Preparing To AirbrushIntroductionProper preparation before sitting down to airbrush saves many hours offrustration. Gather the materials you need to airbrush. Have the assortedequipment and consumables readily available and arrange time when you willhave the least interruptions.ThumbnailsThumbnail sketches are small images of how you expect the finished art tolook. Prepare preliminary thumbnail sketches to determine layout. Select anappropriate layout and create a comprehensive thumbnail sketch indicatingthe areas of light, dark, and color. Use a thumbnail sketch as you would amap, veering only slightly and when necessary. Do NOT attempt to makedecisions on shading and color as you air paint because corrections arealmost impossible once you begin spraying.PaintingsurfacesSelect a paper or substrate on which to paint.Substrates include masonite,metal, canvas, or fabric. Mount paper or substrates to a solid surface if youfeel the moisture of painting will warp the surface. The paper or substratemust be free of fingerprints, cuts, holes, glue, paints, or other imperfections.Any texture on the paper or substrate will show.Spraying on a texturedsurface at an angle other than 90° magnifies texture. For example,crumpling paper, then spraying at a low angle creates an affect resemblingmountain ranges.Figure 6-15 illustrates how crumpling paper and spraying at a low angleresembles mountain ranges.Figure 6-15.—Crumpled paper sprayed at an angle less than 90 degreesresembles mountain ranges.Continued on next page6-21
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