Am I missing out ?

[piggypod1]

I'm 50 years old now and apart from a 15 year interval for the usual reasons, wife, family, job etc i've been an ardent modelling fan, however for all that time i've always painted with a brush, undercoat, 2 top coats (more if needed) and then final weathering, but am I missing out ? I have been on this forum now for about a year and have seen all the wonderful results achieved with airbrushes, pre-shading, luftwaffe mottling,snakes and us navy blues graduated schemes that are very if not impossible to achieve with a paint brush. I like using my chosen method but a wondering am i missing out ?

[DHDrover]

No. Look at all the great works that have been created with only a brush.

For nigh on 60 years I have only used brushes even though I have three air brushes. I have used several spray cans though.

Dai

[Stamford]

Yes. Learning to use an airbrush takes a while but it certainly adds a whole new world of effects.

[jssel]

I think what you miss is learning new and better techniques that make your hobby more enjoyable. I guess I started around 1957. There is always something new to learn and maybe keep for your own. Panel line shading, while I can do it, as never floated my boat.

[DavidWomby]

As a teenager I used enamels and a brush. When I got back in to the hobby about 20 years ago all the literature and my modelling friends all favoured airbrushes so I got one.

After 13 years of wondering why, I finally realised why I didn't enjoy painting as much and I reverted to a brush (albeit with acrylics). I know the finish I get isn't up to most people's standards but I am much happier. I actually did some airbrushing today - first time in years and no, I didn't enjoy it.

Do what makes you feel best.

David

[PaulBradley]

If you start down the airbrush road, you'll never want to go back to brush painting - it just looks terrible after your skills have atrophied! I've never regretted switching to an airbrush.

[splash]

I agree with Paul I now only use the brush for very small items, but others on this site do a fantastic job using only brushes.

Both methods have their advantages, I would say use what you feel comfortable with.

Regards Splash

[carlos]

I do both, and if I'm honest with myself, I enjoy using the hairy stick more...

So, I airbrush the main exterior colours (in acrylics), mainly because it gives a smoother finish (for me) and is the only way that I can do a believable mottle-camo.
And I brush-paint (almost exclusively with Humbrol enamels) all interiors, pilots, undercarriage and small details.

Worth giving an airbrush a try, if you fancy it - but ultimately, as has already been said, do what you enjoy.

[nashorn]

Stick with the brush.

rich.

[TomW]

I find some of my enjoyment comes from trying to recreate airbrush effects using normal brushes. As has been said both techniques have their devotees and their detractors but the important thing is for the hobby to remain enjoyable and fun, so I say stick with what you enjoy most!

Regards

Tom

[fearless frankie]

Took me 40 years and a degree in fine art to learn that there is more to painting than an hairy stick, as echoed above,try it and if you do not get on with it nothing has been lost but there may be an awful lot to gain. Most of all enjoy your modelling.

[Ian]

I'm a brush painter. I'd like to try an airbrush but the outlay for the set up can be expensive and I can't justify the cost.

[bluesteel]

I have a good Airbrush (Iwata) but I mostly paint by brush now as I don't seem to get on well with it. It's probably because I use Acrylic paints which dry faster and seem to clog the Airbrush more often. It's a bit of a pain when more of your time is spent unclogging and cleaning the Airbrush than it is making the model. I've bought some acrylic retarder to see if that might help but haven't tried it yet.

The only things I have problems with creating by brush are mottles (although I have a stipple brush now) and the hardest is where soft edges are needed for camouflage demarcation

[Eric Mc]

Started using an airbrush seriously (after years of failed attempts) about three years ago. Have never looked back.

[Zee28]

Very interesting stuff. I think it's more than a case of personal preference, there is also appreciable skill in both methods.

I wouldn't say you were 'Missing out' as such, because, as others have pointed out, there have been some truly magnificent models on this forum all painted with a paint brush.

But the difference is that those people are very skilled with the hairy stick, and that brings me to my main point.

I am NOT skilled with a paintbrush, I am, frankly, useless with a hairy stick. When I brush paint it looks like it's been put on with a trowel. Consequently I moved over to an airbrush simply to get better results.

And like others have said, I have never looked back. But the important point is that I am not advocating that an airbrush is the only way to go, I am saying I use one because I am rubbish at brush painting! If one is very good at brush painting then it could be argued that an airbrush is a superfluous luxury. So the question is; Are you happy with your results with the hairy stick? I wasn't, so I got an airbrush, but if I had been getting results I was satisfied with then I may not have bought one. See what I mean?

Personally, I have never looked back, I airbrush absolutely everything (except the very smallest parts, such as pilot figures). I find airbrushing much, much quicker, smoother, better finish and far more economical with the paints.

For example, It takes just seconds to shoot the interior of fuselage halves with an airbrush, much faster than poking into every crevice with a hairy stick, and a blast of thinner through it afterwards and it's ready to go again for the next colour.

Once every couple or three models I give it a 'Proper' clean up, but even that doesn't take me too long.

As for cost and investment, I went very cheap with compressor and airbrush, but I am quite happy with them both. Plus you save a lot of money on paints, you use far less with a thinned down amount in an airbrush than brush painting a similarly sized area.

So, for me, I embraced an airbrush simply because I was rubbish with a paint brush!

But then, at the end of the day, it's the finished model that counts, not how many clever tools and techniques are used along the way. If one is happy with the resulting model then it doesn't matter what was used to achieve it, it more depends on the skills in actually using those tools (whether paint brush or airbrush) and being satisfied with the results.

Zee