Do You Need To Thin Airbrush Paint?

Written by Colt in Micsellaneous

Given that airbrush paint is labeled as such, It doesn’t exactly mean it is 100% ready to be used in your airbrush. Depending on a few different factors your airbrush paint may need to be thinned down alittle more then it currently is, before running it through your airbrush.

Otherwise you could end up spending more time tinkering with the airbrush trying to get it to work correctly then actually using it…

Today we will be discussing whether or not you need the thin down your airbrush paint before use…

Now, to take care of the elephant in the room… “Do you need to thin airbrush paint?”

Well, Under most circumstances thinning or reducing your airbrush paint prior to running it through the airbrush will result in a better spray pattern, as airbrush paint straight out of the bottle is commonly alittle thick for airbrush use. However, every paint is different.

The brand of airbrush paint you use, and your intentions behind that paint will determine whether or not you have to thin the paint down more than it currently is.

But in most cases I’m certain you’ll find reducing your airbrush paint will improve how the airbrush handles and operates.

Color Can Impact Reduction Ratios

To go deeper into this question its important to note, Color differences between your airbrush paint can impact the amount of thinner necessary to make the paint spray optimally.

For example,

Black commonly requires less thinner then White of the same proportion size.

It’s actually quite common for lighter colored airbrush paints (especially acrylics) to need a greater amount of reducer added to the paint then its counterparts (The darker colors).

Also The Finish Impacts Thinning Ratios

I’m sure you’ve heard of Opaque colors, or Transparent colors, maybe even Candy colors, or Pearl Colors.

Well these are simply finish options that make the paint appear differently. You can learn more about each finish type over on my article discussing Paint types ideal for airbrush use.

But in short these different finish options can heavily impact the amount of reducer necessary to thin the paint to the consistency required for the job at hand…

Let’s Compare Opaque’s to Transparent to further illustrate this point.

  • Opaque’s – Are paints that allow no light to pass through the paint.
  • Transparent’s – Are paints that do allow light to pass through

Now, I bring this up because in order to make transparent paints transparent, they need to be reduced down to a greater extent so that light can pass through it. (Which is done during the manufacturing process)

While Opaque’s are typically much thicker in terms of consistency, due to the paint needing to be thicker in order to get more complete pigment coverage.

So what does this mean…

You’ll need much less reducer in your paint when working with transparent paints vs. opaque’s. Simply because transparent colors are much thinner to begin with when compared to the opaque colors.

So if there is any specific finish type of airbrush paint that does not need thinning before hand, its likely going to be transparent colors.

What Can Happen If You Don’t Thin Your Airbrush Paint

Well, some (depending on the brand, and color of the paint) can get away with airbrushing airbrush paint directly out of the bottle. However, it’s likely you’ll need to use a much higher PSI to achieve a decent spray pattern when doing so.

But, most will likely experience clogging of the airbrush, along with an inconsistent spray pattern, and over working of the airbrush compressor due to the need for a higher PSI to get the thicker paint through.

Conclusion

For most, you’ll need to thin down your airbrush paint (assuming your using water-based acrylic airbrush paint). Even transparent & darker colors will likely need to be thinned down before use. Where as opaque colors & lighter colors will most definitely have to be reduced down to achieve optimal spray…

By thinning your airbrush paint, you’ll be able to spray at a much lower PSI which in turn has many benefits, from less demand on your compressor to a reduction in overspray…

I personally use createx airbrush colors, and I always thin it down before running it through the airbrush. I actually like to over reduce my paint as it makes it spray much better, and just makes me feel more in control.

Reducing paint is actually quite easy once you get the hang of it, and knowing how to do so gives you much more control over your paint… Learn how to properly reduce airbrush paint now!

Anyway, I hope you were able to find some value here! If you have any further questions regarding the airbrush do be sure to take a look around the website. Airbrush Insider is dedicated to helping all in the airbrush community!

This is Colt signing off!

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Colt

Hello, My Name Is Colt. I have always had an interest in the artistic, and creative side of things. But personally, I enjoy the process of shading and using gradients in order to achieve a photo realistic, 3D image of my choosing! That is the why I employ the airbrush every time I work! I have found the process of Airbrushing to be very therapeutic, and allows me to utilize the creative side of my brain to a greater extent! If you'd like to learn more about me, be sure to check me out over on my About Page

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