Equipment

The first question is, of course, what type of airbrush to get, and what other tools do you need?

The Airbrush

There are several different makes of airbrush, and each make has a number of different models. However, they can all be put into one of two categories.

First, there is the Single-Action airbrush. This is an airbrush that has a single control button. As you press the button both paint and air are released. This is a simpler tool, and generally less expensive.

The other option is the Dual-Action airbrush. This has a control button that has two controls. You push the button down and air comes out. As you pull back on the button, paint is mixed with the air. The more you pull back, the more paint comes out. These tend to be more expensive, but allow greater control over the final work.

Other airbrush features include how the paint is fed into the brush (gravity or vacumn feed), where the paint is mixed with the air (internal or external), what size needle it takes, and how easy it might be to disassemble for cleaning.

My airbrush is a Badger 150. It's a dual-action that came with three different sized needles (fine, medium, and spray-everything-in-the-room). It is an internal mix (which is suposed to offer more control, but I never used an external mix, so I have nothing to compare it too.

The Air Source

Ok, so you have an airbrush, you need air. There's two options here. The cheap solution is to buy a can of compressed air. I don't recommend this though. As you use the air, the remaining air is less compressed. This means that as you work, your air stream won't be consistent. But, if you're short on funds, this can get you going with a smaller investment.

The other option is an air compressor. You can get a small hobby air compressor at most hobby stores. Mine is made by Model Master. The advantages here are that you get unlimited air at a constant rate. But, for airbrushing, you're going to want another accessory that goes on your compressor, that's a mositure trap/pressure regulator. It's a capsule that attaches right to the output of the compressor and does two useful things.

First, it gives you control over the air pressure. I tend to operate my airbrush at about 30PSI, different people go more or less - experiment to find out what you like. Second, it traps any moisture that may have built up, and stops it from shooting a bead of water out of the end of your brush, which is the sort of thing that can ruin a job. This is very important in humid environments, as the more moisture there is in the air, the more will be compressed.

Other Equipment

Technically, an airbrush and an air source are all you need, but there are several other items that are invaluable. First, is a screen of some sort. I use a cardboard box. If you use more toxic paints, you may want a screen with a built in exhaust fan to clear out the fumes. You'll need some tools for cleaning the brush (Q-Tips, a cloth) and for moving paint and water around (I use a medicine dropper that the pharmicist at a walgreens gave me for free).

There are also tools that are used while working. Most of these fall into the category of masking agents. There are various tapes and putties on the market that you apply to the surface that you're working on and then spray over. It's kind of self explanatory.

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