paint the smaller the needle goes. I am not a great airbrush artist however when push comes to shove I can paint a face inside a quarter with my .35 needle.

 

[hobostubs]

I have had a badger 200,badger 150,badger cresendo,paashe vl,paashe talon ts ,and iwata eclipes bcs, ,the Iwata eclipes are the best,the work like a dream,i wish i still had a few had to rebuild,after years away,and because of budget and i mostly paint t shirts i went with 3 vl and the talon,vl are good for t shirts ,the talon ts works smooth if the paint is right,but if i had the money Iwata eclipes bcs all the way they are great for about anything t shirts to illustration,but they are about twice the money of a paache vl,but they are sweet

 

[zombiefury]

I'm somewhat new to a/b and I've been using a master a/b and becoming very frustrated with the outcome.I've had my eye on an iwata hp-cs,how much of a difference do I expect if any in quality of work so long as I practice?heard nothing but good things about iwata so I thought I'd give it a shot.can't be any worse than a master a/b right?