Just curious

[neeks]

Hello everyone. I'm definitely getting an airbrush, but one thing I was curious about. I'm good at drawing when I'm looking at something but terrible when not. I only plan on painting models, but I was curious if it's something that is more learned than skill. I'd love to eventually learn how to do things like weathering etc. Thanks for any answers.

 

[matty171]

I think some people have a natural skill while others need to work at it, i fall into the latter category and am always learning as i go, i think you find yourself the more you do the more you will learn and want to try new things

 

[beanpoleuk]

Hi, I can only answer from my own experience and in my case I could always draw reasonably well but couldn't paint for toffee, didn't understand colour mixing or how to build up the different tones , I was absolutely hopeless so stuck with drawing mono. Then my wife bought me an airbrush so decided to have another go, managed to get somewhere with mono paintings and then gradualy with lots of help and advice from this forum I began to understand the different techniques and after a while was able to start applying what I had learnt here. Over the last couple of years I have been able to develop my skills and still continue to learn new methods and processes from the brilliant artists in this forum who share their work in progress or step by step. Sometimes I would read a SBS and suddenly the penny would drop and I would see what I needed to do.

So in my case it was definitely a case of 'learning' as I had no painting skills whatsoever..

 

[Squishy]

With time, patience, and lots of experimenting, I think anyone can learn. Natural talent has it's part too, but determination, and not giving up if it doesn't come out as you'd like - and then learning what not to do for next time is a crucial part of the process. And thank goodness, if it was down to natural talent I'd have no hope LOL. I am a slow learner, but luckily I am also stubborn, and if I can do it (after a fashion ) you can too.

Just be aware that it will take time, be prepared to put in the practise hours, and when you get frustrated, remember that everyone has been there - and you are not alone. Share it here, and not only will you get support, you may also get the tips you need to help with any issues.

 

[Madbrush]

Hello everyone. I'm definitely getting an airbrush, but one thing I was curious about. I'm good at drawing when I'm looking at something but terrible when not. I only plan on painting models, but I was curious if it's something that is more learned than skill. I'd love to eventually learn how to do things like weathering etc. Thanks for any answers.

So if I'm not mistaken you are worried that you might not be able to your weathering if you don't have a reference?

First of all when you do get an airbrush you will to practice a lot with it so you can get to know what it can do, you will have to learn how to hold it, how do certain strokes and more or less how handle in such a way that it becomes second nature to you, that won't just happen straight out of the box.

As for your weathering, you can simply look for finished projects of a similar structure to see how they were done, although you will have learn where certain effects should be placed, for example black areas of smoke fouling around an aircraft exhaust, friction fouling around wheels and different stages of rust and corrosion and such, I haven't actually done it but I can imagine that it will just complicated as fine art, there have bee few here that did that type of airbrushing and it looks amazing when it's done right, it definitely makes for extreme realism in modelling.

While you are waiting for your new equipment have a good scout around for exampled and descriptions/instructions/SBS's of the type of work you would like to do, there will be weathering forums also in existence, but if you find any, please still hang around here with us and show us how your doing and you can also help others as you go, I am a member of a model building forum here in Holland and they have a dedicated weathering section there, but it's all in Dutch so it probably wouldn't help you much although if you though tit was useful I could certainly translate for you.

But you've got me thinking so I have a feeling I am going to go into scout mode, , I will see what I can find for you and post it here.

 

[neeks]

Wow. Everyone here is so much help! I can't thank you all enough. I can draw decently, just never really without having reference. Luckily most models are made after something, so I should have reference. Either way, all of you are great! Thanks again

 

[Madbrush]

Wow. Everyone here is so much help! I can't thank you all enough. I can draw decently, just never really without having reference. Luckily most models are made after something, so I should have reference. Either way, all of you are great! Thanks again

Lol, that's what we do here, we look out for each other and in particular try to help new starters avoid some the typical hurdles that can be very frustrating in the beginning.

On the forum I mentioned above I saw some incredible models like a milenium falcon completely weathered, my favourite was a war tank tank made to look like it had sat in a desert corroding for decades, I'm not into tanks but that was so cool, the weathering process is an art on its own and it certainly does require a huge degree of dexterity.

I wish you all the success in the world, I reckon people who do this can also do movie sets and possibly movie make up.

 

[AndreZA]

I don't have an imagination and thus can't draw from my head. This is why I copy from photos. With a bit of imagination you can copy and add a twist and have something awesome.

 

[Jezurus]

Wow. Everyone here is so much help! I can't thank you all enough. I can draw decently, just never really without having reference. Luckily most models are made after something, so I should have reference. Either way, all of you are great! Thanks again

Hello! I too am a human copy machine, it's much easier forme too look at a pic and do any type of picture, all the information is there layer out for you, you don't have to figure out the values or hues or shapes to put into your rendering, especially the human form, I have been studying anatomy for the past couple years to help with my sculpting and painting, it's very hard to do say a Batman or Superman without knowing the shapes and placement of the muscles, same thing with a tank or plane, look at rusted and weathered metal objects around your area, there are tons of ref pics online for help, for some effects you use a reg paintbrush and do "dry brush" effects by just dragging the brush lightly over high spots.
Anyway, sorry for going onso long, practice every time you can with a airbrush, you will love it once you get going, I'm new to the AB but totally hooked on it now! Welcome to your new home!

 

[Rigo]

Eventually your visual library will grow and you will rely less on photos and trust your imagination more. The more you do this the better you will become at it. The key here is not to be afraid to make mistakes and if you do then learn from them.

 

[Nada]

If you can already draw what you see . You are miles ahead of where i started. The airbrush will help you learn as well. I dont practice a lot, paint in spurts of non stop to not painting for days, and yet i have learned enough in roughly a year to produce some reasonable art!

 

[haasje dutchairbrush]

Coppying is just part of the learning proces. To learn however don't "just coppy", study your subject while coppying it. With weathering some questions to ask yourself could be; What caused it, what texture does it result in, how do I acomplish that texture.

Keep asking yourself those (and other ) questions while looking at your reference and after a while (and that will probably take a bit) you know what effect is created by what and how to replicate it an can apply it in the correct spots even when there is no reference present. that being said there is absolutely nothing wrong in my opinnion with using a reference, they often contain those small details our mind won't be able to make up.

Just a small example, when I started out airbrushing I just couldn't do "out of focus parts". So I stubournly started to do references where there where large out of focus parts. By not just coppying them but actualy trying to determine how it came about I did come to the spot where I can with some confidence do out of focus stuff without rsorting to a reference.

 

[RebelAir]

If you only plan to paint models, don't stress on the drawing thing as shldnt be lot of need, but even the best drawer's often will draw by reference rather than memory and although I do believe what others mention about natural talent, I do strongly believe anyone can learn to do anything..They just have to want too..