Supplies Airbrushes: Recommendations, Comparisons, Troubleshooting

I am getting supplies and tools together to do my first face-up, have been reading on this site, others, checking out air brush models on line. I just returned home from my first doll con. in Austin, saw a very modified doll and spoke with the owner. He had modded his male doll into a reptile person (don't know the character, sorry), not my style, but a beautiful job, complete with a different color, patterning indicative of scales, etc. The young man recommended an Iwata airbrush.

Part of my research included uTube videos, especially the series of Nicole's Dreams. Her explanations are detailed, and she listed that she used an Iwata HP-A Plus with a Silver Jet compressor. I am in no way through doing research, have ordered a can of MSC, but the warnings of health risks are a bit scary. I will do face-ups for my dolls only, maybe for friends later, unlike Nicole, a professional face-up artist, who did, at the time her videos were made, some 300 + face-ups/year.

She has fairly serious respirator equipment, for use with MSC, but one of her videos showed pros/cons of water-based sealants, far safer. This seems to be the way of the future. I won't bring up the discussion of a comparison of the various types of sealants in this thread. Instead, my questions are:
1. After looking, I have not found the model of airbrush listed above, the video is some 3-4 years old and I do not know if it is no longer available or has been updated. What is the status of this model, and where found?
2. I can see at least two types of tips will be needed, a .5 mm for sealants and a .2 mm for airbrushing faces. Are others needed?
3. Nicole prefers using gouache instead of acrylics, for ease in cleaning tips, and later removal of old face-ups, at least that is what I think I remember, if wrong then stand corrected. I may go that route for the same reasons.
Opinions?
4. Opinions on an airbrush/compressor suitable for BJDs?

I will use this can of MSC with trepidation, and when it is finished, move on to safer, water-based sealants. I am a retired art teacher, with so many art supplies in my arsonel, painting and textile products upstairs, ceramics and metal fabrication and casting downstairs, and little in my arsenal is of low quality or even student grade. Indeed, I ordered professional grade products for all Art II and above classes when teaching, and many times for the Art I's Is as well. Skimping on quality does not pay. That is why, I am checking out airbrushes.

If anyone has the answer to my questions, or something further to say on the subject, I would like to know.
In any case, with a few additions to what I already have, I can at least start dong a face-up, and if it doesn't turn out as I envisioned, well, that won't be the first or last time, just try again.

One last thing, there have been a number of posts on using possibly a tool that is not suited to the purpose in the mistaken hope of saving money, which will not happen if one has to replace it with a tool that actually works.
Better to save and get something better, and not have to buy something twice.
Penny wise and pound foolish is not for me. I want to get it right the first time.

 

@flyboru Try this link. I've not bought myself a compressor yet, as I'd use it more for miniatures than the dolls but I can say that Dick Blick is a really great place to shop. I do have a local friend that does airbrush faceups and as I recall she said what really matters is the compressor. The actual airbrush itself is more of a user preference. I hope that helps a little bit.

 

Thank you, Mollym. I am aware of Dick Blick having ordered so many school supplies from them. I had not thought of Dick Blick for compressors. I will check them out.

 

@flyboru --For airbrushing you will need a dual-filter respirator rated for fine particles (paint/liquid/fumes--pretty much the highest rating you can buy in a hardware store). Spraying any kind of paint puts up fine particles into the air which you should never inhale into your lungs! It doesn't matter what the medium/binder of the paint is! water-based or not, it's no good to breathe in! -- It doesn't matter if you do this once or many times--you will still need to wear a mask.

Anyway--the same mask will keep fumes/particles of MSC or other spray coating from your lungs, too. (Make sure your mask is well-fitted and tight so that no air gets in from the sides of the mask, of course.)

Airbrushing or spraying anything--you will still need to be in a well-ventilated space. I spray the coating outside, for instance, and airbrush sitting by an open screen with a huge fan blowing air out (sometimes I'd also have a smaller fan directing air on the desk). Particles can remain suspended in air for a long while, so let the room air out for a long while after you airbrush.

Google brings up results for Iwata HP-A Plus--
Iwata HP Plus Series Airbrushes - BLICK art materials

HP-A PLUS HIGH PERFORMANCE W/HOSE H1001

--
The Iwata HP-A is a good, sturdy professional airbrush made for details and smaller areas, which I'm guessing would be good for faceups. (I'm primarily painting with my Iwata HP-C... I've only used it for faceups once or twice, and would have preferred a B or A for doing that, but airbrushes are expensive, so I just used my HP-C!)

Most people don't shoot sealants through their airbrushes... they use the aerosol cans. Most sealants aren't available as liquids to use in an airbrush. I've tried sealing with watered down acrylic medium (matte and semi-gloss)--not for faceups or human body blush, but for places like fantasy parts--hooves, hairy legs, etc. It can tend to fog up the color sometimes because it sprays large particles which, I think, diffracts the light, and can feel a bit rubbery because of the acrylic. It may need a less fine nozzle to use because the acrylic medium is so viscous, even when watered down or thinned. I'm not sure about any other type of sealant--but most shouldn't require a large nozzle, I'd think, unless it was like the acrylic medium.

I'd start with just one nozzle and see how it goes.

Gouache instead of acrylics... Gouache is a water-based paint, so yes, it would be easier to clean than acrylics. But it's also delicate once painted for that reason. You can't get it wet at all or it could bleed or smudge off--even with oils and sweat from hands. You can spray a lot of coating on it, but spraying is particles--so there's often space between that's not covered, no matter how microscopic. People DO use watercolor for faceups, but it's just super-delicate. And if you are using it for lips and then use a gloss over it--because it comes up with water, the gloss can cause it to pick up or smear or bleed.

Of course, many people use pastels and that can happen with pastels, too. That's why some people try airbrushing acrylic, so it has more of a chance to remain on the doll--but it's also such a thin coat that it can be rubbed off or scratched easily, no matter how much coating. Everyone knows faceups are delicate no matter what. but using acrylics and airbrush are slightly more robust than other methods.

Removing faceups... a lot of the difficulty is due to staining and paint in cracks (lip-cracks, other areas hard to get to). While gouache can come up with water, it can totally stain as much as any paint--maybe more in some cases. Also--if you seal with MSC, you are spraying a resin-like material over it, and that can be hard to remove (which is what it is meant to do!). If you gloss over the gouache, that, too, will make it not come up with water. I would use gouache if you liked the effect of gouache, not just because it's easy to take off or clean. You're meant to keep the faceup for a while, after all! OR, if you like changing faceups, then maybe using watercolors and gouache is what you want! But I'd think that using the right materials will make it about as easy to remove acrylic...

Clean-up-- always clean up your airbrush right after you stop painting--and sometimes in-between if you're taking a break or having a long painting session. If you keep your brush clean, acrylics shouldn't be a problem.

Art materials should always be used with respect and knowledge, as I'm sure you know! Just spray MSC outdoors and with a respirator. Resin isn't good for the human body... but then, paints aren't either--watercolor, gouache or acrylic. And shooting it through an airbrush is going to make those paint particles fly everywhere. Just use a paint fume respirator and be well-ventilated!

Many people use pastels on faceups and pastel dust isn't good for you either! We all just need to be aware and safe with our art media!

 

Last year I finally saved the money to purchase an airbrush (In time for my dolls arrival). I did a lot of research and decided on an Iwata HP-A Plus. When I went to buy it though, the sales assistant (who mostly seemed to direct the discussion to my dad) kept saying I'd be better off buying a Iwata HP-C Plus instead. I should have held my ground but he seemed so confident and insistent, that I didn't want to make a fuss. Since he knew a fair bit about airbrushing and my dad was totally following this guy I just went along with it (against my better judgement) and got the HP-C. The weather over summer has been too hot and humid so I haven't really been able to use it until now. After pushing some paint around on paper to get a feel for it though, I have to say, I quite regret not standing my ground I think he was a little over-confident in the HP-Cs ability with (relatively)fine details. I think I'm too much of a chicken to go try and exchange it at the store though

 

The HP-C is much more of an all-around brush... so if you were doing more things with the airbrush, that would be a good brush. (doing big blushing--like painting a centaur or Soom fantasy parts on the big dolls, for instance. or doing non-doll airbrushing.) It's possible to get pretty fine details (with practice--making fine lines on test paper).

But if you're really only going to paint small details and fine work... and never do larger areas, the other brushes would probably be a bit better.

It's a good quality airbrush at least! That helps. Good luck in deciding what to do!

 

I have an Iwata HP-C plus and a high-line HP-BH. I mostly use my HP-C plus for sealants. I like that it has a larger cup that I can fill with medium to seal many body parts before blushing. I use my other brush for fine details , it has a macro air valve in the front which really helps with better control of airflow and paint, yet it could also blast out a nice wide spray. I did adjust my HP-C with a thinner needle, smaller fluid nozzle, and it can do nice details now too.

 

I just got an airbrush a month ago, and I am so happy that the acrylic sealer is working so well!! No more buying cans of Mr. Super Clear! Less toxicity is a huge plus!
On to my question: From the research I have done, Jacquard Pearl Ex powders can be used in an airbrush (with a gloss of course). I also have Liquitex Interference colors that I can thin with flow-aid. Will these gum up the airbrush too much? I always thoroughly wash all of the paint out with rubbing alcohol-spraying it out and back bubbling a bit after each use. Anyone on here tried either one through an airbrush?
If these will seriously cause issue with cleaning it, I will just continue using these with a traditional paint brush. Thank you in advance!

 

After doing some research, I've decided that I am going to go for Golden High Flow Acrylics to try with my new air brush. I think that I'll try Burnt Sienna and Titan buff for natural looking eyeshadows. What are some of your favorite colors to use for the blush? I was thinking maybe Quinacridone Red.

 

I met up with a few doll customizer friends to try various airbrushes and I think that it's true — Iwata is a leading maker for a good reason, but it's good to not disregard other brands either. I was quite impressed with a Paasche Talon I tried (with a generic little air compressor) and now I kind of want to buy one myself. I prefer having one gun to apply sealant with and another for paints.

On the topic of sealants: I will never ever go back to MSC. I hate cans, I hate that I have to go outside to spray, I hate how it looks on tan resin. This isn't to say you can forego respirator with an airbrush sealant, but I would never spray MSC inside and I know I can manage that with an airbrush application. My weather isn't the best for all that running outside nor do I live in a place that allows me free spraying outside either. If I have to use that kind of sealant I prefer ZM Finishing Spray. Now, for the airbrush sealant: I love Vallejo (Premium Airbrush Color) Matt Varnish. It does not have to be thinned out or diluted (but you can) and it works beautifully.

I'm recently back on the market to get an airbrush kit again. I broke my old gun and my compressor was sold when I took the longest hiatus from the hobby ever. Kinda regret selling it because compressors are definitely one of the more painful things to buy. Even when you purchase a high end or brand model, you can run into issues that'll make your investment really useless. So much hit or miss regardless of the price point. And I had been lucky to get a good one that time after so many failures and lost monies.

This has always been the most frustrating part of the kit making — I hate the random luck I've had with compressors. Cheap or pricey, tank or no tank — it's a nightmare.

 

Ive ordered this compressor Art Logic 1418

Artlogic AC1418 Super Quiet Mini Air compressor with tank

And this airbrush Iwata HP A Plus

Iwata HP-A Plus Airbrush

I also have Iwata HP C

I need help with the attachment does anyone know what wire i can use for it to attach? The compressor has a wire but I’m not sure if it will work for my airbrush. I purchase this compressor because it is recommended and also because it is 220v the American ones will not work with me because it is 110v

The local shop has a wire but it is coiled by iwata I don’t think it is correct because maybe the coiling is good for high power psi not low power psi like the machine i buy

I tried to research it but i cant find information properly and i think i get over whelmed with technical words so my brain does not process it easily

Solved : for iwata airbrush to attach to hose and then to compressor you need the female 1/8” to male 1/4” connector fitting