Brush vs airbrush?

[Tim Marlow]

Ron never mentioned time taken to put the paint on Laurie. He is definitely correct, a hairy brush can be as effective as an air brush. I now prefer an airbrush because it generates an even coat more quickly, but have produced as even and as thin a finish using a decent flat brush. I never had an airbrush myself until a good twenty years after I started taking modelling seriously. They were simply out of my price range. I therefore learned how to put on a flat even coat of paint with no tramlines. An airbrush is useful, but not essential.

[dalej2014]

Dale, don't be in too much of a hurry to purchase an A.B.

A paint brush can produce just as good a result as any A.B.....Fact!

...and as a bonus, no faffing about.

Thank you. It's good to hear the other side of things too. I've been doing OK with a hairy stick up 'til now, and an AB is definitely a luxury. I have thought about one for ages, but it may just be an extravagant whim!

[Guest]

Ron never mentioned time taken to put the paint on Laurie. He is definitely correct, a hairy brush can be as effective as an air brush. I now prefer an airbrush because it generates an even coat more quickly, but have produced as even and as thin a finish using a decent flat brush. I never had an airbrush myself until a good twenty years after I started taking modelling seriously. They were simply out of my price range. I therefore learned how to put on a flat even coat of paint with no tramlines. An airbrush is useful, but not essential.

Not quite Tim. No faffing around.

But think.

One coat of primer

One coat of finish

Coat for camouflage

One coat gloss for decals

One coat of satin or matt to finish

Time & thickness of all those coats.

Not knocking just comparing.

There was a member on here in my first journey on this forum.
He produced just Lancasters. Each one was hand brushed.

He sat in his armchair in the evening with his wife watching TV
painting away his Lancs. Quite amazing. a picture of him was
published on here.

The pictures he posted showed the finish to be first class.
I spent many years in early youth in an architects office
painting & it is an art not easily achieved.

That was painting numerous hours a week. Painting a model
perhaps one every two months is not the best way to achieve
a great standard. Perhaps airbrushing is cheating :astonished:

Also to achieve effects an airbrush has so many advantages.
To emulate with hand brushing you have to be a grand exponent
with a hand brush.

Laurie

[Mark1]

Bart sharp make some pretty cheap ab's but better quality than the cheapy Chinese jobs,i got a single action trigger type for priming and base coat with a 0.5 needle so bit less chance of clogging and probably easier to learn with than a double action that was about 35 quid, have an 0.2 double action which is more usefull for smaller parts or shading etc. I managed to ruin two of the twenty quid jobbies in no time.

[JR]

Dale .
We all have out horror stories of fights with the AB.
I started with H&S had nothing but problems , even with their better ( ? ) models.
Now use Iwata, harder to clean as the tip has to be removed with a spanner, but gives a better spray for me.
Changing all my Vallejo over time to AK 3 Rd gen, why because fed up with fiddling about with tip drying. No matter what I did, thinned, added extender it would be ok then the tip would dry .Now a lot easier.
Each of us have out thoughts on this regarding paint, type and make.Just be prepared to have failures, and don't be put off by them .
You will find what's right by trial and error.
Welcome to the world of the AB, remember at the end of the day we do this for fun !
So people keep telling me, I'm not so sure at times

[BarryW]

Dale, don't be in too much of a hurry to purchase an A.B.

A paint brush can produce just as good a result as any A.B.....Fact!

...and as a bonus, no faffing about.

This is true, I have seen some brilliant models that have been hand brushed. But it does take considerable skill that most of us simply do not achieve. What is more brush painting cannot really get a coat of paint as thin as an airbrush can.

The process, typical for a combat aircraft:
1/ Prime coat 1 - check for build flaws, correct them,
2/Primer coat 2 (not necessarily the whole model), check again for flaws and, maybe repeat 1 and 2.
3/ Pre-shade (unless you are black basing)
4/ Underside base coat applied with different levels of opaqueness to create a modulated appearance.
5/ First topside camo coat applied as per 4
6/ Second topside camo colour applied as per 4
7/ Post shading
8/ Gloss coat as base for decals
9/ Gloss coat to protect decals and provide a base for washes
10/ Washes
11/ First Matt coat
12/ Pigments and other weathering effects
13/ Second and last Matt or Semi-Matt coat for appropriate finish.
14/ Final weathering effects.

That is a lot of coats of paint and other materials. True that not every stage is applied to the whole model, but even the minimum is primer, base coat, gloss, gloss, wash, Matt, final Matt. Seven layers, six if you miss a gloss under the decals. To do that with a brush would be very difficult without obscuring detail. I am not sure how handbrushing can achieve feathered affects, or the same kind of pre-shading effects and subtle modulated effects an airbrush can do, let alone a mottle.

I would say yes, Ron is spot on, you can get a superb result from a hand brush. But, an airbrush opens you up to a lot of different techniques and despite the learning curve it is easier to get a great result with. That is why I, and a lot of others, regard an airbrush as essential, not a luxury.

That is why airbrush use has boomed since the days when Chris Ellis famously wrote ‘How to Go Plastic Modelling’ back in the 1960’s, describing airbrushes as an unnecessary expense. Times have changed, airbrushes are a lot cheaper and tools, materials and techniques have developed. I wonder what Chris Ellis would say today?

[dalej2014]

....

That is why airbrush use has boomed since the days when Chris Ellis famously wrote ‘How to Go Plastic Modelling’ back in the 1960’s, describing airbrushes as an unnecessary expense. Times have changed, airbrushes are a lot cheaper and tools, materials and techniques have developed. I wonder what Chris Ellis would say today?

Love that book. Read it cover to cover many times as a lad (and a few as an adult too). Recently got the "... advanced plastic modelling" as well.

[Gern]

It's amazing how many different ways there are to put colour onto our bits of plastic! I can't tell you which is best/worst 'cos you're going to have to play around with the various options to find what works best for you.

You should try all the different options - they all have pros and cons. You may find for example that enamels spray and cover best but the smell and clean-up don't suit your situation. There's nowt wrong with having a selection of half-a-dozen different types of paint, you don't have to commit to one brand/type on day one. Just buy the colours you need for your next kit in whichever type you want to try - acrylic/enamel/Tamiya/Vallejo/hairy stick/AB/spray can, and go for it. That way you won't be spending a fortune on paints you may find you're unhappy with, and if what you've bought doesn't work, try something different. Pretty soon you'll find what you like.

[Tim Marlow]

It's amazing how many different ways there are to put colour onto our bits of plastic! I can't tell you which is best/worst 'cos you're going to have to play around with the various options to find what works best for you.

You should try all the different options - they all have pros and cons. You may find for example that enamels spray and cover best but the smell and clean-up don't suit your situation. There's nowt wrong with having a selection of half-a-dozen different types of paint, you don't have to commit to one brand/type on day one. Just buy the colours you need for your next kit in whichever type you want to try - acrylic/enamel/Tamiya/Vallejo/hairy stick/AB/spray can, and go for it. That way you won't be spending a fortune on paints you may find you're unhappy with, and if what you've bought doesn't work, try something different. Pretty soon you'll find what you like.

+1 on this….spot on Dave. Nothing is essential until you find it is…..

[dalej2014]

It's amazing how many different ways there are to put colour onto our bits of plastic! I can't tell you which is best/worst 'cos you're going to have to play around with the various options to find what works best for you.

...

Thanks for your comment - it is good to remember there are lots of options out there.
I'm lucky to have inherited a large stash of old Humbrol and Airfix enamels, although most have "settled" (I've just ordered some agitator balls), and I have quite a stash of acrylics too, from my mini painting days.
I've got pastels, oils, pencils, markers and other bits for art as well, so lots to play with. I'll have a mess around and see what works, and what doesn't.
An AB would be another tool, and a useful one I imagine, but it wouldn't obsolete all the other toys in box by any means. Cheers

[Tim Marlow]

I used Humbrols for many years, and found I disagreed with James Bond. Humbrols are best stirred, not shaken
It keeps the lid cleaner and so enables you to continue to close the pot to keep out air.

[dalej2014]

I used Humbrols for many years, and found I disagreed with James Bond. Humbrols are best stirred, not shaken
It keeps the lid cleaner and so enables you to continue to close the pot to keep out air.

* with a Scottish accent "Isn't that Martinis?"

Agreed, I always stir mine too. And clean the lids. They're a devil otherwise.

[Guest]

One aspect in this airbrush vs brush discussion that hasn't been raised is the relative skills a modeller might have in the use of both. Both instruments require a level of skill which is more likely to be uneven rather than of a similar level in both. In my case (and yes, I'm usually the odd bod out!) my recent airbrush skill now leaves my brush skills for dead. So for me the decision on what to rely on most is easy. However, it could have well been the other way around. There are some incredible brush skills on view on this forum (eg 570 - already mentioned) and I can understand that if you are blessed with such skill, an airbrush would have a lesser appeal. The decision as to what tool you use is all up to you personally.

[Guest]

Never mind Dale you will recover.

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[dalej2014]

One aspect in this airbrush vs brush discussion that hasn't been raised is the relative skills a modeller might have in the use of both. Both instruments require a level of skill which is more likely to be uneven rather than of a similar level in both. In my case (and yes, I'm usually the odd bod out!) my recent airbrush skill now leaves my brush skills for dead. So for me the decision on what to rely on most is easy. However, it could have well been the other way around. There are some incredible brush skills on view on this forum (eg 570 - already mentioned) and I can understand that if you are blessed with such skill, an airbrush would have a lesser appeal. The decision as to what tool you use is all up to you personally.

A very good point, thank you. As I have little experience with an AB and lots with a brush this is especially relevant for me.