In my eyes, the airbrush hasn’t replaced the brush. I would say it complements it very well. I use the airbrush for coating and painting larger areas. First of all, it’s a much quicker method and secondly, the results are incredible.
Lately, I’ve also used the airbrush to latex-coat. I do have to modify the latex a bit before using it but I’ve seen great results here too. I’ve been able to put close to 15 coats and a color change onto a blade or mask in under 2 hours. This is very beneficial when you’re a larper with a ton of props to paint/coat.
When airbrushing latex paint, I always work one section at a time, spraying it from every angle at a distance of 3-6 inches from the objective (depending on the pressure used).
Applying light layers allows me to continue coating the second layer when I’m finished with the first. Because the layers are so thin, I can very quickly produce 3-4 smooth layers.
Does latex paint need a primer? If the surface you’re airbrushing has been painted before, it might not require a primer. However, if the surface is painted with an oil-based color and you’re planning to paint it with latex paint, you’ll have to use a primer suitable for the material you’re painting. This will make each layer of the coat stronger and you’ll need fewer layers to achieve a smooth finish.
To find out if the existing paint is latex or oil-based
- Rub the surface of the objective with denatured alcohol on a piece of cloth.
- If the paint starts to come off, the existing paint is latex paint.
How To Mix Latex Paint
Not too long ago, airbrushes were only used to spray oil-based colors (Oil based colors are petroleum solvents). However, things have changed and they can now be used to spray latex paint – a thicker paint that can clog the airbrush if it isn’t thinned properly. Getting the paint to the right consistency is important to the end result too.
You want the paint thinned to the consistency of 2% milk. No matter what airbrush you’re using. Then, before use, you’ll want to filter the paint through a mesh screen/funnel to make sure there are no lumps.
The lumps can ruin the brush and render it useless. Therefore, be very thorough when filtering and stirring the paint.
Here’s how to mix latex paint
- Pour your paint into a bucket
- For every gallon (3.8 liters) of paint, add half a cup of water.
- Stir meticulously
- To make sure the paint is thin enough, run it through a funnel. If the paint doesn’t contain any lumps and runs freely, you’re probably good. If it doesn’t – add more water. Go easy with the water at this stage.
Read more: To Airbrush Warhammer and Miniatures: The Ultimate Guide
Safety Is Very Important
When using an airbrush, safety is crucial. Before you go ahead and get started – make sure that you’re well-informed of the risks and how to prevent them.
- Your airbrushed paint will produce fumes that are harmful to your lungs and your central nervous system.
- Always use a respirator mask when airbrushing to protect yourself from the consequences of breathing in fume particles.
- If the hose isn’t connected properly, air under pressure might leak and do damage to your eyes or nearby objects
- Wear protective eyewear to minimize the risk of getting paint or air in your eyes.
- Make sure the hose is connected properly.
- When airbrushing indoors, fumes will accumulate in your living space.
- Make sure that your workspace is very well-ventilated if you plan on airbrushing indoors. There are great solutions for indoor airbrushing – here’s an article on indoor airbrushing. If can’t be arsed to read the entire article, here’s the shorter version: Get a spray-booth like this.
- Latex is very sticky – when airbrushing, you’ll get sticky particles everywhere. Removing latex is a painful process, especially on the skin. The solution to this problem? 1) Wear enough clothes – clothes you don’t care about – preferably a coat of sorts. 2) To protect everything you own, use the spray booth I talked about above when spraying.
Always Clean Your Airbrush
The first thing you should do after you’ve used your airbrush is cleaning it. Dried-up paint is your airbrush’s worst enemy. Cleaning the airbrush before everything dries up is so much easier. Additionally, the airbrush will be ready to use right away the next time.
To remove paint from nozzles and hoses you can use a pipe cleaner. If the paint has dried up, let the airbrush parts soak in a cleaning solution – this will loosen the paint, and eventually it will fall off.
I’ve used an ultrasonic cleaner for the last few years and it has made cleaning the airbrush a breeze. I fill the ultrasonic cleaner with a simple ammonia solution and then dip the airbrush parts in the bath. The ultrasonic cleaner takes care of the rest.
I’ve used ammonia solutions that are pretty dilute to avoid damaging the chrome – with years of use, I haven’t witnessed any damage to the chrome so far. Instead, my airbrush looks like it came right out of the box after every single bath.
Best Airbrush For Latex Paint
To airbrush
Both the airbrush and compressor in that kit will provide what you need.
Related Questions
Can I use latex paint in
When mixing latex with acrylic paint – how much latex should I use? I’ve found a ratio of 1:8 up to 1:10 to be the best when painting with a brush. That’s 1/10th latex and 9/10ths paint. However, to make the mix suitable for an airbrush I’ve had to dilute it with water.
How do I achieve the metallic look on a latex surface? Metal colors are always hard to achieve when working with latex. It’ll be hard to reach that perfect look you want. You can come pretty close though! Here’s what I would do.
Related article: Selecting the Best Iwata Airbrush in 2022
Method 1)
- Basecoat the object using a dull grey color 1-2 times
- Apply a layer of acrylic silver over the dull grey
- Seal it
Method 2)
- Basecoat using black latex
- Do several coats of a darker silver
- Coat with a brighter silver (preferably with some white paint added)
- Shade it by airbrushing a very dark color, preferably black.
- Seal it
This should bring you pretty close. Modify the color and your technique until you reach the results you wish for. Thank you for reading. I hope you found what you were looking for.