Airbrushing Resolutions
By Janean S. Thompson (Click on any image for a larger view!) At the start of every New Year, most of us invest a bit of time reviewing the past months and what we accomplished during that time. For most of us, a few important issues stand out as areas for adjustment or alteration. Artistic endeavors are on my list this year and at the top of the list is the topic of airbrushing. A few items of concern are equipment maintenance and storage, revitalization of supplies and new directions of application. You can’t do airbrush work with equipment that is poorly maintained or stored in such a way as to cause damage. At the beginning of the year I am often looking for ways to improve what I do and one way is to examine the basics of maintenance of airbrush materials. It is a good time to inspect hoses, fittings 1. Paint buildup should be and operation of equipment so that any repair or cleaned so that the projection replacement might be completed prior to new of tiny droplets will be even. assignments and projects. One area of particular importance is proper cleaning of the airbrush itself. Cleaning should, of course, be done immediately after each use, but an occasional deepclean maintenance is also a good idea. Accumulated pigments within the airbrush will cause sluggish operation or total jamming of the mechanism. (Photo 1) For tips and orifices, soak them in airbrush solvent to loosen particles, and then clean with a swab to lift away remaining paint. For really tight areas, create
2. Tiny cotton swabs made from tooth picks and cotton make great cleanup tools.
tiny swabs with cotton and toothpicks. (Photo 2) Examine the needle valve tip carefully. Replacement of bent needles will insure a more uniform particle application. If the needle is lodged in the airbrush, remove all threaded collaring devices and gently pull with a pair of precision pliers. (Photo 3) Thoroughly clean the needle and re-insert.
3. If needle assembly is snug in the airbrush, carefully use a pair of pliers to remove it.
4. Teflon tape on threads gives an airtight fit – quick and easy.
Hoses are very sturdy, but the connectors and fittings can wear out or become damaged. Look closely at your equipment or put some air pressure on the lines to check the fittings. One trick to close slight leaks at hose connections is to use plumbers’ Teflon tape on the threads to form a better seal. It only takes two or three thicknesses to form a tight, “grippy” connection. (Photo 4)
Paints become less useful as they age or if they are not stored properly capped. Overturned jars of aged paints, loose caps, and old pigments – now is a great time to examine your collection and then remove and replace any that fall short. New colors bring new opportunities…try something new when you go out to replenish your materials. More compulsive airbrush artists might want to clean accumulated over-sprayed paints from their work areas, air compressor case or airbrush hoses. This can be done with a solvent designed to remove the paint type involved. I have very good luck with a general clean-up solvent called “Oops.” (Photo 5) It is petroleum based and should be used very carefully; but for dried on acrylic and enamel paints, it does an amazing removal 5. Cotton and “Oops” can help remove dried paints. job. Do not use this product on painted surfaces or your airbrush body but only on the case, hoses, etc., that are more resilient. General storage of your equipment should be considered. Any dampness or humidity in the storage area should be avoided. The result could be rust or corrosion of metal parts and shorter life of your equipment. An inside closet is ideal, perhaps a closet dedicated to all creative materials…in one place and easy to locate when those creative urges hit. I just completed transformation of a walk-in closet into a storage/creative space. There is great lighting, a work table, and high shelves full of large, labeled, plastic totes for organization of raw materials and equipment. As I ponder the issues that are important to me, I also want to include some new directions of creative thinking. While the application itself is similar on projects, what results is often new. That is what I will be looking for in 2007!