If you have seen any pictures before that where done with an airbrush, you no doubt wondered how it was possible to create such beautiful artwork. Some artists focus their skills on designing t-shirts and that is where a lot of people first see this art form. When you see someone painting with airbrushes, it is very easy to come away with the idea that it is an easy thing to do. However, that is not the case.

The first thing that you need to have if you want to learn this art form is to have the desire to get started. You will also need to have the willingness to stick with it through the learning curve because it is likely that your first efforts would not look very good. However, if you get some good basic training, and make a commitment to continue practicing, your skills will improve. There are several tools that are required if you want to get started in the world of airbrushing. The basic supplies that you will need to obtain include an airbrush, paper towels, paint (or ink) and some kind of pressurized air source that includes a pressure gauge. You will have the best results if you do not actually try to paint something when you first get started. Actually, if you try to paint right away, you will likely get discouraged and quit. It is a better idea to focus your first to start out by just working on getting the feel of the airbrush.

It sounds silly, but you even need to practice starting and stopping the air flow. The thing you will need to practice is not using the start and stop function; it is what you do with the brush while you are turning on and off the air flow. If you do not do it correctly, your final painting would not have the flow that is a hallmark of airbrush painting. Some people recommend that you begin by using water and food coloring to start your initial practice sessions. You can also practice painting on paper towels while you are learning the skills. Once you get better you can decide what you want to paint on.

Another thing that you should seriously consider when you are an airbrush newbie is starting with the typical drills that you will find in the book that came with your airbrush. This is one of the things that many people decide to skip, but you will pay for it if you do. Without question, the best way to get through the learning curve the fastest way possible is to invest a great deal of time in these drills.

If it helps to keep you motivated to spend time practicing these drills, you do not have to think about them as drills. Yes, you are doing these things over and over and over until your skills improve. However, the specific drills that you need to practice are also some of the exact same strokes that you will use when you are painting “for real”.

Author Bio: Penny Lane usually buys her children’s airbrushes online.

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: airbrushes