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There are many ways to learn how to paint, with each method having pros and cons. Here we will examine and compare methods of learning. Most emerging artists give up out of frustration, and never attain their dreams of artistic excellence. Why? Because there is so much knowledge that is needed to gain command over the image, and it takes...

If we are going to paint a object, we often need to be able to identify the color of that object at some point. It's not always as straightforward as it sounds, and there are several ways to describe how to identify the color of an object. Local color is the natural color of an object unmodified by adding reflections,...

 Which is better?This image shows a comparison between the older short trigger on the right, and the newer taller trigger on the left. Both are in Iwata CM-SB airbrushes.If you've searched for upgrades for your airbrush, by now you might have noticed that some companies are selling a "tall trigger upgrade." There's a lot of reasons why this might sound...

We all bend our airbrush needle from time to time, and usually at the worst possible moment, with no spare needle at the ready. To quote inventor and airbrush artist Chad Elliott, “When you are down to your last needle towards the end of a project in the late hours of the night that is not when you want to...

  We've been counting down the top 14 airbrush mistakes, and we are down to the spot number 1. The biggest mistake artists make is simply waiting on opportunity instead of creating opportunity. Many people hold the belief that success is obtained only though sheer luck. These people take no initiative and make no effort to realize their goals. Sure,...

It is invisible. Sometimes you notice it, but most of the time you don't. Everyone tends to ignore its presence, but if you are airbrushing, it is there… right in front of you…assaulting you continuously. Almost all airbrush artists know it exists, and yet they do not fear it. What is this insidious danger that airbrush artists feel they are...

Stopping paint and air at the same time. This may not qualify for number one, but it is by far the most common mistake airbrush artists make...ever! It is also one of the most difficult habits to break.  It is actually more common among more experienced airbrush artists, especially if they are self-taught.If you cut off the air and the...

There is a tool used against artists. Some people think that it is a substitute for money. The claim is that it will gain the artist a lot of business, and therefore the artist should reduce their fee. However, artists tend to forget that the job they do will earn them this anyway, regardless of whether they were paid or...

  We don't perceive reality like a camera does, especially when it comes to color. We unconsciously alter the colors in our world in subjective ways . For instance, we tend to increase the intensity of the colors of objects that interest us, and we end up painting them more vividly than they actually are. However, in the visual world...

Obviously with this stickman, its not the subject. Some artists paint portraits without referring to their subject, whether it be a live model or a photograph.  Creative? Yes. Spontaneous? Maybe. Smart? Well....not if you care that your painting actually resembles the person you are painting. Ok, time for a disclaimer: I'm not advocating becoming a slave to the photograph, but...