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What is an EMU?
Posted in: Model Railway, Rolling stock
24th July 2021
EMU stands for Electric Multiple Unit and is a type of passenger train where most or all of the carriages has its own...
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Where on my layout would I use a turntable?
Posted in: Model Railway
23rd April 2023
A turntable is a device that enables locomotives and/or rolling stock to change direction or orientation. It consists...
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What is the steepest gradient I can use on my model railway layout?
Posted in: Model Railway, Design and Planning, Best practices
7th April 2020
Gradient, is often displayed using a height measurement followed a distance measurement. For example, a 1 in 100...
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How much track is too much track on a layout?
Posted in: Tracks
2nd March 2022
When deciding what and how of much something to put on your model railway layout, we must insist that you adhere to...
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How do I cut flexible track?
Posted in: Design and Planning, Tracks, Best practices
5th July 2019
Once upon a time I would have said a newly bladed junior hacksaw and some warding files, but these days I would have...
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What is involved in using an airbrush?

For somebody who has never used an airbrush before, the process involved when painting with one may not seem immediately obvious. So here are a few tips to give you an idea of what's involved.

Once you have decided that airbrushing is for you and bought a machine, you will be faced with a few choices like what paint to buy, what sized nozzle to use and if fitted with a regulator, what pressure to select? but don't worry, these are all questions that only more advanced airbrush users need to be concerned with.

For a beginner venturing into the world of airbrushing, it's best to start with a spot of general painting. For this, a 0.3mm nozzle is the standard and a pressure of around 15psi is all you need. The important choice you will have to make is regarding which paint to use. Until you have a little experience, always use a paint specifically designed to be used with an airbrush as these will not require thinning.

When you are ready to start painting, place just a few drops of paint into the reservoir of your airbrush as paint goes a surprisingly long way when used in these machines. You should always practice on a piece of card before tackling a model as this will teach you a lot about how your airbrush operates and is something even accomplished airbrush users do every time before painting to check their paint's mix is correct.

A good distance to hold the brush's nozzle away from the surface to be painted is around 3 to 4 inches. Moving the nozzle closer will create thinner lines and further away more of a blanket mist for when you want really thin coats or a wash. Try to move the airbrush evenly from left to right keeping the momentum going to avoid paint build-ups. Don't worry if the paint looks a little thin in places, you can always apply a second coat but it's best to let the original layer dry a little first to avoid drips or runs forming.

When you have finished painting, your airbrush reservoir and nozzle will need cleaning. This is a must because dried on paint will affect the airbrush's performance. Acrylic paint can be thoroughly cleaned away using plain water, but enamels will require a special airbrush cleaning liquid so always make sure you have some in before you start painting.

And that's all there is to basic airbrushing, most of what you will master will only come through experimentation and practice, but for early attempts, there is not a lot to be afraid of so why not give it a go!

Posted in: Painting

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