The Purple Guide to Learning Airbrushing in 10 Days

Chapter 1: First Day

The first time you pick up an airbrush, it will feel a little like holding a retractable pen that's attached to a small, buzzing engine. That's expected. It will also feel a bit awkward, maybe even clumsy, and that's also expected. The goal of today isn't to create anything pretty. The goal is to get you comfortable enough with the tool that you can make it do one small, predictable thing by the time you finish.

Before you even touch the brush, let's talk about what you need for today's session. You don't need a fancy workspace or a dedicated art table. A kitchen table covered with newspaper or a large piece of cardboard works fine. You'll need your airbrush, your air source (usually a small compressor), a hose to connect them, and some paint that's already thinned and ready to use. If you don't have paint yet, or you're using a starter kit, the paint that came with it is fine for today. You'll also need some practice paper - regular printer paper works, but a pad of cheap mixed-media paper is better because it won't buckle as quickly when it gets wet.

Setting everything up for the first time takes about fifteen minutes, and most of that is just connecting pieces. The air hose screws or clips onto the bottom of the airbrush and then attaches to the compressor. Make sure the connections are snug but not overtightened. If you're using a compressor with