The Airbrush
First, lets start with a few simple terms.
A single action airbrush is an airbrush that has a trigger that can be pressed in only one direction (down, thereby opening the airflow and spraying out one preset amount of paint, similar to a can of spraypaint). A dual action airbrush has a trigger that can be pressed down (opening airflow) and then pulled back to allow a varying degree of paint to come out. Dual action airbrushes are the type used by professional t-shirt and vehicle airbrushers, as you can manipulate the amount of paint coming out, thereby achieving a wide range of strokes. Single action airbrushes are used primarily by model painters or hobby artists.
We will focus on the dual action airbrush in our question and answer section, as these are the airbrushes that generally have the most complications and are used by the largest demographic of artists.
The airbrush breaks down in to a few key parts. The 'body' is the central part of the airbrush. The 'body' is where the air hose, paint source, and head assmbly connect.
The 'head assembly' is at the tip of the airbrush. The 'head assembly' usually consists of a 'head', an 'aircap' (which screws into the tip of the 'head') and the 'cone' (which is inside the head assembly). The 'needle', which runs the length of the airbrush, fits into the 'cone' creating a valve for the paint to come out of.
The two most-frequently damaged parts are the 'needle' and the 'cone'. Generally, if you have a problem, it is due to dried paint or chunks of paint disrupting airflow, needle movement...etc. Although there are many problems you may experience with your airbrush, clogged paint in the 'cone' will acount for roughly 90% of them.
To clean out your 'cone', simply disassemble your head assembly, take the 'cone' out, and rifle the inside of it with your needle, being careful to do so gently as you do not want to crack or fracture the thin metal wall of the 'cone'. If you hold the 'cone' up to a light source, you can peer through it and see if any paint has coagulated inside it. If so, simple reem it out as much as necessary. Soaking your airbrush in windex and water (if you are using water based paints) or soaking it in paint thinner (if you are using enamels, urethanes or oil based paints which require solvents) will help loosin clogged pain. Be sure to disassemble your brush completely and set any rubber gaskets or o-rings aside, as they can be easily corroded.
Q. I can't get paint to come out of my airbrush.
A. This can be the result of a number of different problems. First of all, make sure your airpressure is atleast 35-45 PSI (i operate at 60-65 PSI). Check the airhole of your paint bottle, make sure it is free of obstruction. Then, run a wire through the tube of your paint bottle to remove any dried paint. If the problem persists, check the 'cone' inside the head assembly of your brush. If there is dried paint inside the 'cone' then follow the steps above to clean it out. When assembling your 'head assembly', be sure to tighten down the 'head assembly' with a wrench (not so hard that you strip the threads). If the head assembly is not screwed down tight enough, paint will not come out. If the problem persists, clean the 'air cap' of your 'head assembly', using a wire, or damaged needle, to scrape away any dried paint.
--hope this helps .. airbrushing is RAD, and it makes you better digitally, and vice versa ... drawing in illustrator without having ever picked up a pen would be quite a feat ... same goes for airbrushing
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So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. - Galatians 5:16
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