Airbrush guide lights?

[John742]

Are there any type of guide lights or lasers that will attach to an airbrush? I find myself hitting the wrong spot from time to time and this would come in very useful.

Just really sucks when I'm almost done and I go back to start shading in something and...oops

 

[musicmacd]

Just practice! I do it all the time
Good idea though

 

[Jezurus]

I've often thought of that, everything I have would be too bulky to attach though.

 

[John742]

I've often thought of that, everything I have would be too bulky to attach though.

Yea same here, if they don't already make something like this I'm thinking of taking the laser guide from an old DVD burner and using watch batteries I'll find some way to attach it.

 

[Jezurus]

Yea same here, if they don't already make something like this I'm thinking of taking the laser guide from an old DVD burner and using watch batteries I'll find some way to attach it.

I've got a laser site from an old air soft rifle which is fairly compact and has a pressure switch on a small cord that would prob work, if I could find it!

 

[JackEb]

This is going to sound silly but kids coloring books really help get your eye into where the paint will hit. The paper is absorbent so you don't have to worry about spiders. It's really good for noobs to get their hand eye coordination going. It helps to practise keeping in a specific area and angling the airbrush to minimize overspray from the areas you don't want it.

 

[markjthomson]

Colouring books... the Mr Miyagi approach...

 

[Maple Art]

coloring books are great practice! to help with shooting the paint where you want it, draw out a grid or use grid paper and practice spraying the lines where they cross.

 

[Squishy]

It's fairly common when you're starting out, but it soon becomes second nature.

 

[Nada]

A laser guide would actually prevent me from seeing.. first the guide would be bigger than many lines i want to achieve. Secondly it would influence colors.

If your having a problem hitting the right spot, you are not practicing.

 

[Cpt.Nemo]

Cool Idea but as nada said no cheap laser would be a fine enough dot and would cover right over what you're trying to see. I used to have issues getting on target so I scribbled lines and dots on a page with a pen and practiced following them with ab. If you practice you'll be a pro in no time

 

[AndreZA]

If you can get one that projects a wide circle around the spot your spraying. You just have to judge where the centre is but it won't affect the actual painting spot.

 

[Madbrush]

This is incredible, 100 years of airbrushing history and suddenly they need to be laser guided, , why not let's have April fools day every day in april

As well as trying to find something small and light enough to attach to an airbrush without knocking it out of balance, calibration would be a huge problem, getting it to be able to see past the head of the brush to shine on its target would require it to be mounted high above or very low under the brush, even then, it would have to be self adjusting to be able to remain on target since the beam would veer off course when distances to substrate were changed, and as mentioned, the problem of a fine enough beam to be useful in any way and interference with colour perception would be huge factors.

I'm not saying this couldn't be done, but if the time spent making it possible went into simple practice instead the precision sought would come on its own a lot quicker and no one would need to look rediculous while working

I hope you do manage to make one, I would love to see it just for the novelty aspect, and we could maybe change your name to "Airbrushing Sniper"

Note also that the laser in a DVD device is a class 1 laser product, this means that it is only safe as long as it remains in the device, if it can burn data onto a CD, it can also burn your retinas, and you don't even need to point it at your eyes, it will do that on its own when it reflects back off of your glossy wet paint, which will mean that target practice will be the least of your worries

 

[jagardn]

Practice doing dots a few hours every night for a week. You won't need a laser after that. Practice overcomes the need for a crutch.

 

[The dude]

Another way although a little expensive is remove the crown cap and with the needle tip stab where you want to paint Tah Dah!!!!

 

[Mr.Micron]

Practice and know your equipment .
just like (if you have ever shot a weapon) learning how ti sight it in is knowing where you look . Same thing applies to airbrushing.
Learning where you paint comes out and where it hits comes down to nothing more than a lot of hard work and practice time.
Well it is not really hard work but Practice time is the most important part.

 

[John742]

Another way although a little expensive is remove the crown cap and with the needle tip stab where you want to paint Tah Dah!!!!

I tried this but it didn't work to well... I think I bent my needle...? Oh yea and I STILL missed! Lol j/k oh