This talk of airbrushing has prompted me to go back and watch your intro to airbrushing videos today. Something I’ve been meaning to do since I bout mine back in february and signed up for BS a few months later. Watching them I’d say they are interesting but they could be more useful. Here’s what id like to see if you make more:

1: Have a newbie do whats being done, supervised by a teacher. Preferably someone whose not a very good painter (Justin?). Then they will make all the mistakes and misunderstand the teacher for us so we can do better. When an expert shows you something they will usually skip telling you some things they think are so basic they don’t remember ever needing to be told it themselves. Like what pressure is the compressor running? How far away should you hold the brush and how far down should you hold the button to get that effect. Whats the paint/thinner ratio?

2: Have them teach something like a class that we are expected to emulate at home to teach us the skill. As such start the video (or end the previous video) with a shopping list of stuff to have ready. The test model should be something cheap and universally available, like an old cola bottle to begin with. If you demonstrate on an expensive model those of us who don’t play the game its from won’t buy it. Its very helpful to be able to compare my work to an identical piece when learning new stuff. Don’t be afraid to tell us to pause the video while we try something. Set us work, pssibly even homework. Run not just a real class, but a whole course please.

3: Start by assuming we know nothing. Treat us like idiots and assume we can’t figure out anything for ourselves. Assume we will get the paint/thinner mix wrong. Assume we will be heavy handed with the trigger. Assume we will have way too much pressure or not enough unless we are constantly told whats what.

4: When demonstrating effects seeing them applied with shades and higlights is very useful, but when demonstrating where the spay is going using a light blue on a slightly darker blue is not very clear. Doing things twice, once for real, and once with 2 contrasting colours is very helpful. In many of Romain’s videos I cannot tell what he is doing as I can’t see the difference in the colours as he goes.

5: A “painters eye view” camera might be useful for close up airbrushing. A camera at 90 degrees to the spray can’t always see whats happening.

When painting a model don’t just demonstrate a technique on it. You might not have time and it might not be relevant to finish the piece off, but a quick explanation of whats left to do is always appreciated. I’ve just watched those videos on the Anarachy flame stencils. They work like a charm, but that tank looked horrible because it lacked depth and everything was too crisp. Was that it done? Would it get some washes and if so what/how? If thats the finished effect then thats something I wouldn’t want to do.

I’m moaning and I’m ungrateful I know, but if you don’t ask you don’t get. And if you don’t tell people how to improve how are they to know? Its been 240 days since your last noob guide to airbrushing. It would be good to see more, and for you to go more in depth. All I do is priming and the first base colour. I’d love to learn to do more but I lack the confidence, or any understanding of what I should be able to do. I’m heavy handed. I have digital fingers (When it comes to controlling analogue buttons etc they are either off or all they way down. I don’t really have a half way). I’ve had a run of no paint coming out of my airbrush recently and i don’t understand why it happens when it does.