Can I learn to airbrush?

[tbfoto]

For those of you that do airbrushing....were you talented at drawing before you learned how to paint? I would like to learn how to airbrush my RC bodies but...I really don't have any drawing talent. I'm not putting myself down, I'm just stating facts. Some people seem to have a natural nack for some things and I have never been one to just sit down and draw out fancy images. Painting is a skill all on its own but I don't want to spend good money buying an airbrush and air compressor only to prove what I already know...that I cant draw! Yes...I have found several places online that show you how to tips.....but?????

So my question here is....can someone (me) learn how to paint a RC body?
If I do decide on getting an airbrush should a beginner start with a simple cheap airbrush? Single action or duel? I have read on here and other places that everyone who buys a cheap airbrush will wish they didn't waste their money and ended up buying a real nice one instead. However that is ALOT of money. Im not nessesarly asking for airbrush brand recomendations here (there are alot of threads of that) just weather or not to jump in with one.

Thanks for any input anyone may have.

[hijacker]

Of course you can! I'm not that great at drawing either, but I've become pretty good with an airbrush.

I used a single action Paasche for years before I got a dual-action Iwata Revolution. Of course the Iwata is a better airbrush, and you can pick one up for about $90.

My only advice would be just jump in and start painting. Start with some simple flames, fade the colors, simple shadows etc. Don't be disappointed if the first few tries don't meet your expectations.

Practice on the inside of 2 liter bottles, or a scrap piece of lexan.

Go for it. And post the pics.

[davec-nitro-rs4]

Art skills help, but you can do just fine using ideas and examples found on line done by other guys.

If you seek to develop your own style, that may be taking longer.

Airbrush - Iwata Revolution CR - $65 from www.dixieart.com is the best deal bar none.

Practice and practice more is the only way to get better. Read about apinting at www.cfxpaintworks,com and other sites. Painting RC is tough because lexan is an unforgiving surface. You can't just sand down your errors and start over! After 50-60 bodies you'll see improvement.

Jump on in, the paintin' is fun!

[stanmondz]

i cant draw at all, and i paint my own bodies.i have a few in the paint comp this month, 2 of which are micro T, i will buy a pack of stickers i like , cut em out, tape them to the outside of the body,and trace em with my hobby knife.(gotta tape up the inside or liquid mask it up good first).
learning to trace with the knife is a skill that will get better as you go also

i use this air brush its cheap works pretty good and best of all, if you dont like painting, you can trash can it and your only out 13.00
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95810
a little 40 or 50 dollar compresser form pep boys will work,and a air compressor has endless uses.
2X on the cfx link, lots of tips,videos, and templents people make for everyone to use(i have several on that site to) heres my latest micro baja body
I HAVE NO ART SKILLS
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/stanmondz/DSC03844.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/stanmondz/DSC03842.jpg

[z-man280]

I can draw ALOT better than i can paint, but i still do it.


To me, the big thing here is having the ability to "see" your work done before you do it. Can you picture what it will look like in your head? If you can, it makes a huge difference in "seeing" what will become on your body. Study pictures,and you can see where they use different colors to get the effect they want.


Shadowing, ect. will come easier with an airbrush because of the ability to fade so much easier. I started out doing t-shirts,hats, ect... and my big practice was on old towels. Get a feel for how much paint and how much air it takes to do what you want, that is the biggest part. Getting comfortable with your airbrush and what it can and cant do will do so much for you.


most of all, just keep plugging away

Ron~



here is part of a wall i am doing for friends for their son,....the entire bedroom will eventually be done, but this gives you an idea...... sorry for pic quality, taken with cell phone



http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/z-man280/Stitch.jpg

[FESTER2004]

try cfxpaintworks.com,there are some how to paint video turiorals there or you can try youtube

also on rcuniverse,there is a multi part how to video by rgx blade

[caci623]

Go to an office suppy store....office max or staples and purchase a packet of 8 1/2 x 11 clear sheets, the type used to make over head presentations. then get a 18x 24 piece of foam board and some stick pins. Spray on these clear sheets and not the plastic pop bottles. spray say blue then back part of it with white, then part of it with black and try silver. now you can see if you've painted the blue thick enough. Or are you seeing light and / or dark spots etc. you'll see how a color changes depending upon what you put behind it. I went thru about 50 clear sheets to perfect my technique. You can use these samples as reference in the future
hope this helps
caci

[nitro syco]

I have found that artistic skillz have very little infulence on RC car painting, If you have skills you might find it easier to come up with a good design and choose better colors but the actual paining is very basic and anyone can pick up on it if they want,I have zero artistic skills but I am not the worst airbrusher

[davec-nitro-rs4]

Go to an office suppy store....office max or staples and purchase a packet of 8 1/2 x 11 clear sheets, the type used to make over head presentations. then get a 18x 24 piece of foam board and some stick pins. Spray on these clear sheets and not the plastic pop bottles. spray say blue then back part of it with white, then part of it with black and try silver. now you can see if you've painted the blue thick enough. Or are you seeing light and / or dark spots etc. you'll see how a color changes depending upon what you put behind it. I went thru about 50 clear sheets to perfect my technique. You can use these samples as reference in the future
hope this helps
caci

+1

Probably one of the best tips on productive practice I've heard EVER!

Keeping records of your trials and the results is also a superhandy thing to do, as long as you are an organized person and make them easy to find and refer to, so keep them in a binder.

[Tom Ross]

Go to an office suppy store....office max or staples and purchase a packet of 8 1/2 x 11 clear sheets, the type used to make over head presentations. then get a 18x 24 piece of foam board and some stick pins. Spray on these clear sheets and not the plastic pop bottles. spray say blue then back part of it with white, then part of it with black and try silver. now you can see if you've painted the blue thick enough. Or are you seeing light and / or dark spots etc. you'll see how a color changes depending upon what you put behind it. I went thru about 50 clear sheets to perfect my technique. You can use these samples as reference in the future
hope this helps
caci

+1

Awesome. I was dreading cutting up all those 2-liter bottles, much less finding them all and having to wash them out. Bleh. 8.5 x 11 transparencies definitely sound like the way to go.

I've been doing rattle can paint jobs for years now and I finally bought an airbrush. I can't draw to save my life but I'm not bad with the masking tape. ;) Now all I have to do is practice.

[caci623]

I also save them in a 3 ring binder. I use a fine point black magic marker and write notes on the front. Example say I sprayed candy red, then backed it with silver, then backed that with black. I'd note it on the front. Also blue painters tape pulls off easily from the transparences and the bodies as well.
caci

[tbfoto]

I want to thank everyone who has replied here. You have given me the insperation to go ahead and try it. I would like to maybe find a good used airbrush if possible just to help keep the costs down in order to get started. Since I don't have any of these tools I'll have to buy everything. Is buying used ok with airbrushes? It seems that everyone likes the Iwata Revolution CR. Do you use the same type of paint to practice with that you would use on your RC bodies?

Thanks everyone,
tbfoto

[davec-nitro-rs4]

Absolutely use the same paints you intend to use on the RC's. You results depend on learning how they spray and control with various thinning and air pressures from your compressor.

Practice the same way you intend to paint.

[dyslexic]

Absolutely use the same paints you intend to use on the RC's. You results depend on learning how they spray and control with various thinning and air pressures from your compressor.

Practice the same way you intend to paint.
+1 on that you don't have to start off with an Iwata to get good results, many painters agree that Iwata quality is worth the extra price but for many guys just starting off the initial cost of the whole thing is a big hurdle the cost of everything can easily spiral out of control.

An airbrush specific compressor is not required any shop compressor will do the job just fine, unless you like to paint late at night or just have crabby neighbors that complain about noise then an airbrush specific compressor may be what you need since they are generally quieter but again much more expensive.

Iwata, Badger, Passache, Parma F-1, are all good major brands that have varying price points for spraying most water base paints you'll want a .5mm needle generally speaking you can go smaller but that requiers more thinning why give your self the headache when your still getting used to the whole process.

Shop around their are several sites to compare prices and specs and you can always ask questions here if you have any.

[Tom Ross]

I also save them in a 3 ring binder. I use a fine point black magic marker and write notes on the front. Example say I sprayed candy red, then backed it with silver, then backed that with black. I'd note it on the front. Also blue painters tape pulls off easily from the transparences and the bodies as well.
caci


Keep them in a 3-ring binder - this just keeps getting better! I just bought a 100 pack of basic write-on transparencies at Staples for $20. Not a bad deal at all. Looks like I'm going to need to stock up on Createx.

You should definitely submit all this as a pit tip.

[Piggy89373]

The three ring binder is an excellent tip. (http://www.cfxpaintworks.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=27)

Want to learn how to do drop shadows? (http://www.cfxpaintworks.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=890)

Anyway, the bottom line is you don't have to be an artist to paint RC lids. I can draw a stick figure correctly 3 out of 10 times. The key is in the masking. There are some other tips out there that'll help you along. The other thing you need to read up on is basic color theory. If you google it, you'll come up with some great reading material that will go a long way.