Airbrush PigmentsIntroductionPigmentsNot all paints are suitable for airbrush application. Knowing what paintsyour airbrush can handle will extend the useful life of the equipment.Referto the manufacturer’s instructions for the type of pigments your airbrush isdesigned to use.Pigments for the airbrush are liquids such as watercolors, retouch greys,inks, dyes, and oil colors. Pigments must be finely ground, thoroughlymixed, and free of lumps or impurities. Make it a practice to routinely strainpigments through a nylon stocking or fine mesh screen before using.Normally, standard airbrushes cannot handle lacquers or enamels. There arespecial airbrushes for lacquers or enamels that can withstand the deleteriouseffects of caustic solvents.PigmentviscosityPigment viscosity refers to how thick or thin the mixture of pigment andsolvent or vehicle in the color cup is mixed. If paint is too thick, it will notatomize and spray from the nozzle; therefore, add thinners to the paint. Ifpaint is too thin, it will not cover properly and will run very quickly.Overlythinned paint may also dry too rapidly. Judging paint correctly requirespractice and patience.Solvents forpigmentsSolvents thin or dilute the consistency of pigment. Water-based paints, inks,dyes, and retouch greys require water for thinning or clean-up. Oil-basedpigments require solvents for dilution or clean-up. Make sure you match thepigment to the solvent or the pigment will curdle and may permanently ruinthe airbrush.MixingpigmentsWhen preparing pigments for airbrushing, mix enough pigment to cover anentire area. If the paint is a custom-mixed color, the likelihood of preparinga second-batch, exact match is slim. Also, stopping in the middle of an airpainting session is an inconvenient time to stop to remix color.Pigment stainColors with chemically composed pigmentation have strong residual colorsthat may stain other colors. Pigment dried or encrusted in the color cup orbottle may redissolve when saturated with another color of the same solventbase and bleed into the other color.6-20
Integrated Publishing, Inc. - A (SDVOSB) Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business
