The Much Maligned Airbrush

[Eldanesh]

I just wanted to get some input here and start a discussion on the use of an airbrsush in painting miniatures. Those of you who know my pieces already know I make extensive use of small single action guns on my vehicles and I also use them for certain fades on diferent parts of my character models too. My question is, why is it I\'m docked points for using an airbrush? I\'ve had it go so far as to have some vehicles entirely disqualified in a couple of local contests because I used an airbrush, but took first place in others with the same models. I recently took a first place and best of show with my Void Dragon Pheonix Bomber at a show I had been disqualified from the year before and had the 2 of the judges tell me they were glad I had given up on the airbrush. The ironic thing was that I had actually used a small gun on the model in the preliminary stages while fading up a black to red undercoat to paint the pattern work over - I just hid it really well. I also get the \'oh, he used an airbursh\' comment on my responses here as well, like it\'s some sort of handicap.

Why is this cheating? I see my airbrushes as a tool like anything else and I don\'t see why I should be marked down for using an airbrush anymore than someone using techincal pens to do blacklining or an acrylic blending medium to improve gradations in highlighting. Hell, even Jen Haley uses Micron pens for doing tattoos on her figures. It\'s a quick method for turing out goodlooking pieces, I like the blends the tool yeilds and everyone\'s comments are about how great the effect is until someone mentions the word \'airbrush\'.

 

[GunjiNoKanrei]

Hmm, I have never used an airbrush myself (because I don\'t have one). But I think there is nothing wrong with using one. I can\'t imagine that using an airbrush automaticaly results in better miniatures. It is a tool, like a brush, you have to master before getting decent results.

 

[Sand Rat]

Oh no, Not an Airbrush

Use one myself on 54mm and larger vehicles - dont really see what the problem is here - if you want to get technical its the only way to accurately paint aircraft and vehicles to get the effect that one would find on the original. I\'ve even used one when base coating large numbers of troops the same color (15mm American Civil war comes to mind) - it speeds up the process. To my mind there is no problem with using one - discount the comments as jealousy over not having one.

 

[wightzombie]

i dont see how its remotely bad

airbrushes are a pain to use, and require extensive extra training on top of brushes, i dont see what the deal is, cept that MAYBE GW holds that you arent good unless your basic you know? maybe its the old school frowning on the new? i cant freehand paint nearly at all but i can paint really well on computer so i made several great looking banners on computer, printed them out and shaded and weathered them and my firends love them to the point that ive sent them custom designs via email or printed them for them locally. i think if i ever tried this in a contest, theyd see it wasnt paint up close and poop on it. maybe its quirks, maybe its unwritten rules, maybe its just the way things are till they change. either way, if you forge ahead and let them catch up, if your the one that breaks the latest trend, let them stifle off in thier ways.

 

[GoatsDen]

I wasn\'t aware this was even an issue, how sad. Sounds like fear of the unknown to me, they don\'t know how to do it therefore they claim it must be bad. It\'s much easier then learning a new skill.

 

[Thri-Keen Priest]

Airbrushes

Hey, what\'s the problem with airbrushes? I\'d use mine for miniatures if I still had a compressor. Maybe I\'ll get another one soon. I mean really, what does it matter how you get there? Those Luddite judges could really stand to open their minds a bit.

I use a dremel when prepping my models. Is that cheating? Perhaps we should disqualify people for taking advantage of high-tech tools? How about we offer bonus points to people using only cheap plastic brushes and Testor\'s enamels?

TKP

 

[vincegamer]

Educate me.

I\'ve never used an airbrush and in fact have never seen one used.
My impression is that in the hands of a skilled user it makes blending/color transition easier and smoother. However since I believe it involves spraying paint at high speeds I see a great potential for screwing up worse than with brushes. Therefore the effort to become a skilled user may be more.
Perhaps you are being disqualified because using an airbrush takes a different set of skills than using a sable brush and the competition is supposed to be between different levels of the same skill set.
That said, you should not be disqualified unless the rules announced ahead of time clearly state what materials and methods may be used.

 

[GunjiNoKanrei]

Something I forgot with my first post: Your minis look awesome.

Like some people already said it certainly takes a lot of skill to use an airbrush effectively. It is just a different way to paint miniatures and is NO cheating. Otherwise like TKP stated a lot of other things would be cheating too. Miniature painting is not about using the most minimalistic tools available (hmm, on the other hand maybe I should try finger-painting ).

 

[Errex]

Well...

If judges are going to ban airbrushed models, they should disqualify also anything with a transfer on it. Oh, I forgot, GW DOES sell the aforementioned transfers. Maybe they should come up with an official GW airbrush too?.

I DO envy people who uses airbrushes well. In fact, I\'m seriously considering getting one. What would be the best choice for a newbie?

 

[Eldanesh]

GUNJI: Thanks for the props.

ERREX: Start with a single action Pasche \'H\' or \'F\' series to learn and start on vehicles. These guns are pretty basic and wont run you more than $35. It\'s the compressor that cost the bucks since it\'s better to go with the high pressure. I have an 8 gallon Sears compressor and they run about $150-$200, but I use mine professionally in my illustration. You could get a 4 or 6 gallon for under $100. The learning curve isn\'t as steep as you\'d think. I use mine mostly for illustration, but I learned most of my model skills through Fine Scale Modeler magazine and basic trial and error. Blending takes practice, but solid sprays go on thinner and much more evenly than brushes, plus it takes less time for good coverage. Needless to say IG players can get awesome camouflage patterns with a minimum of effort. Also solids work great when you\'ve got a hundred Termagants or Gretchin to gang paint and are sick of the Citadel aerosols going on too thick and gummy.

 

[Garyo]

Airbrush the magic paint wand!

Having been airbrushing for some time now and met the resistance I understand your pain. I think many assume by the speed and effortless appearance that painting with an airbrush has. That the user is somehow cheating or lacks the skill that a traditional painter has. The reality of using an airbrush is that you need the same tradional skills as well as some new ones. Those being machanically adept, and planing out your painting before the first hiss of the brush. Knowing all that I put into airbrushing a mini or anything else for that matter, when I get asked how I did that, I tell them I dip em! lol

 

[DarkDojoMaster]

envy

:flame: most of those that complain about airbrushes are envious of people who can afford/have the skills to use them well. Hell I know I am lol

Seriously tho, Workshop don\'t push them simply because its a very specialised expensive piece of kit & they\'d rather you spent your hard earned on minis wander round GW HQ or rootle through staff members own collections & you\'ll find quite a few airbrushed tanks & scenery pieces. A lot of GW\'s artists use them & Jonesy uses one for scenery making, its all a matter of speed & time saving as well as effect. The Eavy Metal team don\'t use them for studio mini\'s simply because they have developed brush skill to the point where they can blast stuff out just as fast if not faster than by airbrushing & get the effects they want

TaTa

 

[jimcheney]

Ok, maligning airbrushes is BS, especially in eldanesh\'s case because he can clearly hold his own with a sable brush. I would have snapped some necks if I had been DQ\'d from a contest because I airbrushed. Here are two of my own pix for comparison: 2475 is hand painted on the whole model. 11430 is airbrushed on the yellow parts. I think 2475 is much nicer, but it didnt win a demon like 11430, and it took 10 times as long to paint. You be the judge.