Keep your AIRBRUSH CLEAN! | an EASY METHOD for COLOR SWAPS and end of session cleaning

[@bradh9564]

I don’t know why I’m even surprised the best maintenance video I’ve seen to date would also have been made by the best airbrush artist on the platform. Thanks -Brad who’s about to go put his eclipses in a vice and take to them with a hammer 😂🙏🏻

[@theartworkshop]

hahah go easy on your eclipse! it's such a tough airbrush that it can probably handle it though. 🤣🤣 it'll always be my favorite airbrush. Thanks for the really kind words Brad.

[@RalphKramden-q4t]

Mark, I cannot thank you enough for this. My single biggest undoing in airbrushing has always been over this issue of keeping the brushes functional. I'm not proud to admit this, but I have to to so I can give the gratitude you are due. The reality is I'd be so enthusiastic on the art side and so clueless on the simple problem of maintaining the brushes themselves. I'd be into the piece, doing my thing and not prepared to end the session properly. I work until I have to stop and then, unprepared, many bad things happen to those brushes. You laid it all out in the simplest of terms and shared your tried and true methods to tackle this and now I feel so much better about being able to airbrush every day and not worry as long as I take these simple steps. Also a great insight that I can use my RO water rather than pure distilled water all the time. I got that correct, right? RO water is pure enough. Your artwork and teaching are so good. Your background in fine art and knowledge of art history are also huge plusses on this channel and I'm proud to support it! Please let me know if my payments ever stop. I had to change out a credit card and I'm not certain you are still getting the payments, so please let me know. All the best and thank you again! Kirk

[@theartworkshop]

Kirk- thanks so much my friend! Keeping an airbrush clean is super easy to do. It's just about flushing everything out with water and then some cleaner out the end to remove an residual paint. Keep on top of it, don't let paint dry in your airbrush, and you'll be good to go. Yes, RO water is excellent! The key is to have a pure water as close to 0 tds as possible. This way you're not getting any of those dissolved solids or impurities from tap water into your paint or airbrush. Thanks so much for your really kind words Kirk. Made my day to read such a nice comment from you.

[@sovietbear1917]

I'm overjoyed that I found your channel last month. I've used my airbrush more the last couple weeks than I have for the prior year.

[@theartworkshop]

hey thanks so much! Painting and art is such a great thing to be part of. So i'm really happy to hear that you're getting into it. Keep going!

[@KD0AFK33]

Thank you. This will be my standard practice.

[@theartworkshop]

most welcome- thank you back!

[@CrazyRobotFromSpace]

Thank you for the tips!

[@theartworkshop]

No problem!

[@louisliguore7199]

Great information, your tip on flushing after you wipe the paint cup is vary important, I have had cotton and brush hairs in my nozzle several times. Thanks!

[@theartworkshop]

oh yeah, me too! It's such a pain. I've even had a hair from my dog get into my airbrush one time. still trying to figure out how it happened 🤣 live and learn I guess. Thanks Louis!

[@aural_supremacy]

Thanks

[@flyboy2610]

The best cleaner I've found for water based acrylics is denatured (not isopropyl) alcohol. Dried paint doesn't stand a chance against it. Been using it for years, no issues. I like the tip about leaving some distilled water in the cup during breaks. Gonna have to remember that one! 👍

[@theartworkshop]

Yes, denatured alcohol is an excellent cleaner for dried paint on the outside of the airbrush. But never spray that into the air! Same goes for isopropyl. You don't ever want to breath that in. Can be dangerous.

[@gi1dor]

Do you think ethanol works better than isopropyl? Just curious why Are you using 70% ethanol? I use isopropyl, but always worry that it ruins my o-rings, even for short time

[@Cyril-eu4gf]

Thanks Mark. It’s a good routine to get into and saves problems down the line👍 I like the Schmincke Aero Colours and I also like Holbein.

[@theartworkshop]

Thanks Cyril! Schmincke aero might be my new paint. Everyone keeps telling me how great it is, but it's hard to get here in the US and it's expensive. I bought a bunch of their colors and man do they work well. Been loving it so far

[@rockartgeorge]

Hello. Unbeatable explanations once again. Many thanks

[@theartworkshop]

hello! Really appreciate that- thank you!

[@musoseven8218]

Always a pleasure and never a chore, really useful video (from a pro), and enjoyable too, I was contemplating if I needed to complicate/augment my regime, but not now, You've made it easier ✌️😊💜👍

[@theartworkshop]

thanks so very much! hope you have a great weekend my friend

[@musoseven8218]

@@theartworkshop You too 👍✌️💜😊

[@olly7248]

I do exactly what you do plus… I DO leave distilled water in the cup (1/2 to 3/4 full) when I put my airbrush back on the stand at the end of a session. It never evaporates totally and often has a few flecks of paint in it that somehow got missed… I just tip it out and add a couple of drops of thinner before starting again.

[@douglasperry1226]

So what about self made cleaners? What’s your opinion on that subject? Thanks for the tips!🤘🏼

[@theartworkshop]

I've used some in the past that were alright. The thing is that some of them can be dangerous to spray (ones with alcohol or ammonia based cleaners). A major health hazard if atomized through an airbrush. I prefer one made by a company designed for an airbrush that includes a SDS on how to use it effectively and safely. Hope this helps!

[@bentucker2301]

Strange that i got a notification this late to a video.

[@theartworkshop]

I get that sometime too. I'll probably never understand how youtube works.

[@bentucker2301]

@@theartworkshop or doesn't work

[@Pavelek88]

Ocasionally I leave paint in the cup (with a lid on!) for the next day... or even 3. The only thing i do before that is cleaning the tip with a brush soaked in cleaner and blow air. I over reduce all my paints, that's also a factor. No issues with performance so far.

[@theartworkshop]

yep, I do that too sometimes. I love the idea of the adding the lid on it to prevent evaporation. Great tip- thanks!

[@magcolor]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@theartworkshop]

thanks mag!

[@FreddieSmith-j9h]

Hi! I'm thinking about trying airbrushing and wondering if I need an enclosure for it. How much does the paint travel when sprayed on large artworks? Do you happen to have a video on this that I've missed? Your vids are so good!! So very inspiring ✌️

[@theartworkshop]

thank you! When you spray with an airbrush, there is always going to be overspray in the air. Ventilation is helpful and extraction systems are ideal. I use acrylic paints reduced with distilled water and I wear a respirator, especially when spraying in larger areas like backgrounds.

[@FreddieSmith-j9h]

@theartworkshop thank you for your reply - I really appreciate it! Does the paint travel much and get on the nearby floor and walls? I'm just worried about damaging the room I'm in.... I'm wondering how Dexter I need to go... 😕 😅

[@theartworkshop]

@@FreddieSmith-j9h hahah! Well the overspray results in a fine dust that will get on a lot of things in your paint room. It's not like dried paint or paint splatter. It builds up over time the more you spray. Respirators and ventilation are the most important though. Health is number one, so non-toxic airbrush paint is a must.

[@FreddieSmith-j9h]

@theartworkshop so helpful! Thanks so much mate - I really appreciate your thoughts and time ✌️⚡️Looking forward to your next vids!!

[@euronymoos]

If I don’t have access to distilled water and my tap water is very hard, is it possible to use airbrush cleaner to leave in the cup between sessions instead?

[@theartworkshop]

some people do, but I'm always nervous that it might affect some of the finish inside the airbrush. I'd stick with distilled water. You can find it at any supermarket and it's very cheap to purchase

[@deanbrown7643]

Thanks Mark I'm a full time paint sprayer in my day job and clean down meticulously after every shift some may call it anal I call it common sense I know the nxt day I can pick up my paint gun from the get go 😊😊 I do the same with my brushes when airbrushing at home

[@CrushinItAllDay]

That's a good habit to have! Thank you for this! I just had brain surgery and, needed a refresher tutorial! Nice job! Thank you.

[@theartworkshop]

Thanks Dean! Yep, I'm the same too. Like you said, you pick it up the next day and ready to go. Nothing better!

[@theartworkshop]

@@CrushinItAllDay Oh wow! I'm sorry to hear about this. How are you feeling? Hopefully you are recovering well and feeling better day by day. Thanks so much!

[@rockartgeorge]

@@CrushinItAllDay Best wishes from a stranger being part of the not-yet-rich painters' fraternity, who is hoping that you recover well and quickly.

[@CrushinItAllDay]

@@theartworkshop I had 2 seizures after the surgeries but, Doing better now. Finally getting back on track with things. I'm still not 100% but, I'm able enough to do small stuff.

[@bobbond8232]

Interresting. I was under the impression that you were using Createx Illustration acrylics. It looks like you switched over to Aero Color and Golden. Why?

[@theartworkshop]

I've been using the illustration colors since they launched- over 10 years now. I love createx and their paints but I've been looking for something a bit stronger than the illustration line, yet still erasable. I was using golden acrylics like the high flow (used to be called golden airbrush colors) long before createx, so they will always be part of my lineup. I bought a bunch of Schmincke aero colors recently and have been loving them. I'll need a year or so to decide if I fully switch over.

[@AtelierArcasoy]

Mark, I am using Schmincke Aerocolor since 10 years and Createx illustration colors since 2 years. The main difference is on Scmincke line is finer grain…Schmincke is more stronger and just a little hard to erase…Some colors are too deep than Createx, it is hard to balance sometimes…

[@theartworkshop]

@@AtelierArcasoy Thanks so much Mehmet! The Schmincke paints are surprisingly difficult to purchase here in New York (expensive here too!), so I never bothered ordering them until recently. I've been have a great time working with them so far. Which paints do you prefer?

[@AtelierArcasoy]

@@theartworkshop Actually , I am using both Createx and Schmincke Aerocolor. The main problem on Schmincke ; most of the colors are opaque and some transparents…They have a medium for transparency ( 50 602) , it is long way of material lab. Createx illustration colors line are more useful because no need any agents…

[@theartworkshop]

@@AtelierArcasoy Thanks so much Mehmet. Really appreciate this info!

[@markt8528]

What I do when I clean my airbrush that I found very effective is to backflow the air back into the cup. I am able to get rid of the paint stuck in the nozzle better. I used to get dried paint clogging the nozzle more often but with the backflow method I don't get it anymore

[@worm1618]

Please dont use tap if you live in an area with really hard water...