Find the Airbrush Paint that will WORK with you, NOT against you!

Before I even start - let me get one common misconception out of the way:

90% of all airbrush artists use ONLY acrylic paint!

Ok, that stat is made up ;) But the message is true.

Urethane paints are toxic - very toxic - and for that reason most artists are turning to the much safer acrylic versions. Because of this trend, and because I care about your health, I am only going to briefly discuss urethanes...at the very end.

So... the big question... what paint is going to work for you?

Two big questions come to mind:

• How long have you been painting with an airbrush?
• What are you planning to paint?

Why does it matter how long you have been painting?

Airbrush paint comes in a variety of thickness and pigment strengths. Beginners who are just getting the feel of their airbrush and how it works find the thick, pigment heavy paints very difficult to learn with.

Thick and heavily pigmented paints include the popular brands of Createx and AutoAir and aren't particularly "beginner friendly".

Your first goal as an airbrush artist should be to master the tool, not fight with paint. For beginners I recommend using a very fluid, very fine pigmented paint like Golden Airbrush Paint, or, even an ink like FW Ink. These two products are well suited to the beginner.

Avoid cheap paint. No, not paint that is on sale (I'm always up for a deal!!), I mean paint that is generic. Many stores have developed their own line of airbrush paint without really understanding what airbrush artists need. Most of it is essentially watered down "regular" paint. There is a reason it is cheap.

If you are a little more advanced and know how your airbrush works and what the paint should feel like - then for you - the sky is the limit. My only advice is to try different paints until you find one you like - just don't but the whole set all at once! Buy a few colors, give it a try, and if you like it then buy the full color range. Why does what you paint matter?

For most projects, including those on metal, acrylic paint will work just fine. There are a few very important exceptions!!

IF YOU ARE PAINTING ON PEOPLE, YOU MUST USE SPECIAL PAINT

Sorry to yell, but this is VERY important. Our bodies breath through our skin - not air - but moisture. We sweat through our skin in order to regulate out heat. If you paint somebody head to toe with a paint other than that specially made to be painted on skin they could DIE! The acrylic paint will clog all of his/her's pores and they will overheat!

OK - speech over.

So, if you are planning to paint on people - what should you use? I recommend products from Temptu. These products are intended to be used on human skin and are tested to be safe. The are slightly different to use than acrylic airbrush paints, but you'll get the hang of them in no time.

Urethane Paints

Only because I promised.

Urethane paints are used because they are extremely tough. The chemical base (which is the toxic part) sets up to a very hard, very durable finish that will stand the test of time.

Because there are so many chemicals spraying urethane paints requires (no, demands) expensive safety precautions be used. Precautions include: full respirator, spray booth / air exchange, fire safety equipment, specialty storage etc.

Why would any artist choose to paint with urethane? Once upon a time urethane was the only airbrush paint that could paint on metal - that's why.

Nowadays, people use acrylic paints to paint on metal and then ship the finished product off to a licensed body shop that has all the necessary safety equipment and knowledge to clear coat the project with urethane paints. The clear coating allows all the artwork to show and protects it from the elements.

I highly recommend the "ship it to the pro's" approach.

Thats the basics of airbrush paint ... I feel like I could go on for days!

Airbrush Paints: Transparent vs Opaque