What it takes to Airbrush Shirts

So what does it take to be a professional airbrush shirt artist? This is a question posed by many artists who are interested in the field of airbrushing in general. The thought of being financially secure doing what you love is not only shared by artists, but by the public as well. Fortunately enough starting your own airbrush business inside your garage or studio takes minimal investment which we will cover here.
Where to start? First and foremost, learn to airbrush. A statement like that may sound easier said than done but in fact the process is quite simple. If you have any artistic talent and a basic knowledge of Roy G. Biv, being an airbrush artist may be more natural to you than you think. For added resources go to you tube and do a search for "Learn to airbrush". There is a wealth of information out there that can provide you with the basic knowledge and techniques used to airbrush shirts.
Next you will want to choose your equipment. This may take some time (and I recommend that it does) as you will want to familiarize yourself with the industry. Find out what airbrushes are out there and, if you can, try some out. There are great manufacturers that make brushes specifically for airbrushing shirts so do some homework and find which one best suits your needs. Some of the more popular brands are IWATA and Badger. As you begin you may find that your funds are low. This is fine as you will be able to get by with a single airbrush setup that can get you through. As your business and funds grow, you will most likely want a multi brush system that can churn out more product in a much faster timeframe. With that, you can also purchase a small air compressor from your local home improvement store. It should come equipped with a holding tank for built up pressure and a pressure gauge. Also look for an available water tap and you have a great starting point at around $200. Mind you it will be very noisy, but better than no compressor at all. When your business increases you can look into purchasing a unit with less noise.
As for paints, I would recommend looking around for sample ones to use first. These can be obtained fairly cheap, if not free. The purpose is to use the samples on a scrap shirt and wash according to the directions. When the wash is done you will be able to see which paint stood the test. Remember that customer service is a big part of business and if your customers don't like the paint, they won't return to your shop.

Ruben is a local writer with a focus on Airbrush Kits. Visit his website to learn more!

Airbrush Shirts

Putting a unique design on a piece of clothing via the airbrush has been around since the late 60's into the early 70's. Soon many people began to set up shops around the country that dealt exclusively with airbrush shirts. Now in modern times the industry of designing images on clothing has gone to a more digital print method but there are a few shops that use airbrush and are doing quite well.

Waning to get started to airbrush shirts? Here is my quick rundown of the key items you will need in order to move forward to create some of your own awesome shirts.

The airbrush you select is going to be the center piece and will help dictate the quality and style of your work. You will want to select an airbrush that is able to handle a thicker textile paint that is commonly used for spraying on clothing. Most airbrush shirts artist commonly use siphon feed airbrushes, as well. This feature really aids in the quick changing of one color to the next. Some of the more popular brands used by t-shirt artists are the Iwata Eclipse model HP-BSC, Paasche VLS double action airbrush, and the Badger Crescendo.

The compressor is another important part that you will need in order to airbrush shirts. When thinking about which compressor you will need to purchase please consider at what level of production you will be working. If you are going to be doing a large amount of airbrushing you will need a more commercial compressor, say one from a home supply store such as Lowes or Home Depot. If you will be more of a casual user then one of the airbrush manufacturer's compressors should suit your needs. The recommended air pressure to properly spray textile paint is about 40 - 60 psi. Some of the more popular brands include Paasche D3000R Compressor, Badger's Cyclone, and the Iwata Power Jet Air Compressor.

As I mentioned before, you will most likely be working with a textile paint. These paints will need to be heat set in order for them to be made permanent on your shirt or clothing. Most recommend using a heat set clear coat textile paint before and after you start. When you heat set the clear coat before you paint, you get a nice smooth surface to work on and when you clear coat after, it seals your design in. This technique is mainly used on more detailed designs. Createx and Badger both make good quality paints.

Ruben is a local writer with a focus on Airbrush Kits. Visit his website to learn more!