Hi all, this is my first time airbrushing a model. So far I think it’s going well but I am having trouble reaching all the small areas. Anyone have tips for this or do you touch up by brush?
Specifically having issues around this mantle
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FWIW, my approach is to lower my air pressure, close up the paint flow and get in close and tight. This may require thinning the paint more than usual to get a lower viscosity that will atomize with the lower air pressure.
You still need to put the paint down wet, too, but not runny or puddling, so that also usually requires that you slow down a bit since you’re not putting out a high volume of paint. Also, the paint spray area is smaller, so more passes are needed for the same coverage.
If your get puddles, runs or spidering, you’re putting out too much paint for the speed that you’re moving. Either speed up or reduce the paint flow.
Finally, you need to be aware of the shapes you’re air brushing around and try to keep over-spray past them to a minimum by not spraying past edges as much as possible and when you do, keep the air pressure and paint flow low.
An approach is to dial pressure and flow down and get in really close to spray the inside corners and along edges, then you can open things up with higher pressure and paint flow to fill in on the flat areas.
Keep in mind that pressure and flow still need to be adjusted to match the size of these flat areas, too, or you’ll just wind up blasting over-spray past the edges and into dead space areas where it will orange-peel on you.
Finally, one thing you can try to help you get closer is to remove the outer tip from your airbrush. This is the one that covers the exposed needle tip and paint tip, and which usually has a series of radial holes or perhaps a crown around its end. Not all airbrushes are designed with this as a separate part (ex, most Badger designs don’t have it), but if it is on you AB, you can spray without it. It might be called a needle cap, a needle crown tip, or an air tip.
This tip is mainly there to protect the needle and paint tips, and is not essential (or even really desirable) for painting. With it removed, though, you can get even closer to the surface. Of course, you do need to be careful with the delicate needle and paint tips when you do this, and not just when spraying, but also when handling the AB.
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Doesn’t help now but some preplanning before the build can help. Spraying of the base color before assembly can help with tight spots. You could have possible left the mantle and barrel off till after painting. Just something to think about with the next kit.
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Thanks for the help guys!
Yeah I realized that now lol. I did debate leaving it in three pieces to paint (lower hull, upper, and gun), should have went with my gut
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