The work of a manicurist is quite complicated and painstaking. To facilitate and improve the design methodology, a special spray gun - an airbrush - was made. This novelty resembles a miniature pneumatic remote control for painting cars. Airbrushing is a technique of applying a color coating, creating real masterpieces and compositions using “spray” paint.
Thanks to the airbrush, it became possible to apply various types of gradient. Later in the article you will learn how to work properly with an airbrush and how to care for it. If it is difficult for you to draw with a brush, do not despair, with the help of an airbrush you can create beautiful and stylish nails.
The principle of operation of the airbrush
In modern nail art, an indispensable assistant has appeared - airbrush. The tool allows you to apply paint in the thinnest layer, creating smooth transitions and halftones, which an ordinary brush will never be able to. In working with any unfamiliar device, you first need to study the principle of its action.
So, further we learn how to work with an airbrush on nails:
- Having chosen the necessary color of the coloring matter, fill it into the “cup” located on top of the instrument (a couple of drops are enough for nail design). Close the container with a special lid so as not to spill the paint.
- Before applying the drawing, you should check the operation of the airbrush on a blank sheet of paper, possibly. drops of old paint remain in the spray gun.
- For correct operation, you need to hold the tool at an angle of 45 degrees. As a guide, you can use the “cup” - its lid should be parallel to the table.
- Next, you need to drive the air through the airbrush system, for this it is enough to press the trigger lever several times.
- Simultaneously press and move the trigger lever towards you - this action is responsible for the amount of sprayed substance. The stronger the lever is pulled, the more intense is the color density.
- When working with an airbrush, you need to constantly move the spray panel to prevent a wet spot of paint.
- To draw thin lines you need to bring the airbrush close to the surface. The farther the sprayer is from the painting surface, the more transparent and softer the transitions become, and the width of the paint exposure increases.
- To obtain an intensely colored transition, you need to slow down the movement of the hand with an airbrush.
Now you know how an airbrush works, so feel free to start training on tips or paper. When working with a sprayer, you can not only control the intensity of the dye spray, but also the air outlet.
Airbrush flushing process
You need to perform nail design in different colors, so it is important to be able to properly clean the airbrush from the coloring matter. It is important to remember that you need to rinse the tool after each use, regardless of what color of paint you will use next time. You need to clean the airbrush with a special paint thinner.
The instrument flushing pattern is simple:
- Free the “cup” of paint.
- Fill the container with solvent (approximately ⅔).
- Take a dense napkin or a piece of cloth, firmly press it to the nozzle of the tool (where the paint is sprayed from) and press the air supply lever - air bubbles form in the solvent.
- Next, move the airbrush away from the napkin and rinse the tool by pressing the trigger and moving it towards you until the solvent runs out.
- The quality of cleaning can be seen by the transparency of the sprayed solvent. If the napkin is clean, then the wash is successful (when using pigmented paint, several washings may be necessary).
With frequent use of an airbrush, a more thorough cleaning of the tool is needed. To do this, unscrew the upper part of the spray gun (where the needle is located) and wipe everything with a cloth moistened with solvent. It is also worth washing the extreme part of the nozzle, which lends itself to loosening.
Watercolor for airbrush
No matter how you try to create a smooth transition of colors with a brush, the result will be a miserable likeness to the design that can be created using an airbrush. How does an airbrush with water paints work, because watercolor has a transparent effect? The fact is that commercially available products are very dense in color, which are easy to apply and dry quickly. Therefore, you definitely need to buy acrylic paints (water-based), which is advised by most masters.
The color palette can be assembled manually or buy a ready-made set of paints. The consistency of the coloring composition should resemble milk, otherwise you risk clogging the nozzle.
How to work with airbrushes with watercolors? Very simple. Your task is to choose pigmented paints with good hiding power. And also it is necessary to get used to the working consistency. It is also advisable to pay attention to the toxicity of the product, because you will have to work with it very often. The paint should dry quickly, mix well with other colors and not crack. The quality and consistency of the paint determines how the airbrush works.
Airbrush Stencil
The next most important subject for a manicurist is stencil stickers that will help create patterns and outlines of figures on the nail plate. Like paints, stencils can be bought as a set or individually. Stickers can be disposable or for long-term use. Instead of stencil, you can easily use ordinary lace, fine mesh or paper tape. But stencils are more convenient. On sale there are various figures of animals, fruits, New Year's decor, geometric and animal print, etc.
Airbrush compressor
For comfortable operation, you need to choose a suitable compressor that will match your sprayer. Requirements:
- The most silent work of the tool.
- Optimum performance.
- Light weight.
Approaching the choice of such an important part is necessary with special responsibility, because an airbrush without a compressor does not work as well as we would like. Compressor performance is responsible for the volume of air that passes through the spray device, so special attention should be paid to this factor.
Airbrush drawing process
You may have seen nail design options where the paint is applied very airy and unobtrusive, where the silhouette is framed by a light haze, like fog - all this is the merit of an airbrush. How do these color transitions come about?
Let's understand:
- To begin with, we carry out standard processing of the nail plate, cover it with a degreaser, primer and base.
- We cover the nails with gel polish in the standard technique. Be sure to remove the dispersion layer to obtain clearer lines.
- Glue the stencil with the selected pattern to the nail. We spray paint with the required color density on top of the sticker. For example, you can get the ombre effect. Next, remove the stencil sticker.
- At the end, cover all the nails with the top.
If you don’t have stencils, then use ordinary stationery tape, and then your design options will become unique and copyrighted.
Airbrush Features
Getting a nail design with an airbrush can take a lot of time, but if you tested the tool, so to speak, “stuffed” your hand, then you can quite cope in 10-20 minutes.
Using an airbrush you can get the following effects:
- You can achieve non-standard coloristic compounds with the effect of a moving image.
- Get new transitions and color tones.
- Easily apply an animal or geometric print.
- Get clear and rigorous contours.
Having familiarized yourself with how the airbrush works, you can perform an impeccable gradient, which is at the peak of popularity in modern nail art.
Popular airbrush nail designs
Now we’ll analyze how to work with an airbrush to simulate the most unusual designs so that your work is not only beautiful, but also modern, popular and unique. Of course, ombre is the most popular nail design, with the help of an airbrush you can perform it very quickly and efficiently.
There are 2 main types of design using an airbrush: creating a halo and painting. In the first case, a sticker is used in the form of a pattern, which must be worked out with a spray gun and subsequently removed, leaving the frame of the picture with various color transitions.
The second option is shading, it happens the other way around. A stencil is glued to the nail, which can be painted over with a thick layer of paint in the style of an ombre or air haze. Over time, you will become better versed in the technique, methods and design options of nails. You can easily work with an airbrush. As with any tool, you must adhere to the rules for its use, then the airbrush will serve you for a very long time.
Confectionery airbrush
Cooking does not cease to amaze and becomes a real art that requires special dexterity, caution and talent. Specialists in decorating confectionery products increasingly began to offer to use an airbrush. How to work with cakes with a spray gun? Very simple. It is enough to choose the food coloring of the desired consistency, and decorate the culinary product in an unusual format.
Having studied the following criteria, you can choose a high-quality airbrush:
- Single or double instrument (the second allows you to control the intensity of the air supply).
- Size and location of the “cup” for paint.
- The location of the eyeliner.
- Power and compressor performance.
- The capacity of the receiver.
- External or internal mixing.
Do not forget to consult with the seller or other users of confectionery airbrushes, so as not to buy too expensive tools or poor quality.