never airbrushed before
- Thread starter dotharian
- Start date
JB Test
Just here for the donuts....
Hi dotharian, welcome to the forum, glad to have you aboard.
As to your question, there actually are a number of things it could be. To give an accurate answer without just guessing, we need to know some things.
What airbrush are you using.brand, type, name?
What paint are you using, Brand, type and name?
What reducer / thinner(s) are you using? At what ratio? Did you give it time to blend?
Did you mix the paint in the cup or a separate container? What did you clean that with?
What exactly did you clean the brush with after using black?
What are you painting on?
What did you use to clean it with before painting? ( if applicable. )
Is there any chance there could be oil from your compressor/ air line getting in your air supply?
I know, right? And that's just to narrow it down
As a total wild guess is it looks like something in the paint is causing it to separate.
What, how, why will come with the answers to the questions above.
If that's it at all.
Again, welcome aboard, we have a vast collection of people who know more than I ever will, we'll get you fixed up
As to your question, there actually are a number of things it could be. To give an accurate answer without just guessing, we need to know some things.
What airbrush are you using.brand, type, name?
What paint are you using, Brand, type and name?
What reducer / thinner(s) are you using? At what ratio? Did you give it time to blend?
Did you mix the paint in the cup or a separate container? What did you clean that with?
What exactly did you clean the brush with after using black?
What are you painting on?
What did you use to clean it with before painting? ( if applicable. )
Is there any chance there could be oil from your compressor/ air line getting in your air supply?
I know, right? And that's just to narrow it down
As a total wild guess is it looks like something in the paint is causing it to separate.
What, how, why will come with the answers to the questions above.
If that's it at all.
Again, welcome aboard, we have a vast collection of people who know more than I ever will, we'll get you fixed up
ok,, first off thanx for the reply,
i purchased the master airbrush kit from amazon since i am new, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GYHVDBS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
the paint is from it as well, master acrylic water based, the reducer is of the same brand as well, ratio, i have no idea (i know that is an issue i should have paid more attention), I don't know about giving it time to blend, probably not.
I mixed the paint in the gravity cup, i put a drop of thinner in, put I don't know 2-3 good squeezes of the paint, then 2-3 more drops of thinner, if it didn't look milky enough i added more thinner, this is where i think i messed up.
I was painting on a piece of printer paper
I used the airbrush cleaner that came with my kit, when i was done practicing, i took the needle out and cleaned the gun i think pretty well, and seeing how long the cleaner stayed in the gun, i wonder if i didn't let it dry good enough between the black and the blue.
oil in the line, i kind of doubt it, first time i used it, but its always possible it could have assembly oil in it still, that i don't know.
To wrap it up, i think your right about the separation, i think my cleaner may not have dried enough, but i don't know, could it be air pressure, I'm running 30psi under load.
If it is the cleaner, what can i do to prevent it in the future, just let it dry longer?
i purchased the master airbrush kit from amazon since i am new, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GYHVDBS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
the paint is from it as well, master acrylic water based, the reducer is of the same brand as well, ratio, i have no idea (i know that is an issue i should have paid more attention), I don't know about giving it time to blend, probably not.
I mixed the paint in the gravity cup, i put a drop of thinner in, put I don't know 2-3 good squeezes of the paint, then 2-3 more drops of thinner, if it didn't look milky enough i added more thinner, this is where i think i messed up.
I was painting on a piece of printer paper
I used the airbrush cleaner that came with my kit, when i was done practicing, i took the needle out and cleaned the gun i think pretty well, and seeing how long the cleaner stayed in the gun, i wonder if i didn't let it dry good enough between the black and the blue.
oil in the line, i kind of doubt it, first time i used it, but its always possible it could have assembly oil in it still, that i don't know.
To wrap it up, i think your right about the separation, i think my cleaner may not have dried enough, but i don't know, could it be air pressure, I'm running 30psi under load.
If it is the cleaner, what can i do to prevent it in the future, just let it dry longer?
JB Test
Just here for the donuts....
Everything is from the same manufacturer so that's a good thing.
As you already know, the process your using to mix the paint is problematic.
Are you in the USA? Cotton buds (QTips) work well when cleaning, but there banned in a lot of other places. Once I use one cleaning the brush nooks and crannies, I snip the ends off and use the plastic straw as a stir.
You also want to get those plastic dental cleaners that look like Christmas trees, all plastic, no metal. These are very useful.
As far as the cleaner goes, it should evaporate rather quickly. Use a soft towel, paper is ok if soft, to dry the cup, wipe a QTip around where the towel missed. If everything is assembled, with no paint or thinner in it, put some air through it, working the trigger as though you were painting, a couple of times and it will be dry and ready to go.
Keep a written log of your paint / reducer mix.
Measure in drops as you go, stir and let it blend a few minutes and then decide whether you need more of either.
Based on your reply, I'm thinking the paint wasn't mixed well enough and you got varied results because of it.
Try that, and I'm sure others with more experience / wisdom than I will be here soon enough.
As you already know, the process your using to mix the paint is problematic.
Are you in the USA? Cotton buds (QTips) work well when cleaning, but there banned in a lot of other places. Once I use one cleaning the brush nooks and crannies, I snip the ends off and use the plastic straw as a stir.
You also want to get those plastic dental cleaners that look like Christmas trees, all plastic, no metal. These are very useful.
As far as the cleaner goes, it should evaporate rather quickly. Use a soft towel, paper is ok if soft, to dry the cup, wipe a QTip around where the towel missed. If everything is assembled, with no paint or thinner in it, put some air through it, working the trigger as though you were painting, a couple of times and it will be dry and ready to go.
Keep a written log of your paint / reducer mix.
Measure in drops as you go, stir and let it blend a few minutes and then decide whether you need more of either.
Based on your reply, I'm thinking the paint wasn't mixed well enough and you got varied results because of it.
Try that, and I'm sure others with more experience / wisdom than I will be here soon enough.
RK Ink and Focus
Mac-Valve Maestro!
I would agree with you JB, looking at the difference in the shades of blue/transparency of the blue and where the speckles are I think it could be the thinner coming through neat.
I don't usually mix in the airbrush cup, I usually mix on a paint mixing tray for small amounts or a jar for larger amounts then use a pipette to transfer to my airbrush.
I don't usually mix in the airbrush cup, I usually mix on a paint mixing tray for small amounts or a jar for larger amounts then use a pipette to transfer to my airbrush.
RK Ink and Focus
Mac-Valve Maestro!
Which end of the picture did you spray first?
lisaamalia
Gravity Guru
As for myself I mix on the actual cup, but it can be unpredictable, and the colors mix may not always be consistent. I wonder if the paper texture has also something to do with the way the paint is reacting?
i wasnt painting a picture, i was just sweeping left and right, just trying to learn the trigger better, when i sprayed the black (before running cleaner through the gun, although it may not have been perfect, it didnt speckle. so i can understand some more about thinning, the way i take it is lets say for 1:1 if i use 6 drops of paint i would want 6 drops of thinner is that right?
The x:x ratio can differ between users. Some put paint first, others put reducer first
i always write it as 40:60 paint:reducer so there is no confusion.
most recommendations when first starting out are either 1:1 or 50:50 (same thing just written differently) and adjusting your psi until its atomising well. Which will also differ between paint brands and individual studio climates
Ttxela
Mac-Valve Maestro!
Looks like water to me, I've had similar when I forgot to empty the seperator on my compressor.
I've never really followed any particular mixing ratio, I usually mix in the cup of the brush but am finding if I mix seperately I get less issues. I use waaay more thinner than a 60:40 mix but I'm using mainly Createx Wicked and I feel their paint is thicker than other makes perhaps?
I've never really followed any particular mixing ratio, I usually mix in the cup of the brush but am finding if I mix seperately I get less issues. I use waaay more thinner than a 60:40 mix but I'm using mainly Createx Wicked and I feel their paint is thicker than other makes perhaps?
