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AIRBRUSHING INFORMATION GUIDE FOR NEW ARTISTS TO THE MEDIUM
While reading the Facebook pages, forums and social media posts about airbrushing, I come across many of the same questions asked constantly like “What airbrush should I buy?”, “What mediums should I use?”, “What compressor should I get?”. These questions are often answered by people who, themselves, don’t know how to provide an adequate explanation or a ‘herd mentality’ providing inferior advice ie “buy Iwata”, “don’t buy Badger”, etc. Ever since airbrushing has been largely relegated to a fine art or an automotive detail specialty by computer applications, a lot of the information pool on airbrushing has quietly disappeared. Along with it, new airbrushers are at a deficiency as to where to turn for good information on the subject. The good news is that there are a lot of good publications still available on the subject, if you’re willing to spend a little time looking for them. Many of these books were written in the 1980s and 1990s but still remain very relevant. And the good news is that you can acquire copies of them in very good condition on Amazon for under $10, shipping included. I present these titles for you so you can acquire them for your own library (and you should have a library!).
HANDBOOKS AND MANUALS
Owen, Peter., Sutcliffe, John. Airbrush Maintenance. Outline Press Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-56970-500-3. I received this book for free when I ordered my Iwata Custom Microns from Artgrafix back in 1993 (for $199 each!). It’s pocket sized and a really good reference dedicated to maintenance and troubleshooting all types airbrushes.
Shanteau, Pamela. Ultimate Airbrush Handbook. New York: Watson Guptil Publications, A division or Random House, Inc., 2002. ISBN 0-8230-5574-4.
An excellent handbook which covers a wide range of airbrush applications, not just fine art or illustration.
Vero, Radu. Airbrush: The Complete Studio Handbook. New York: Watson Guptil Publications, London: Columbus Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86287-303-7
Very detailed and technical, and definitely oriented toward old school illustrators and photo retouchers, it nonetheless is a wealth of information on the subject.
Owen, Peter., Rollason, Jane. The Complete Manual of Airbrushing. London: Dorling Kinsley Limited, 1988. ISBN 0-394-56852-4.
Nice sourcebook as well. In addition to information, maintenance, and troubleshooting, it provides a lot of basic exercises and step-by-step projects.
Parramón, José., Ferrón, Miquel. The Big Book of Airbrush Basic Techniques and Materials. New York: Watson Guptil Publications, 1990. ISBN 0-8230-0164-4.
Ferrón, Miquel. Airbrush Painting. New York: Watson Guptil Publications, 1989. ISBN 0-8230-0168-7
OTHER MANUALS
Duckett, Graham, Creative Airbrushing a step by step guide to techniques, skills and equipment. New York: Collier Books, a Macmillian Publishing Company, 1985. ISBN 0-02-011260-2
Maurello, S. Ralph. The Complete Airbrush Book. New York: Leon Amiel Publisher, Inc., 1980. ISBN 0-8148-0755-0
Siegel, Peter. The Complete Airbrush Book. New Jersey: Leon Amiel Publisher, 1986. ISBN 0-8148-0734-8
Howard, Rob., The Illustrator’s Bible. The Complete Sourcebook of Tips, Tricks, and Time-Saving Techniques in Oil, Alkyd, Acrylic, Gouache, Casin, Watercolor, Dyes, Inks, Airbrush, Scratchboard, Pastel, Colored Pencil, and Mixed Media. New York: Watson-Guptil Publications, a division of VNU Business Media, Inc., 1992.
An excellent reference, not just for airbrush but for studio equipment, drawing transfer, medium capabilities and disadvantages, etc.
Miller, David., Effler, James M. Dynamic Airbrush. Cincinnati: North Light Books, 1987. ISBN 0-89134-190-0
Really good book that can serve as a springboard for project ideas of your own. Contains 15 or so professional airbrush illustration projects done by their studio for clients. A really great feature of this book is that it goes into the detail planning for the execution of a project critical to airbrushing.
REFERENCE SOURCES
Airbrush Action Magazine and Volumes. If you can buy old issues off Amazon and Ebay, do so. The volumes are a goldmine of good project ideas.
While reading the Facebook pages, forums and social media posts about airbrushing, I come across many of the same questions asked constantly like “What airbrush should I buy?”, “What mediums should I use?”, “What compressor should I get?”. These questions are often answered by people who, themselves, don’t know how to provide an adequate explanation or a ‘herd mentality’ providing inferior advice ie “buy Iwata”, “don’t buy Badger”, etc. Ever since airbrushing has been largely relegated to a fine art or an automotive detail specialty by computer applications, a lot of the information pool on airbrushing has quietly disappeared. Along with it, new airbrushers are at a deficiency as to where to turn for good information on the subject. The good news is that there are a lot of good publications still available on the subject, if you’re willing to spend a little time looking for them. Many of these books were written in the 1980s and 1990s but still remain very relevant. And the good news is that you can acquire copies of them in very good condition on Amazon for under $10, shipping included. I present these titles for you so you can acquire them for your own library (and you should have a library!).
HANDBOOKS AND MANUALS
Owen, Peter., Sutcliffe, John. Airbrush Maintenance. Outline Press Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-56970-500-3. I received this book for free when I ordered my Iwata Custom Microns from Artgrafix back in 1993 (for $199 each!). It’s pocket sized and a really good reference dedicated to maintenance and troubleshooting all types airbrushes.
Shanteau, Pamela. Ultimate Airbrush Handbook. New York: Watson Guptil Publications, A division or Random House, Inc., 2002. ISBN 0-8230-5574-4.
An excellent handbook which covers a wide range of airbrush applications, not just fine art or illustration.
Vero, Radu. Airbrush: The Complete Studio Handbook. New York: Watson Guptil Publications, London: Columbus Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86287-303-7
Very detailed and technical, and definitely oriented toward old school illustrators and photo retouchers, it nonetheless is a wealth of information on the subject.
Owen, Peter., Rollason, Jane. The Complete Manual of Airbrushing. London: Dorling Kinsley Limited, 1988. ISBN 0-394-56852-4.
Nice sourcebook as well. In addition to information, maintenance, and troubleshooting, it provides a lot of basic exercises and step-by-step projects.
Parramón, José., Ferrón, Miquel. The Big Book of Airbrush Basic Techniques and Materials. New York: Watson Guptil Publications, 1990. ISBN 0-8230-0164-4.
Ferrón, Miquel. Airbrush Painting. New York: Watson Guptil Publications, 1989. ISBN 0-8230-0168-7
OTHER MANUALS
Duckett, Graham, Creative Airbrushing a step by step guide to techniques, skills and equipment. New York: Collier Books, a Macmillian Publishing Company, 1985. ISBN 0-02-011260-2
Maurello, S. Ralph. The Complete Airbrush Book. New York: Leon Amiel Publisher, Inc., 1980. ISBN 0-8148-0755-0
Siegel, Peter. The Complete Airbrush Book. New Jersey: Leon Amiel Publisher, 1986. ISBN 0-8148-0734-8
Howard, Rob., The Illustrator’s Bible. The Complete Sourcebook of Tips, Tricks, and Time-Saving Techniques in Oil, Alkyd, Acrylic, Gouache, Casin, Watercolor, Dyes, Inks, Airbrush, Scratchboard, Pastel, Colored Pencil, and Mixed Media. New York: Watson-Guptil Publications, a division of VNU Business Media, Inc., 1992.
An excellent reference, not just for airbrush but for studio equipment, drawing transfer, medium capabilities and disadvantages, etc.
Miller, David., Effler, James M. Dynamic Airbrush. Cincinnati: North Light Books, 1987. ISBN 0-89134-190-0
Really good book that can serve as a springboard for project ideas of your own. Contains 15 or so professional airbrush illustration projects done by their studio for clients. A really great feature of this book is that it goes into the detail planning for the execution of a project critical to airbrushing.
REFERENCE SOURCES
Airbrush Action Magazine and Volumes. If you can buy old issues off Amazon and Ebay, do so. The volumes are a goldmine of good project ideas.
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