Thread: airbrush and acrylic

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Hey all,

I was wondering if any of you have used acrylic paint with an airbrush? I have heard you can just apply warm water to dilute enough for use in the airbrush. Any experience with this?

I use mostly acrylics. You can purchase airbrush ready paints at any Michaels or AC Moore in many colors. If you want to thin acrylics you already have, don't use water, the paint will lose it's adheasion by the time you get it thin enough. Use Airbrush Medium, also available most places acrylics are sold. Water is ok for quick cleaning between colors but use a good quality airbrush cleaner to properly clean your equipment before storage.

Great! I think I will try out one of those mediums. Already have a descent investment in acrylics that I would hate to go out and buy a whole separate set of paints just for this portion of the prop making process.

Good advice Spookier I'm glad there is another AirBrush fiend outhere in the Haunted World LOL

Here's another! I airbrush extensively on my small scale movie monster figures, but tend to use brushwork on my larger halloween props, using mainly shading and drybrushing techniques which I find better given the lighting and conditions they are to be viewed under.

Again, I will second (or third?) the advice from spookier on this one. If you just thin Acrylics with water the paint will lose adhesion and you'll just end up with a runny mess.

i just got started with my airbrush and still dont know much about setting up properly.

i bought createx opaque colors. looks like the non-acrylic kind. do these need to be thinned? i saw info on another website that said distilled water is ok for createx but i would rather take advice from people with experience.

just for later reference, what brand of paint and mediums do you guys use?

I use createx paints for my airbrush and as long as your PSI is high then you should be fine. I honestly do not know what my PSI is set at on my compressor but i want to say 45 PSI. I don't thin my paint at all and it comes out just fine.

If you are trying to airbrush and no paint is coming out try slowly raising the psi. If not you can slowly add reducer to the paint. I have done both but i find it easier to use a higher PSI.

I also use a Pasche dual action lever and i do a lot of small detail airbrushing (Taxidermy).

cool thanks for the info. still curious about what colors everyone else uses too.

...but i have another question too. i dont exactly have money to buy a compressor, and the little 9 oz. bottles of propellent are a little pricey as well. i heard on the internet that it possible to use CO2 bottles as propellant. i used to paintball pretty extensively so i have quite a few tanks laying around, and refills are only about $3 for a 20 oz. tank. has anyone heard of this and if so, does it harm the airbrush or gunk it up in any way?

Another airbrusher here, I do custom auto airbrush & use Createx AutoAir.
I starting using it for my halloween stuff & latex creatures.It is a lot better as it has a better adhere to non porous ,
reg createx was designed more for porous (T shirts,etc) You can add a LITTLE purified water if in a pinch,but sparringly.
filtering your paints is best especially with acrylics.Using proper reducers are best.AutoAir now has speed reducers in 3 types pending your temp.
Even though they come pre thinned & the co's are trying to supply it that way, most airbrushers have they're own preferences to they're mixtures as the play.
Problems with Co2 is after awhile you need to let things "defrost". I would save up for a small compressor.check your local auto parts store for $60. ,
they can have cheap little ones (not for tires) that will work,they just will kick on a lot more often.
& like spookineer said,clean that AB, nothing worse than trying to clean an airbrush with dried acrylics !!! Nightmare

Originally Posted by UknowMyname

i just got started with my airbrush and still dont know much about setting up properly.

i bought createx opaque colors. looks like the non-acrylic kind. do these need to be thinned? i saw info on another website that said distilled water is ok for createx but i would rather take advice from people with experience.

just for later reference, what brand of paint and mediums do you guys use?

All createx & AutoAir are acrylic. Also thinning depends on the needle & orfice size of the gun you are using.
Thinning alot is for super tight,hairline details at very low preassure (best used with gravity type AB)
I use Iwatia AB's & my micron AB i sometimes reduce 75 percent & spray at 4 - 5 & less psi barely an 1/8th away from the item.