My painting exploration and request for airbrush help (40k)
Discussion
Morning,
After never being allowed such poor value for money toys as a kid, recently bought the new Warhammer 40k starter kit. Previously apart from a couple of tamiya car kits, I've restricted my modelling to premade models by exoto and CMC.
Looking through the models inside, the level of detail is phenomenal and a quick look on the web showed the amazing results a decent paint job can create. The gauntlet was thrown!
Here's my first one, after spending a bloody fortune on Games Workshop paints!
Struggled with highlights and the bone chest eagle and parchment scroll on the gun. So decided to make those metal on my other models, gunmetal for grunts and a antique gold for officers...
Highlights are even worse, can't get the hang of blending them in, and the brush marks left are horrid.
So thought I'd leave the highlights alone, and concentrate on getting a better result through heavier shading. Setup a production line and bashed out the rest of the squad (apart from one sneaky bugger who hid, so I'm gonna have to remember what I did!)...
Much happier overall, but a little flat. Could do with getting the white shoulder motif crisper with more even coverage, but I think that's going to be a long progression through practice!
Here's the group showing the differences:
Next step, biker scout versions in black armour, then the big terminator ones with bone coloured power suits...
Any hints or tips welcome. Should mention I'm colour blind, so any advice relating to colour will need to be explained in terms a 3 year old could follow!
If you've got this far, hopefully you'll have some idea about airbrushes...
Been given an old airbrush and compressor:
The compressor fires up fine, not too noisy either. The airbrush is marked Paasche, with lots of little mini 'shot' glasses and some bottles with little nipples on them.
Closeups of airbrush:
Conscious I'm opening a whole container of worms, but...
Look any good?
How'd this all work then?
After never being allowed such poor value for money toys as a kid, recently bought the new Warhammer 40k starter kit. Previously apart from a couple of tamiya car kits, I've restricted my modelling to premade models by exoto and CMC.
Looking through the models inside, the level of detail is phenomenal and a quick look on the web showed the amazing results a decent paint job can create. The gauntlet was thrown!
Here's my first one, after spending a bloody fortune on Games Workshop paints!
Struggled with highlights and the bone chest eagle and parchment scroll on the gun. So decided to make those metal on my other models, gunmetal for grunts and a antique gold for officers...
Highlights are even worse, can't get the hang of blending them in, and the brush marks left are horrid.
So thought I'd leave the highlights alone, and concentrate on getting a better result through heavier shading. Setup a production line and bashed out the rest of the squad (apart from one sneaky bugger who hid, so I'm gonna have to remember what I did!)...
Much happier overall, but a little flat. Could do with getting the white shoulder motif crisper with more even coverage, but I think that's going to be a long progression through practice!
Here's the group showing the differences:
Next step, biker scout versions in black armour, then the big terminator ones with bone coloured power suits...
Any hints or tips welcome. Should mention I'm colour blind, so any advice relating to colour will need to be explained in terms a 3 year old could follow!
If you've got this far, hopefully you'll have some idea about airbrushes...
Been given an old airbrush and compressor:
The compressor fires up fine, not too noisy either. The airbrush is marked Paasche, with lots of little mini 'shot' glasses and some bottles with little nipples on them.
Closeups of airbrush:
Conscious I'm opening a whole container of worms, but...
Look any good?
How'd this all work then?
Cheers. Just tried that action and the button will go down, but not back. There's definitely a slot that looks like it should permit such movement...
Also, how does paint get into it? There's a hole in the side near the nozzle - do the little bottles attach through that?
I'd hazard that this kit hasnt been used for a good few years - anything I can do to service it and get it back in full working order? Or even better, anyone that does this sort of service?
Thinking it may be easier to get afairly cheap new airbrush to figure things out with - figure its hard enough to learn without having to guess whether the brush is working properly. Any recommendations?
Oh, and what about my stuck to the ceiling models?!
Also, how does paint get into it? There's a hole in the side near the nozzle - do the little bottles attach through that?
I'd hazard that this kit hasnt been used for a good few years - anything I can do to service it and get it back in full working order? Or even better, anyone that does this sort of service?
Thinking it may be easier to get afairly cheap new airbrush to figure things out with - figure its hard enough to learn without having to guess whether the brush is working properly. Any recommendations?
Oh, and what about my stuck to the ceiling models?!
The reason for the trigger not moving backwards is possibly because the needle is stuck in the jet inside the nozzle at the front (mine does it sometimes if it's not been thoroughly cleaned before storage). You could try soaking the whole front of the airbrush in airbrush cleaner overnight and trying again. Try to free it up then strip it completely and give it a good clean. Have you looked online for a service sheet?
ETA it's a Paasche V by the look of it - very similar in construction to my trusty Aerograph. The paint reservoir should push into the hole in the side. Here's a parts list:
http://www.dixieart.com/Paasche_V_VJR_VSR90_parts_...
I think you'll find that the knurled wheel in front of the trigger allows you to preset the amount of paint flow by pushing the trigger back incrementally, if you want to do repetitive work at the same setting.
My advice would be to soak it, carefully clean it, then use it...
ETA it's a Paasche V by the look of it - very similar in construction to my trusty Aerograph. The paint reservoir should push into the hole in the side. Here's a parts list:
http://www.dixieart.com/Paasche_V_VJR_VSR90_parts_...
I think you'll find that the knurled wheel in front of the trigger allows you to preset the amount of paint flow by pushing the trigger back incrementally, if you want to do repetitive work at the same setting.
My advice would be to soak it, carefully clean it, then use it...
Edited by dr_gn on Sunday 9th December 19:29
Will pick up some airbrush cleaner and give it a soak. Serial number is on the side so will also exercise my Google fu.
mybrainhurts said:
Don't you find the blood keeps flowing to your head, OP...?
It's my anti ageing routine. Blood flow to the head smoothes out wrinkles.
Anyone know why thumbsnap does this? Photos were taken on my Samsung galaxy s3.
clockworks said:
Looks like a dual-action airbrush - press down to open the air valve, pull back to control the paint flow. Get some cheap paint, and practice on an old piece of board or a big cardboard box.
Or off to B&Q for a roll of wallpaper lining paper. It's plain white, dirt cheap and gives you lots and lots of square metres of practice space.Personally, I'd go to a decent airbrush retailer and ask them to service the AB and demo it. Why not sign up for a one-day beginners course and your AB with you ? You could faff about for hours and not really get the best out of it.
Skodaku said:
clockworks said:
Looks like a dual-action airbrush - press down to open the air valve, pull back to control the paint flow. Get some cheap paint, and practice on an old piece of board or a big cardboard box.
Or off to B&Q for a roll of wallpaper lining paper. It's plain white, dirt cheap and gives you lots and lots of square metres of practice space.Personally, I'd go to a decent airbrush retailer and ask them to service the AB and demo it. Why not sign up for a one-day beginners course and your AB with you ? You could faff about for hours and not really get the best out of it.
And yep, they're super rare, inverted attack space marines.
Super rare and very valuable, although I'd be willing to sell them for a very reasonable price...
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