airbrush

An airbrush is a small, air-operated tool that sprays various media including ink and dye, but most often paint by a process of atomization. Spray guns developed from the airbrush and are still considered a type of airbrush. The first airbrush was invented in 1879 by Abner Peeler, in Iowa, USA.

History

This first airbrush invented by Peeler used a hand-operated compressor, and the inventor patented it "for the painting of watercolors and other artistic purposes". It was rather crude, being based on a number of spare parts in a jeweller's workshop such as old screwdrivers and welding torches. It took 4 years of further development before a practical device was developed. This was marketed by Liberty Walkup, who taught airbrush technique to American Impressionist master Wilson Irvine. The first modern type airbrush came along in 1893, presented by Thayer and Chandler art materials company at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, invented by Charles Burdick. This device looked like a pen and worked in a different manner to Peeler's device, being essentially the same as a modern airbrush. The most highly refined airbrushes today are manufactured in Japan, one of the most popular brands is Iwata. Aerograph, Burdick's original company, still makes and sells airbrushes in England.

For more a detailed academic study, the University of Wales Library holds a detailed PhD on Airbrush History. Likewise the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia retains a copy - authored by Dr. Andy Penaluna.

Design

An airbrush works by passing a stream of fast moving (compressed) air through a venturi, which creates a local reduction in air pressure (suction) that allows paint to be pulled up from an interconnected reservoir at normal atmospheric pressure. The high velocity of the air atomizes the paint into very tiny droplets as it blows past a very fine paint-metering component. The paint is carried onto paper or other surface. The operator controls the amount of paint using a variable trigger which opens more or less a very fine tapered needle that is the control element of the paint-metering component. An extremely fine degree of atomization is what allows an artist to create such smooth blending effects using the airbrush.

The technique allows for the blending of two or more colors in a seamless way, with one color slowly becoming another color. Freehand airbrushed images, without the aid of stencils or friskets, have a floating quality, with softly defined edges between colors, and between foreground and background colors. A well skilled airbrush artist can produce paintings of photographic realism or can simulate almost any painting medium. Painting at this skill level involves supplementary tools, such as masks and friskets, and very careful planning.

Some airbrushes use pressures as low as 20 psi whilst others use pressures in the region of 30-35 psi. Larger "spray guns" as used for automobile spray-painting need 100 psi or more to adequately atomise a thicker paint using less solvent. They are capable of delivering a heavier coating more rapidly over a wide area.

Types

Airbrushes are usually classified by three characteristic. The first characteristic is the action performed by the user to trigger the paint flow while the second is the mechanism for feeding the paint into the airbrush and the third the point at which the paint and air mixes.

Trigger

The simplest airbrushes work with a single action mechanism where the depression of a single "trigger" results in paint and air flowing into the airbrush body and the atomized paint being expelled onto the target surface. Cheaper airbrushes and spray guns tend to be of this type.

Dual action or double action airbrushes separate the function for air and paint flow so that the user first activates the air flow and then they can activate and vary the paint flow independently. Most airbrushes tend to be of this type. With the dual action you can do multiple jobs at once.

Feed system

Paint can be fed by gravity from a paint reservoir sitting atop the airbrush (called gravity feed) or siphoned from a reservoir mounted below (bottom feed) or on the side (side feed).

Mix point

With an internal mix airbrush the paint and air mixes inside the airbrush (in the tip) creating a finer atomized "mist" of paint. With external mix the air leaves the airbrush before it comes into contact with the paint which creates a coarser stippled effect. External mix airbrushes are cheaper and more suited for covering larger areas with more viscous paints or varnishes.

Spray guns

The airbrush led to the development of the spray gun, a larger, more industrial type of paint applicator used for larger areas. Airbrushing itself started being used on cars in the 1940s to make hot rods and specialty cars, then spread to the general car repainting industry.

Technique

Airbrush Technique is the freehand manipulation of the airbrush, medium, air pressure and distance from the surface being sprayed in order to produce a certain predictable result on a consistent basis with or without shields or stencils. Airbrush technique will differ with the type of airbrush being used (single action or dual/double action).

Double action airbrush technique involves depressing the trigger on the top of the airbrush with the index finger to release air only, and drawing it back gradually to the paint release threshold. The most important procedural dynamic is to always begin with air only and end with air only. By observing this rule, precise control of paint volume and line width and character can be achieved. The single most important airbrush stroke consistently utilized by professionals is the dagger stroke. This describes a stroke which begins wide and ends as a narrow line, created by starting with the brush far from the support and moving it evenly closer as the line is drawn.

Single action airbrush technique derives its name from the fact that only 1 action is required for operation. The single action of depressing the trigger releases a fixed ratio of paint to air. Achieving different line widths requires either changing the tip and nozzle combination or else adjusting the spray volume manually between spray width changes. The most important aspect of proper single action airbrush technique is to keep the hand moving before the trigger is depressed and after the trigger is released. This avoids the "bar bell" line.

Usage

Art & Illustration

Since the inception of airbrush technology, commercial artists and illustrators realised airbrushes allowed them to create highly rendered images and a high level of realism. Techniques tend to be split into two areas: firstly, using the airbursh in combination with cut stencils or items held freehand to block in controlled manner the flow of paint onto the paper (or material being used for support); secondly, using the airbush freehand, without stencils, either as part of a painting process, means to augment a painting or drawing, or as a way to create an image alone. Airbrush art has a long history: it was used to create some of the most famous 1940s and 50s propaganda posters; it subsequently was used in publishing and advertising campaigns; and is currently a technique popular (though declining due to digital alternatives) with fantasy and science fiction artists. Airbush images can be found today in advertising, publishing (e.g., book covers), comic books and graphic novels.

Photo retouching

Airbrushing has long been used to alter photographs in the pre-digital era. In skilled hands it can be used to help hide signs that an image has been extensively retouched or "doctored".

As a result of Stalin's purges, and later destalinization, many photographs of officials from the periods show extensive airbrushing, often entire people have been removed. The term "airbrushed out" has come to mean rewriting history to pretend that something was never there.

The term "airbrushed" or "airbrushed photo" has also been used to describe glamour photos in which a model's imperfections have been removed, or in which their attributes have been enhanced. The term has often been applied in a pejorative manner to describe images of unrealistic female perfection and has been particularly common in reference to pictures in Playboy magazine.

Using today's digital imaging technology, this kind of picture editing is now usually done with a raster image editor, which is capable of even more subtle work in the hands of a skilled touch-up artist. This technique is still called airbrushing or photoshopping. (Also see photo manipulation.)

Scale model building

Builders of scale models ("model airplanes" etc.) use airbrushes extensively, because they deal with very fine details and they need to apply very thin layers of paint in order not to obscure the model's physical details.

Many companies (like Badger and Aztek) specialize in airbrushes aimed at these model builders while some manufacturers of scale models and paints or supplies also produce a limited range or airbrushes specifically for this community.

Murals

Airbrushes are also suitable for painting murals.

Tanning

Airbrushes are used to apply special tanning solutions as a form or sunless tanning that simulates the appearance of a natural sun tan. It is promoted as a safer and healthier alternative to the damaging effects of long term exposure to the sun. It is often performed by companies also offering other sun tanning alternatives like sun beds.

Finger nail art

Airbrushes are also used to apply images onto human finger nails.

Airbrush Temporary Tattoos

One of the most recent methods of applying Temporary Tattoos. Where a stencil is placed over the skin and an airbrush used, to spray a specialized paint through the stencil, leaving an image on the skin. This type of Temporary Tattoo is said to look very realistic and will last up to 7 days.

Clothing

The most popular use for the airbrush these days is in t-shirt airbrushing. Most t-shirt airbrush shops offer to paint pretty much any textile that will hold paint, including jeans, denim jackets, leather apparel, pillow cases and hoodies. You can find a t-shirt artist at just about any mall, flea market or amusement park in the United States. Airbrushing t-shirts and other clothing can be a lucrative career in itself, but more often it is a jumping point from which to get into the automotive field of airbrushing.

Automotive

Airbrushes are used to spray murals, graphics, and other artwork on automobiles, motorcycles and helmets. This artform has been around since at least the fifties, but more recently it has seen an increase in popularity thanks to such shows as Rides and American Chopper. Most professionals prefer to use automotive grade bases through top of the line gravity fed airbrushes. It is not advised that the novice or hobbiest use automotive grade paints either in their home or garage, but rather in a well ventilated shop equipped with a spray booth. The cost to hire a professional artist will vary from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on location, skill level and reputation. [citation needed]

Street artists

Many street artists use airbrushing to create names and pictures for tourists, such as around Jackson Square in New Orleans. In the mid-seventies, Panama City Beach, Florida was the airbrush capitol of the world, with hundreds of artists painting custom designs on T-shirts.