About Airbrushes
Your quest for airbrush excellence begins here.
Learning about airbrushes and their varieties does not have to be confusing or vexing. There are two kinds of airbrushes on the market. Watch the brief video on airbrushes. This video does not cover everything but in my experience it is all you really need to know about airbrushes. Anything else is a matter of preference.
There are what are called siphon feed airbrushes that use color bottles, but I look at this as just one more thing to clean, break lose etc.
Once you have viewed the movie about airbrushes then be sure and go on to the next step, airbrush cleaning. Because unless you know how to clean your airbrush, purchasing a top of line model will do you no good since it will be constantly malfunctioning. This is a vital part of learning about airbrushes.
Go With Double Action!
Airbrushes don't have to be intimidating. There are really only a few things to know when making your choice. First you should know that the best ones on the market are what are called double action internal mix. For the hobbyist and cake decorator there are single action external mix.
As a professional, I use only double action. They give me the ability to paint really fine detail at close range and that is very very important. A double action airbrush is called so because it requires two actions to make it operate. The first is pressing down on the trigger for air and the second is pulling back on the pressed trigger for paint.
It doesn't really matter what you are wanting to paint, a double action is the way to go. I do also have my favorite brand which is Iwata. I highly recommend Iwata airbrushes above all others. It's just simply amazing what can be done with them. However, they are pricey. But good news. There are alternatives that are very inexpensive and perform arguably as well. TCP Global sells the Master Series Airbrushes for the artist on a budget!
Gravity Feed or Siphon Feed?
As far as your choice of gravity feed or siphon feed, there really isn't a difference in quality or performance between the two. Generally speaking, color changes are easier with siphon feed models because they employ interchangable color bottles. I personally could use either kind and get the same results. It's really just a matter of preference.
Learn all about airbrushes here!
