Airbrushed
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An airbrush is a small, air-operated tool that atomizes and sprays various media, most often
paint Paint is a material or mixture that, when applied to a solid material and allowed to dry, adds a film-like layer. As art, this is used to create an image or images known as a painting. Paint can be made in many colors and types. Most paints are ...
, but also
ink Ink is a gel, sol, or solution that contains at least one colorant, such as a dye or pigment, and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen, brush, reed pen, or quill. ...
,
dye Juan de Guillebon, better known by his stage name DyE, is a French musician. He is known for the music video of the single "Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical ele ...
, and
make-up Cosmetics are substances that are intended for application to the body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering appearance. They are mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources or created syn ...
.
Spray painting Spray painting is a painting technique in which a device sprays coating material (paint, ink, varnish, etc.) through the air onto a surface. The most common types employ compressed gas—usually air compressor, air—to atomize and direct the pa ...
developed from the airbrush and is considered to employ a type of airbrush.


History

Up until the mid-2000s, it was widely published that the airbrush was invented in 1893, but following research undertaken in collaboration with New York University's Conservation Department, and personal support from Professor Margaret Holben Ellis, a more detailed history emerged, which required many authorities such as Oxford Art to update their dictionaries and references. Depending on the definition requiring compressed air or not, the first spray painting device that could be called an airbrush was patented in 1876 () by
Francis Edgar Stanley Francis Edgar Stanley, also known as F. E. Stanley (June 1, 1849 – July 31, 1918), was an American businessman and was the co-founder, along with his twin brother Freelan Oscar Stanley, of the Stanley Motor Carriage Company which built the ...
of
Newton, Massachusetts Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located roughly west of Downtown Boston, and comprises a patchwork of thirteen villages. The city borders Boston to the northeast and southeast (via the neighborhoods of ...
. This worked akin to a diffuser/atomizer and did not have a continuous air supply. Stanley and his twin brother later invented a process for continuously coating photographic plates (Stanley Dry Plate Company) but are perhaps best known for their
Stanley Steamer The Stanley Motor Carriage Company was an American manufacturer of steam cars that operated from 1902 to 1924, going defunct after it failed to adapt to competition from rapidly improving internal combustion engine vehicles. The cars made by t ...
. No artistic images that used this 'paint distributor/atomiser' exist or are as yet known. According to the research prepared by Professor Andy Penaluna, the first instrument to use a compressed air supply was named the "paint distributor" was developed by
Abner Peeler In the Hebrew Bible, Abner ( ) was the cousin of King Saul and the commander-in-chief of his army. His name also appears as "Abiner son of Ner", where the longer form Abiner means "my father is Ner". Biblical narrative Abner is initially men ...
"for the painting of
watercolor Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (Commonwealth English; see American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin 'water'), is a painting metho ...
s and other artistic purposes" and used a hand-operated
compressor A compressor is a mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume. An air compressor is a specific type of gas compressor. Many compressors can be staged, that is, the gas is compressed several times in steps o ...
to supply continuous air. It was rather crude, being based on a number of spare parts in a jeweller's workshop such as old screwdrivers and welding torches. It took four years of further development before a working prototype was developed by Liberty Walkup of
Mt. Morris, Illinois Mount Morris is a village in Mount Morris Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,998 at the 2010 census, down from 3,013 in 2000. Geography Mount Morris is located at (42.047614, -89.433972). According to the 20 ...
. Walkup patented the work under the name of "air-brush", a name his wife Phoebe Walkup came up with. The birth of the name 'Air Brush' can be traced to a stakeholders' meeting of the new Air Brush Manufacturing Co. at 7:00 p.m. on October 6, 1883, when the name was formally born. In modern times the date is used to celebrate airbrush art around the world, using the Twitter hashtag #. Walkup's wife would later go on to be the founder of the Illinois Art School where airbrushing was taught to students from all over the world. In that same rented 4-story building Rockford Air-Brush would be established under Liberty Walkup. Among others, the Walkups taught airbrush technique to
American Impressionist American Impressionism was a style of painting related to European Impressionism and practiced by American artists in the United States from the mid-nineteenth century through the beginning of the twentieth. The style is characterized by loose ...
master
Wilson Irvine Wilson Henry Irvine (28 February 1869 – 1936) was an American Impressionist landscape painter. Although most closely associated with the Old Lyme, Connecticut art colony headed by Florence Griswold, Irvine spent his early career near Chicago ...
at the Air Brush School in
Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, Winnebago and Ogle County, Illinois, Ogle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in far northern Illinois on the banks of the Rock River (Mississippi River tributary), Rock River, Rockfor ...
. The first certain 'atomizing' type airbrush was invented by
Charles Burdick Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...
in 1893 and presented by
Thayer and Chandler Thayer may refer to: Places ;United States * Thayer, Illinois * Thayer, Indiana * Thayer, Iowa * Thayer, Kansas * Thayer, Michigan * Thayer, Missouri * Thayer, Nebraska * Thayer, West Virginia * Thayer County, Nebraska * Thayer Street, Providence ...
art materials company at the
World Columbian Exposition The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 5 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The c ...
in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. Burdick founded the Fountain Brush Company in the US, and launched the first series of airbrushes onto the market. However, Burdick initially re-cased the Walkup design into a finger-operated instrument, and as many of his designs echoed those being developed by Walkup, a legal row resulted over the name Air Brush. This device was essentially the same as a modern airbrush, resembling a pen and working in a different manner than Peeler's device. Aerograph, Burdick's original company, still makes and sells airbrushes in England. Thayer and Chandler were acquired by
Badger Air-Brush Co. Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily (taxonomy), superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activi ...
in 2000. Badger Air-Brush continues the Thayer and Chandler tradition of manufacturing quality airbrush guns, tools and compressors out of
Franklin Park, Illinois Franklin Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,467 at the 2020 census, up from 18,333 at the 2010 census. It was named for real estate broker Lesser Franklin who bought acres of the area when it was a ma ...
.


Design

An airbrush works by passing a stream of fast moving (compressed) air through a venturi, which creates a local reduction in air
pressure Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and eve ...
(suction) that allows paint to be pulled from an interconnected reservoir at normal atmospheric pressure. The high velocity of the air atomizes the paint into very tiny droplets as it blows past a very fine paint-metering component. The paint is carried onto paper or other surfaces. The operator controls the amount of paint being blown by using a variable trigger which manipulates the position of a very fine tapered needle that is the control element of the paint-metering component. An extremely fine degree of atomization is what allows an artist to create such smooth blending effects using the airbrush. The technique allows for the blending of two or more colors in a seamless way, with one color slowly becoming another color. Freehand airbrushed images, without the aid of
stencil Stencilling produces an image or pattern on a surface by applying pigment to a surface through an intermediate object, with designed holes in the intermediate object. The holes allow the pigment to reach only some parts of the surface creatin ...
s or friskets, have a floating quality, with softly defined edges between colors, and between foreground and background colors. A skilled airbrush artist can produce paintings of photographic realism or can simulate almost any painting medium. Painting at this skill level involves supplementary tools, such as masks and friskets, and very careful planning. Some airbrushes use
pressure Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and eve ...
s as low as 20
psi Psi, PSI or Ψ may refer to: Alphabetic letters * Psi (Greek) (Ψ or ψ), the twenty-third letter of the Greek alphabet * Psi (Cyrillic), letter of the early Cyrillic alphabet, adopted from Greek Arts and entertainment * "Psi" as an abbreviat ...
(1.38 bar) while others use pressures in the region of 30-35 psi (2-2.4 bar). Larger "spray guns" as used for automobile spray-painting need 100 psi (6.8 bar) or more to adequately atomize a thicker paint using less solvent. They are capable of delivering a heavier coating more rapidly over a wide area. Even with small artist airbrushes using acrylic paint, artists must be careful not to breathe in the atomized paint, which floats in the air for minutes and can go deep into the lungs. With commercial spray guns for automobiles, it is vital that the painter have a clean air source to breathe, because automotive paint is far more harmful to the lungs than acrylic. Certain spray guns, called High-Volume Low-Pressure (HVLP) spray guns, are designed to deliver the same high volumes of paint without requiring such high pressures.


Types

Airbrushes are usually classified by three characteristics. The first characteristic is the action performed by the user to trigger the paint flow. The second is the mechanism for feeding the paint into the airbrush. The third is the point at which the paint and air mix.


Trigger action

Most airbrushes can be grouped into two types of trigger action: Single-action or double-action. The simplest airbrushes work with a ''single-action'' mechanism, where the depression of the trigger actuates air flow through the airbrush, immediately outputting paint. The airbrush's color flow and spray pattern are adjusted separately from the trigger action. This is done through an adjustment of the airbrush's needle placement within its paint tip, by the turning of the paint tip on an external mix airbrush (Badger 350 or Paasche Model H are good examples of single-action external mix airbrushes) or the turning of a needle setting dial on an internal mix airbrush (Badger 200 or Iwata SAR are good examples of single-action internal mix airbrushes). The color volume and spray pattern are maintained at a fixed level until the airbrush user re-adjusts the setting. Adjusting the color volume and spray pattern while painting is possible, but not by design. Single-action airbrushes are simpler to use and are generally less expensive, but they present limitations in applications in which the user wishes to do something more artistic than simply apply a large, uniform coat of color. ''Dual-action'' (or ''double-action'') airbrushes enable the simultaneous adjustment of both air and color at the trigger, by allowing the user to actuate air by depressing the trigger and simultaneously adjust color and spray pattern by rocking the trigger back and forth. This ability to adjust color flow while spraying the airbrush, coupled with the user's adjustment of distance from the painting surface allows for the variation of fine to wide lines without stopping to re-adjust the spray pattern (as is necessary with a single-action airbrush). This allows for greater spray control and enables a wider variety of artistic effects. The use of this type of airbrush requires practice to achieve proficiency, both with triggering technique and control. The effort is worthwhile, as airbrushing offers greater artistic versatility. Dual-action airbrushes (Badger Patriot 105, Paasche VL, Iwata CM-C are all good examples of dual-action airbrushes) are of a more sophisticated design model than single-action airbrushes, which tends to make them the more expensive of the two.


Feed system

Paint can be fed into the airbrush by gravity from a paint reservoir sitting atop the airbrush (called ''gravity feed'' or ''top feed''), or siphoned from a reservoir mounted below (''bottom/suction/siphon feed''), or on the side (''side feed''). Each feed type carries unique advantages and disadvantages. Gravity feed airbrushes require less air pressure to operate, as gravity helps assist the flow of paint into the mixing chamber. Typically instruments with the finest mist atomization and detail requirements use this method since less air pressure allows for finer control of paint flow and less overspray. However, the paint capacity of gravity feed airbrushes is limited. Side- and bottom-feed airbrushes allow the artist to see over the top of the airbrush, with the former sometimes offering left-handed and right-handed options to suit the artist. The bottom paint reservoir can be a variety of sizes, and so a bottom feed airbrush typically holds a larger capacity of paint than the other types, and is often preferable for larger scale work such as automotive applications and clothing design. Side feed airbrushes are a hybrid of the two, and are able to use both a gravity style cup or a suction-style bottle.


Mix point

Airbushes can be divided into ''internal mix'' and ''external mix.'' With an ''internal mix'' airbrush, the paint and air mix inside the airbrush body (in the tip), creating a finer atomized "mist" of paint. With an ''external mix'' airbrush, the air and paint meet outside of the tip before mixing with each other, which creates a larger, coarser atomization pattern. External mix airbrushes are cheaper and more suited for covering larger areas with more viscous paints or varnishes, while internal mix airbrushes are more expensive and more suited for fine detail work with thinner paints.


Spray guns

The airbrush led to the development of the
spray gun Spray or spraying commonly refer to: * Spray (liquid drop) ** Aerosol spray ** Blood spray ** Hair spray ** Nasal spray ** Pepper spray ** PAVA spray ** Road spray or tire spray, road debris kicked up from a vehicle tire ** Sea spray, refers to ...
: a similar device that typically delivers a higher volume of paint and for painting larger areas. The first paint spraying machine was developed in 1887. Equipment by DeVilbiss and Binks is typical of modern sprayguns. The addition of a simple pistol grip adapter to an
aerosol paint Spray paint (formally aerosol paint) is paint that comes in a sealed, pressurized can and is released in an aerosol spray when a valve button is depressed. The propellant is what the container of pressurized gas is called. When the pressure hold ...
spray can create a cheap alternative to a spray gun.


Technique

Airbrush technique is the freehand manipulation of the airbrush, medium, air pressure, and distance from the surface being sprayed in order to produce a certain predictable result on a consistent basis with or without shields or stencils. Airbrush technique will differ with the type of airbrush being used (single-action or dual/double-action). Double-action airbrush technique involves depressing the trigger on the top of the airbrush with the index finger to release air only, and drawing it back gradually to the paint release threshold. The most important procedural dynamic is to always begin with air only and end with air only. By observing this rule, precise control of paint volume and line width and character can be achieved. The single most important airbrush stroke consistently utilized by professionals is the dagger stroke. This describes a stroke which begins wide and ends as a narrow line, created by starting with the brush far from the support and moving it evenly closer as the line is drawn. Single-action airbrush technique derives its name from the fact that only one action is required for operation. The single action of depressing the trigger releases a fixed ratio of paint to air. Achieving different line widths requires either changing the tip and nozzle combination or adjusting the spray volume manually between spray width changes. The most important aspect of proper single-action airbrush technique is to keep the hand moving before the trigger is depressed and after the trigger is released. This avoids the "bar bell" line.


Use


Art and illustration

Since the inception of airbrush technology, commercial artists and illustrators realized airbrushes allowed them to create highly rendered images and a high level of realism. Artists often use the airbrush in combination with cut stencils or items held freehand to block in a controlled manner the flow of paint onto the paper (or digital alternatives). Airbrush images can be found in advertising, publishing (e.g., book covers),
comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
s and
graphic novel A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...
s, and is popular among fantasy and science fiction artists.


Photo retouching

Airbrushing was long used to alter
photograph A photograph (also known as a photo, or more generically referred to as an ''image'' or ''picture'') is an image created by light falling on a photosensitivity, photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor. Th ...
s in the pre-digital era, and prior to airbrush a similar effect was achieved through the use of a pastel type of crayon. The very first design by Stanley alluded to this: "My invention relates to such improvements in atomizers that may be employed for finishing photographs in water-colors, india-ink, and crayon". In skilled hands an airbrush can be used to help hide signs that an image has been extensively retouched or "doctored". In the 20th century
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, as a result of Stalin's purges and later
destalinization De-Stalinization () comprised a series of political reforms in the Soviet Union after the death of long-time leader Joseph Stalin in 1953, and the thaw brought about by ascension of Nikita Khrushchev to power, and his 1956 secret speech "On t ...
, many photographs of officials from the periods show extensive airbrushing; often entire human figures have been removed. The term "airbrushed out" has come to mean rewriting history to pretend that something was never there. In contemporary academic discourse, the process of removing components from an image is formally known as '' object removal.'' The term "airbrushed" or "airbrushed photo" has also been used to describe glamour photos in which a model's imperfections have been removed, or in which their attributes have been enhanced. The term has often been applied in a pejorative manner to describe images of unrealistic female perfection and has been particularly common in reference to pictures in ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...
'', and later ''
Maxim Maxim or Maksim may refer to: Entertainment *Maxim (magazine), ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine ** Maxim (Australia), ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition ** Maxim (India), ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition *Maxim ...
''. Using
digital imaging Digital imaging or digital image acquisition is the creation of a digital representation of the visual characteristics of an object, such as a physical scene or the interior structure of an object. The term is often assumed to imply or include ...
technology, this kind of picture editing is now usually done with a
raster image upright=1, The Smiley, smiley face in the top left corner is a raster image. When enlarged, individual pixels appear as squares. Enlarging further, each pixel can be analyzed, with their colors constructed through combination of the values for ...
editor, which is capable of even more subtle work in the hands of a skilled touch-up artist. In the fine retouching industry, the airbrushing technique is often considered a low-end practice, with significantly inferior quality to that found in the most important fashion photography publications.


Murals

Airbrushes are also suitable for painting
mural A mural is any piece of Graphic arts, graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' ...
s.


Hobby

Airbrushes are commonly used by scale modeling enthusiasts to paint models because finer coats can be laid down, as well as opaque effects like weathering, adding stains etc. The fine atomization of paint in modern airbrushes also makes it possible to accurately reproduce soft-edged mottled camouflage schemes, which are very hard to do convincingly by hand-brushing (Luftwaffe aircraft are a good example of this). Many
radio-controlled model A radio-controlled model (or RC model) is a model that is steerable with the use of radio control (RC). All types of model vehicles have had RC systems installed in them, including ground vehicles, boats, planes, helicopters and even submarine ...
hobbyists also use the airbrush to create works of art on the
Lexan Polycarbonates (PC) are a group of thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate groups in their chemical structures. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent. They are easily wor ...
bodies. The paint jobs range from a basic one-color paint job to fine detailed works of art. Airbrushes have also become common tools in
cosplay Cosplay, a blend word of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and Fashion accessory, fashion accessories to represent a specific Character (arts), character. Cosplayers often i ...
, costuming, and
prop A prop, formally known as a (theatrical) property, is an object actors use on stage or screen during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...
-making.


Airbrush makeup application


History

Airbrushed makeup was used in
Hollywood movies The cinema of the United States, primarily associated with major film studios collectively referred to as Hollywood, has significantly influenced the global film industry since the early 20th century. Classical Hollywood cinema, a filmmakin ...
at least as early as the 1930s.
Monte Westmore Montague "Monte" Westmore (22 July 1902 – 30 March 1940) was a Hollywood make-up artist, the eldest of six sons of George Westmore. He worked for both the Famous Players–Lasky studio and Selznick International Pictures. He was the head of t ...
is sometimes credited with developing the technique for ''
Gone With the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...
'', but his brother
Wally Wally may refer to: People and fictional characters * Wally (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Wally the Green Monster, mascot of the Boston Red Sox * Water Wally, mascot of the Singapore's Public Utilities Board * Wall ...
was using it at least five years earlier in
Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was an era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry that occurred between the widespread adoption of sound in film in the late 1920s and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship gui ...
films such as ''
Murder at the Vanities ''Murder at the Vanities'' is a 1934 American pre-Code musical film with music by Victor Young. It was released by Paramount Pictures and directed by Mitchell Leisen. The film stars Victor McLaglen, Carl Brisson, Jack Oakie, Kitty Carlisle ...
''. Airbrush makeup has recently been re-popularized by the advent of
high-definition television High-definition television (HDTV) describes a television or video system which provides a substantially higher image resolution than the previous generation of technologies. The term has been used since at least 1933; in more recent times, it ref ...
and
digital photography Digital photography uses cameras containing arrays of electronic photodetectors interfaced to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to produce images focused by a lens, as opposed to an exposure on photographic film. The digitized image is ...
, wherein the camera sees more detail than ever before. Liquid foundations that are high in coverage but thin in texture are applied with the airbrush for full coverage without a heavy build-up of product. It is also a highly popular technique for
special effects makeup Prosthetic makeup also known as special makeup effects or FX prosthesis, is the process of using prosthetic sculpting, molding and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects. Prosthetics are used on stage and screen to create fantasy ...
as well as for the funeral industry. Alcohol-based mediums are best suited for waterproof make-up; this makeup lasts longer, is smudge proof, is rich and opaque in colour. But alcohol-based foundations can be too matte, and can lead to over-drying of the skin. They also can rub off due to excessive itching or fidgeting. Water based mediums are great for
clown A clown is a person who performs physical comedy and arts in an Improvisational theatre#Comedy, open-ended fashion, typically while wearing distinct cosmetics, makeup or costume, costuming and reversing social norm, folkway-norms. The art of ...
make-up, i.e., for short-term artistic or skin-friendly make-ups, these are easy to apply, and easy to remove, with minimal damage to the skin, but water-based make-up does not last a long while, and comes off easily, even more so with perspiration.
Silicone In Organosilicon chemistry, organosilicon and polymer chemistry, a silicone or polysiloxane is a polymer composed of repeating units of siloxane (, where R = Organyl group, organic group). They are typically colorless oils or elastomer, rubber ...
-based airbrush foundation, S/B foundation, is found in professional and premium retail airbrush brands, primarily for bridal make-ups, or mature skin. Silicone based
foundations Foundation(s) or The Foundation(s) may refer to: Common uses * Foundation (cosmetics), a skin-coloured makeup cream applied to the face * Foundation (engineering), the element of a structure which connects it to the ground, and transfers loads f ...
have the advantage of being medium to high coverage. Silicone-based airbrush foundation has another advantage of mimicking the skin texture, as to give no obvious sign of make-up, thereby giving a more natural look to the model. Silicone-based airbrush foundations are comparatively water-resistant but not waterproof; they do not overdry the skin, and are relatively easy to apply and remove with a mild make-up remover. In
special effects makeup Prosthetic makeup also known as special makeup effects or FX prosthesis, is the process of using prosthetic sculpting, molding and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects. Prosthetics are used on stage and screen to create fantasy ...
, airbrushes are the predominant tool for applying paint to prosthetic appliances. This method offers several advantages over traditional brushwork, including the minimization of edge peeling, the prevention of underlayer disturbance, and the reduced risk of damage to delicate prosthetic pieces. Furthermore, airbrushing facilitates the creation of translucent layers, crucial for achieving realistic skin tones and textures on foam and rubber-based prosthetics. Diverse airbrushing techniques and
stencil Stencilling produces an image or pattern on a surface by applying pigment to a surface through an intermediate object, with designed holes in the intermediate object. The holes allow the pigment to reach only some parts of the surface creatin ...
utilization enable the application of intricate patterns, enhancing the lifelike quality of the final makeup effect.


Temporary airbrush tattoos (TATs)

Airbrushes can also be used to apply temporary airbrush tattoos. An artist sprays ink onto the skin through a stencil. Often, the resulting design mirrors the look of a permanent tattoo, without any pain or discomfort. In the past, TATs might only last a week, but now, the best inks can last up to two weeks or longer.


Airbrush tanning

Airbrushes are used to apply special tanning solutions as a form of
sunless tanning Sunless tanning refers to the effect of a sun tanning, suntan without exposure to the Sun. Sunless tanning involves the use of #Oral agents, oral agents (carotenids), or creams, lotions or sprays applied to the skin. Skin-applied products may be ...
that simulates the appearance of a natural sun tan. It is promoted as a safer and healthier alternative to the damaging effects of long term exposure to the sun. It is often performed by companies also offering other sun tanning alternatives like
sun bed The Sun is the star at the centre of the Solar System. It is a massive, nearly perfect sphere of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core, radiating the energy from its surface mainly as visible light ...
s.


Finger nail art

Airbrushes are also used to apply images onto human finger nails as well as synthetic ones that are later glued to the person's actual finger nail.


Clothing

T-shirt airbrushing is popular—many T-shirt airbrush shops offer to paint any textile that will hold paint, including jeans, denim jackets, leather apparel, pillow cases, and hoodies. One well-known producer of airbrushed clothing is
Marc Ecko Marc Louis Ecko (né Milecofsky; August 29, 1972) is an American fashion designer, entrepreneur, and artist. He is the founder and chief creative officer of fashion company Ecko Unlimited. He also founded ''Complex'' magazine in 2002. Early ...
, who used to airbrush T-shirts when he started his clothing company.


Automotive

Airbrushes are used to spray murals, graphics, and other artwork on automobiles, motorcycles and helmets. This art form has been around since at least the fifties, but more recently it has seen an increase in popularity thanks to such shows as ''Rides'' and ''American Chopper''. Most professionals prefer to use automotive grade bases through top-of-the-line gravity fed airbrushes. The cost to hire a professional artist will vary from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on location, skill level and reputation.


Planetary cartography

Airbrush was a novel technique in the scientific portraying of the Moon and other planets in the 1960s. Airbrush maps were produced by USGS
Astrogeology Planetary geology, alternatively known as astrogeology or exogeology, is a planetary science discipline concerned with the geology of celestial bodies such as planets and their moons, asteroids, comets, and meteorites. Although the geo- prefix t ...
Branch to support the NASA Apollo missions.


Street artists

Many street artists use airbrushing to create names and pictures for tourists, such as around Jackson Square in
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
. In the mid-1970s,
Panama City Beach, Florida Panama City Beach is a resort town in the Florida Panhandle, and principal city of the Panama City Metropolitan Area. It is a popular vacation destination, especially among people in the Southern United States, and is located in the "Emerald C ...
was the airbrush capital of the world, with hundreds of artists painting custom designs on
T-shirts A T-shirt (also spelled tee shirt, or tee for short) is a style of fabric shirt named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Traditionally, it has short sleeves and a round neckline, known as a '' crew neck'', which lacks a collar. T-shir ...
.


Safety

When inhaled, finely dispersed paint and solvents can produce serious health hazards. Regulatory provisions such as those issued by the U.S.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA; ) is a regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. The United States Congress established ...
dictate strict requirements to prevent unsafe use in work environments.U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Washington, D.C
"Spray Operations."
''Safety and Health Topics.'' Accessed 2014-06-24.


See also

* Atomizer – more detail and applications on the atomizer *
Frederick William Lawrence Frederick William Lawrence (1892-1974) was a Canadian Americans, Canadian American airbrush Painting, painter, and probably the father of realistic spray painting. Formerly an officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), he served with th ...
– an early airbrush artist *
Syd Brak Syd Brak was a London-based illustrator. He is particularly recognized for his top selling poster ''Long Distance Kiss''. Early career In the mid-1970s, Syd was awarded the 'gold award' for design and illustration in Johannesburg South Africa by ...
– a contemporary airbrush artist *
H. R. Giger Hans Ruedi Giger ( ; ; 5 February 1940 – 12 May 2014) was a Swiss artist best known for his airbrushed images that blended human physiques with machines, an art style known as " biomechanical". He was part of the special effects team that won ...
Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...
sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
, airbrush, and sketch artist, who is famous for his work on the feature films, '' Alien'' and ''
Species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
'' * '' Airbrush Action Magazine'' – established in 1985, longest running publication for airbrushing and custom culture *
Aerosol paint Spray paint (formally aerosol paint) is paint that comes in a sealed, pressurized can and is released in an aerosol spray when a valve button is depressed. The propellant is what the container of pressurized gas is called. When the pressure hold ...
– similar technique with pressurised
aerosol propellant Aerosol spray is a type of dispensing system which creates an aerosol mist of liquid particles. It comprises a can or bottle that contains a payload, and a propellant under pressure. When the container's valve is opened, the payload is forced out ...
in a can *
List of art techniques There is no exact definition of what constitutes art. Artists have explored many styles and have used many different techniques to create art. Art techniques A * Airbrush#Technique, Airbrushing technique * Aerial_perspective#In_art, Aerial pe ...
*
Alberto Vargas Joaquin Alberto Vargas y Chávez (9 February 1896 – 30 December 1982) was a Peruvian-American painter of pin-up girls. He is often considered one of the most famous of the pin-up artists, and as one of the pioneers of airbrush art. Numerous ...
- airbrush artist, and the Vargas Award named after him awarded annually by Airbrush Action Magazine *
Man Ray Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky; August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976) was an American naturalized French visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealism, Surrealist movements, ...
, an airbrush art pioneer *
Cassandre Cassandre, pseudonym of Adolphe Jean-Marie MouronNotice d'autorité personne ...
, another airbrush art pioneer


References


External links


Airbrush Museum
nbsp;– history, photos and patent diagrams
ArteKaos Airbrush
nbsp;– Airbrush Manuals and parts PDF {{Authority control Painting techniques Photographic techniques Visual arts materials Pneumatic tools Artistic techniques