Learn How To Airbrush Simple Graffiti Letters

In this lesson we'll learn how to airbrush the lettering shown above!

For this project you will need the following:

• your airbrush equipment
• a selection of paints
• a painting surface (I used illustration board)
• thin marker
• transfer paper
• frisket
• masking tape
• Exacto knife
• scrap paper

Scroll down when you are ready to start!

Note: The intent of this lesson is to show that you don't need any artistic skill to learn how to airbrush - just some tricks and the right tools!

Step 1

To start I sketched out (with a little help from free fonts on the internet) the graffiti words. Then I used transfer paper to transfer the sketched words onto my painting surface.

Step 2

Then I applied frisket to the entire area and used an exacto knife to cut around each of the letters.

Step 3

This step is not essential to the success of your painting, but, it's one of those "learn how to airbrush" tricks that I have discovered the HARD way.

Because frisket is clear, sometimes (ok, so on several occasions) I have been known to accidentally remove portions of the frisket that was supposed to remain behind... OOPS!

So now, when I am removing frisket with lots of "fiddly" bits I always spray a bit of color on the frisket first....

... the pictures below show how well I can now see all those little bits of frisket that are supposed to remain behind - just a little assurance!

Step 4

When all the letters are removed, I double check that all the little bits are where they should be, then, using a felt marker I plan my color scheme.

Planning ahead is an important step. Many an artist (who?? Me!) have been known to just start spraying random colors at this point...

... and the result...

... lots of ugly color combos!

Take a little time to make sure that the colors you are layering are going to end up being nice colors and not mud.

If you need me to be more clear - don't layer red-green, blue-orange, or purple-yellow as all those colors mix into browny-black!

Or, one of the best "learn how to airbrush" tricks I know - When in doubt - Test it out! ... (ug, the time I could have saved by following my own advice!)

Step 5

When my plan is complete, I begin spraying the colors - one by one. The color combo I used was blue, violet, red and yellow. I used all transparent paints so that the colors would blend nice. The following pictures show the progress:

Step 6

Then remove all the frisket and admire your work :)

Step 7

For this design, I wanted all the letters to be outlined in white so that the colors would really pop. I placed another bit of frisket over the painted letters and marked out the area around the letters I wanted to remain white. Then, using an exacto knife I cut out the shape and removed all the frisket from around the exterior edge.

Step 8

Next I mixed a light "grout" color and roughly sprayed in the exposed area. This color is going to represent the grout of the brick background.

Step 9

To give both the bricks and the grout some texture, I sprayed the entire painted surface with window cleaner and then quickly dabbed at it with a piece of paper towel. This process gives a great random texture that adds a bit of interest.

Step 10

Now for the bricks...

... I don't happen to have a brick stencil so I quickly made my own just by using an exacto knife and some scrap paper. It didn't take long at all to get this pattern cut. I do recommend that you use a card stock weight paper instead of regular photocopy paper as it makes the spraying a little easier.

Step 11

Then I mixed up some brick color transparent paint and sprayed over the stencil. Note that my stencil was not as large as the whole painting surface so I just moved it around as needed. When it was all done, I removed the frisket protecting the letters.

Step 12

The next step is a bit of a cheat.... until you learn how to airbrush really fine lines consistently and easily, I don't recommend that your "risk" trying it out on this type of work - you may ruin it and be really angry at your self - instead, simply use a fine tipped black marker to outline your letters.

Step 13

Originally, I had planned to stop the process here and call it complete - but the image just didn't look right to me. The graffiti looks like "sticker" on the wall, instead of "part" of the wall.... see what I mean?

To fix this I cut little brick shaped squares out of masking tape and applied them over the letters as shown below. Then I sprayed a very light, transparent gray over the exposed areas.

Resulting in this MUCH better result....

Step 14

As a finishing touch, I added a few highlights on the letters to punch them up a bit. Don't be tempted to go crazy with the highlights - it cheapens the over all look (I think I went a tad far on mine)

I hope this lesson shows that you don't need a whole bunch or artistic ability to learn how to airbrush - there are plenty of ways around that: Frisket, masking, felt tip pens, stencils etc.... all of these things can get you over the beginner hump!

Paint for FUN!!