new to the scene

[kidd]

Hey-
I've been an artist all my life. The older I get & the more equipment I can get my hands on, the more I notice that I can make something artistic out of just about anything & I like that.

I'm really into cars & bikes. Plus my fiance & his buddies work on old cars & race them. I would like to do custom paint jobs & interiors someday so we can all open our own shop.
I know I can do it, I just don't know where to start. I've never even touched an airbrush & I can't even seem to get a job at the local Maaco!

Should I invest in an airbrush to practice with? Should I search for shops that might give apprenticeships? Any suggestions?

Thanx,
Lyndsey

 

[albertamike]

Hey Lyndsey. Welcome. Investing in an airbrush is a good idea if this interests you. I had the urge to try and paint my bike because I too feel the ability to do anything I try. So I practised with the airbrush and tried to gain as much info on it as possible. Read what you can and practice. There is a lot of info out there. A good book to get is one written by Pamela Shanteau. She also has a web page for beginners. Finding a paint shop that will apprentice you is also a good idea. So good luck.

Mike

 

[diabhalman]

The American dream, work doing what you enjoy hardly seems like work. I hope you can get a shop going, that way you are also your own boss!!

YES, purchase an airbrush! And purchase magazines and books too. Actually you should purchase magazines first. Lots of how to articles, plus you can see what airbrushes the pros are using. It's very important to chose an airbrush to match the application. Have fun and good luck

 

[TWISTED]

Check out Airbrush Action magazine. It is a great way to get started and is full of info. You can check out the local library but the ones around here don't have a lot on the subject.
Like diabhalman said. Get some magazines first so you know what is available before rushing out and buying one. I use almost all Iwata airbrushes and they are a great starter. Especially the eclipse and revolution models.
Good luck.

 

[diabhalman]

I didn't want to steer you towards one airbrush or another but Twisted and I use what most pro automotive airbrushers use,Iwata. So, get some magazines and when you're ready I would contact Coast Airbrush. I've talked to a lot of dealers and they won't B.S. you to sell something. Hope that does'nt sound like a commercial, I'm certainly not getting paid by them, but they really take time to help you out and respond to email quickly. Good luck!