In the market for an airbrush?
November 8th, 2007 | by Art Supplies |When it comes to choosing the airbrush kit that fits your requirements you should always take into account the cost. It is always the best advice to compare the range of products that are out there and come up with the best compromise that fits your situation. There are many things to scrutinise when purchasing an airbrush and it is always advised that you look carefully at your needs. The airbrush has three crucial distinguishing features:
- Mix Point
The mix point is simply the point at which the paint and air mix. The choices available for this are Internal or External. When using External mixers, the simplest and most uncluttered of them all, both the paint and the air are mixed outside of the airbrush. Whereas with an Internal Mix the paint and air are mixed inside the airbrush, or rather at the tip, and this creates a more controlled and professional finish.
- Trigger
The most basic and accessible airbrushes use a single action mechanism which means that by the simple pressing of a trigger only the flow of air is controlled and you will find that the cheaper brands of airbrush are built with this.
Dual or Double action airbrushes allow for greater control and allows the user to perform a multitude of tasks. The dual trigger separates the control of air flow and paint flow so that the two can be set independently. Firstly the user sets the air flow and then can adjust the paint flow as they see fit. This is the most common design of airbrushes and is very common amongst artists for the control that a dual trigger provides. The most important thing to remember is always begin with air and end with air.
- Feed System
There are two main types of feed system for airbrushes. The first is gravity feed which put simply means that a reservoir sits on top of the airbrush and uses gravitational pull to aid in the flow of paint. The other common type is bottom feed, which means that air pressure passes over a paint reservoir mounted on the underside of the airbrush and draws the paint up.
The brand name airbrushes do have some advantages. Generics that are out there may seem like the easy option and may look like the best deal on the market but they can be dubious and certainly need to be investigated thoroughly before any purchase and finding replacement parts for these can be difficult. You are more likely to be able to repair one if it should fail. Most name brands also sell replacement parts that will save you from buying a new generic airbrush every time a small part fails.
These are some of the decisions that may arise when choosing the right air brush kit for your job, it is necessary to investigate it thoroughly. The intricate nature of airbrushes makes them prone to damage if mishandled and must only ever be used by competent individuals. When buying your airbrush always make sure to choose supplies from recommended distributors and ensure that you always do your research when it comes to buying the best for the job that you undergo.
