Newbie technique question (probably dumb)

[Guest]

So I'm slowly teaching myself how to use my new airbrush properly, and there's one basic concept I can't seem to grasp. I'm using Vallejo Model Air with my H&S Ultra X, and I have the basic technique pretty much sorted. What I'm struggling with, though, is spraying a surface in thin coats as opposed to spraying wet.

If I apply a light/thin coat, then wait for that to dry before applying another (and so on), what do I do about the tendency of my airbrush to clog up between coats?

Sorry if this really is a dumb question, but I find that I'm tending to spray wet in order to avoid having to clean up between coats ...

[Ian M]

Hi Norman.
One of the great things with an airbrush is the thinner you put down the paint the quicker it dries...
Almost on contact with some paints. Put down the first fine coat then go back to the start and go again. Also you can paint in sections and gradually build up the paint in several thin coats without having to wait for it to dry.
Should you need to wait a few minutes a cotton bud soaked in thinners is often all it takes to get things going again, as it is nearly always the paint on the exposed tip of the needle that dries.
Please note some colours, typically whites and yellows are well know for being a bugger to get a good coverage. These might well need to be visited a couple of times after they have had time to dry.
Time to find the plastic bottle, or older kit and just practice building the paint up in thin coats on the fly, so to speak.

[Guest]

Ahah! Thanks Ian, that's really helpful.

[papa 695]

Also Norman after spraying the first thin coat just press the trigger down without pulling it back and just air should come out, then you can dry the paint quicker and not needing to wait so long between coats,
PS welcome to the forum Norman.

[Guest]

Thanks Ian. I'd never have thought of using the airbrush as a hairdryer!