Air-brushing tools and equipment?

I've been busy but wanted to login and say I appreciate the feedback . Primer is best regardless if using a brush or sprayer I know about that from basic house painting, I didn't know it would stick better than the paint so I learned something new today . Learning how to strip the paint off beforehand is next on my learning list as well. Again, thanks for the replies I appreciate it!

The plastic (especially PVC) naturally doesn't want to let paint stick to it, it's a problem that goes down to the atomic level. It's actually fascinating stuff, if you like to read big words that make your head hurt anyway lol

I recently started using primer again and have no regrets.

Removing factory paint is easy. Use acetone and beauty sponges to wipe the painted area. The sponge will absorb any paint that's being dissolved as you wipe, so you won't spread the paint to other areas.

If you just need to basecoat large areas to get a consistent basecolor, like if you have a rainbow colored figure and you need it to be a single color so the next layers are a consistent shade, then just use primer, way cheaper and it bonds better than paint alone.

Primer also makes painting large areas go faster because the paint actually wants to stick to it.

Airbrushing is alright, but there are unexpected expenses that pop up. For example, you may find that you like the coverage of a .5mm nozzle tip versus a .3mm, then you have to buy the new nozzle along with a new needle that fits. Clean up is also a pain, if your brush gets even a little clogged its gonna sputter and piss you off to no end. And remember to buy thinner so you can use your acrylic paints. A lot of those prethinned airbrush paints like Createx require you to bake them to cure or else they get sticky and gummy, total nonsense. Read everything before you commit to a certain paint.

Anyway, I use a Talon too, it was on sale with a decent compressor that comes with a moisture trap and has adjustable psi.

I suggest you get a single action airbrush though, theyre mechanically simple and all you need for covering large areas, then do any detail work by hand. Double action just means you can control how much paint flys out by moving the lever back and forth, single action shoots a constant steady amount.

And a random tip, for whatever reason it seems like if you spray a little black between a figures muscles, your custom will sell for like 50 bucks more than usual. I don't understand why people go nuts over such simple shading, but take advantage of it lol.

I need to get a tutorial up on airbrushing basics. Right now I use an Iwata HP CS Eclipse airbrush with a tank compressor (get a tank one, not the one that runs all the time) a 10 foot hose, quick disconnect, and water trap/PSI adjustment gauge combo. Works for detailing tiny lines to covering the whole figure!

I use a Paasche Talon. I'm still at the basics of airbrushing, but it does what I need it to do. I've had better luck with gravity feed dual action then other types of airbrushes but that is just my opinion.

My only suggestion is if you feel that you are really going to stick with it is get an air compressor that you can adjust the psi on. They are a little more expensive but completely worth it if you want to achieve different effects and want to use on other surfaces other than figures.

As for tutorials, Youtube has a ton on cleaning, painting different effects, and anything else you are curious about. I've been using an airbrush for a few years and I have seen a lot of videos, but at the end of the day, practice and repetition is what makes you better.