Back to basics with airbrushing

Some days ago, I bought a new airbrush from Harder en Steenbeck at Airbrush Services Almere. Because of the fact I got so much trouble with airbrushing. I first thought the spray guns I got were causing the problems. But, it has turned out that I was probably causing the trouble. And I wasn’t even knowing this. So I now have decided to get back to the very beginning of learning again how to airbrush the proper way. Fixing any mistakes, missing knowledge or skills and fixing other things. To master the skill of airbrushing the proper and solid way.
My question is this, do you have any recommendations for sources online that I can use to learn everything the right way? YouTube video’s or websites? I’m also wanting to point out I most like a step by step approach. For example, in the first step of learning you learn, how to connect your airbrush with all the stuff you need. Get proper explanation on how things work, why not do this but do this instead etc.
I’m planning on beginning with this 28 August 2021. So please help me out to avtually get started.
I’m thanking you for your help in advance, much appreciated.

This could help:

It is part of a small series, and despite focused on figures, so the most useful are the one above and this one:

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PAINT

The main thing your going to have to learn is all the mixing ratios of paint to thinner to PSI for all the paint brands you are going to use.Some brands like Vallejo spray best with their own thinner + Flow Improver.
Tamiya paint,are you going to use their acrylic thinner or their Lacquer thinner both work well.With so many paints available,before you start to use one,refer to their website for usage.Mission Model and AK Real are real easy to learn.

It’s all about learning about the paint that you plan to use

And keeping your brush CLEAN

I don’t know where you live in NL, but this might be worth considering:

https://www.modelbouwenzo.nl/epages/80239986.sf/nl_NL/?ObjectPath=/Shops/80239986/Categories/Airbrush_kennismakingscursus

Check out this Black Basing Technique on what to achieve with control…and its just the best way to paint your armor builds.

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My recommendation is to buy the cheapest kit you can find. Think Tamiya Stug iv, slap it together and practice on that. I have an old panzer III that probably has 25 layers of paint. It’s my paint test bed.

Practicing on sheet styrene is okay but it won’t give you the practice of painting around contours and sharing panel lines/ pre shading

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Thank you, I will plan to watch them.

Thanks for the tip, but it isn’t really what I had in mind. First I will need to get complete control over my airbrush. And there is probably a lot more I need to know before actually going to try out different types of paint.

I think his tip is well placed. You’re best off practicing with whatever paint you anticipate you’ll use the most, they all behave differently and require slightly different techniques

Well,if the paint isn’t thinned correctly or sprayed at the right PSI your not going to get control over your brush or if it’s not cleaned properly.It all goes hand in hand

But hey, enjoy

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I agree with @Tojo72. The right paint mix and a clean airbrush are half the battle.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=model+airbrushing+for+beginners

Lots of choices.

Yeah, that is what I thought so. Most of this comes down to finding stuff online myself. I just thought that someone would have a sort of special site with step by step to help me out. But not really now I see it. Thanks for replying anyway.

What is it you are trying to learn? Some very basic things like how an airbrush works and basic technique can be learned through videos, the rest really requires practicing

Okay, what I’m thinking is that I’m missing crucial knowledge to work with airbrush. For example, I just didn’t know about always going back to air when stopping paint flow.
And I didn’t work with layers, like the lady in the store told. You never want to spray in one layer covering everything at once.
That was something I wasn’t aware of.
That sort of thing I want to know and learn.

Since you bought it at airbrush Almere, why not ask Eric (the owner) for advice? He is always very helpful and even taught me exactly some of the things you mentioned. They even have a workshop for beginners, just look for it on their website.
Good luck!

Interesting, however I don’t have the option to constantly keep driving to Almere. And I currently also don’t have much money to spend. I have looked at their website and you are right. But I don’t think that is a possibility for me.

Those are good things to learn through videos. More advanced stuff I would just practice till you get comfortable. For me the learning curve wasn’t that steep. I think I’ve gotten much better over jsut a couple models, but this requires practicing on actual kits and not just sheet styrene

As an additional source, try Model Paint Solutions - Harder & Steenbeck Reseller
John is very knowledgeable and has some very good articles on his website pertaining to airbrushes and the materials we spray though them. He is also very accessible: email a question and he will send back an answer in short order.
Reading the articles he has posted on his site has helped me considerably.

That’s why I posted the link to the other airbrush course at MBE in Hoorn, you can go there by train, it is a 3-4 hours course on 1 day, a 5 minute walk from the trainstation… explaining the basics of airbrushing…