Considering a course...

[BarryW]

I am seriously considering paying for a full day's training on the use of an airbrush. There is one on the 30th September costing £99 specifically aimed at modelling. The money is not an issue, the

day out of the office is an issue as is the two hour drive each way to get there...

Any views on whether this might be worthwhile?

 

[AlanG]

Cost aside i think it's a good idea. We can always improve on our techniques and planning.

 

[phalinmegob]

training is usefull for anything but it will be costing a lot more than £99,four hours driving worth of petrol and a day off work. In my veiw, if you already have an airbrush,then you could probably learn as much if not more by reading through all the posts here and then buying a couple of tins of paint for a fiver and practising on empty pop bottles or cheap models whilst watching the numerous videos on youtube.(but then again ,i am skint and the thought of paying £99 for anything would scare me to death)

 

[spanner570]

As most of you know, I brush paint only so I can sit on the fence well and truly on this.

I can see merit in both sides put forward thus far, but I must confess I lean towards Andrew's post. The full cost would put me off for a start....

I have been on a few courses on various things in my time and I found that, because folks all learn at a different pace, someone might be a bit slow and drops behind, pressure becomes an issue and an irritant to faster learners, then it is no longer fun. Far better to go down Andrew's path. Have a play in your own time, at your own pace....and save the beer tokens!

Ron

 

[stona]

Nothing wrong with a course if you can afford the time and money. I do believe that the best way to learn is to practice,but hopefully the course will give you a few tips and short cuts.

It's up to you,it can't be a bad thing!

Cheers

Steve

 

[geegad]

I was considering it I actually brought my airbrush from the airbrush company and they offered me a session half price but never got around to it.and know I happy where I am still learning but that's half the fun with this hobby you never know it all

So it's just my thought but good luck with what ever you decide

Geegad

 

[tecdes]

Barry before you decide to go on this course have a look at - Guest Login.

There are 6 by 30 min videos that Phil Flory has produced on air brushing. Think that probably the only thing you will not get from these videos, which you may from a course, is what you are doing wrong. What you will get is I am sure mostly what the course is about. But at least if you do go on a course after viewing these tutorial videos you have a very good idea of what it is all about. Will cost £3:00 per month to lock into these tutorials big big saving. Not only on Airbrushing but on producing models from getting them out of the box to completion, Decaling, masking & many other things. Wow surprise surprise including Klear !

What I have found in my short history in modeling is exactly as Steve has mentioned practice & more & more practice. I am also of the opinion that it is best to dabble first of all without other than minimal info make mistakes as these lead to the correct & remembereed way of doing things. Then fill in afterwards with any difficulties from all the expertise on this Forum.

As my wife Pauline will constantly remind me daily. "Why do you not read the instructions first". I really do hate pedants. She is good at cooking though.

Laurie

 

[Cooperman69]

Where abouts is this airbrushing course Barry?

 

[BarryW]

The course is in Lancing Cooperman

tecdes, I recognise a bit of myself in what your wife tells you, it has been said to me on more than one occasion. I will take a look at the link you provided, many thanks.

Thanks to all of you for your input. I will look on-line and see how I get on with the brush over the next week or two before making a decision. The course may only be £99 but taking that day off out of the office at my charge out rate would cost me well over £1,000!!!! Truth is it would not actually cost that as I would re-schedule work and work around it but it does show the value of time!

It really is just the airbrush work that I need to get my head around. The construction side and brush painting is coming back to me quite fast despite the 30 year gap. I was quite good at it back in the day but without an airbrush. Forgot a lot, but the mistakes I have been making on the practises I have been doing is bringing it all back to me.

It does amaze me how much has changed since then with all the different ways of doing things, I learned 'The Verlinden Way' in those days and have been re-reading Verlinden's books but have also been looking at and practising the Spanish Method, need a very steady hand and good eyesight for that and I am thinking I might stick to Verlinden but introduce some of the new methods.

 

[AlanG]

For that total cost then youtube is a great learning tool lol

 

[stona]

There's probably a whole other thread for we,let's not beat about the bush, older modellers in the various methods that come into and fall out of fashion. I've never slaveishly followed any method. For example,if I remember rightly the Verlinden method needed repeated dry brushing with ever lighter shades and was a very good way off fading areas of a model. I never did it by the book,though to this day I "wear" a metal pilot's seat using a version of it. I think we can all take on the principles of the different methods and adapt them to suit ourselves.

You do need to spray some pretty fine shadow lines for the Spanish method!Then there is all that highlighting etc.

Cheers

Steve

 

[john]

I've looked at going on the same course several times knowing the airbrush co it will be value for money, the only thing that is putting me off is the travelling, but if you are not bothered about that then go for it.

 

[phalinmegob]

£1000 per day call out charge............bloody hell ,what do you do, ,wait a month or two and then buy the airbrush company than you can have as many lessons as you like and get them to come to you..

only joking ,another option would be to see if there is a modelling club in your area that you could join where you could learn off other members maybe.

 

[BarryW]

Charge out rate, not call out....

Lets put it this way phalinmegob, if you ever want some top class independent fee based investment advice message me!!!:bye:

Thanks for the tip about a modelling club, good advice. I will look into it.

 

[Ian M]

Charge out rate, not call out....Lets put it this way phalinmegob, if you ever want some top class independent fee based investment advice message me!!!:bye:

Thanks for the tip about a modelling club, good advice. I will look into it.

And there was me thinking you where a lawyer or a dentist!

Before I would fork out the costs involved in the course, I would settle for a couple of DVD's and some brain picking on here.

Should you go it would be interesting to hear about it.

Ian M

 

[andygh]

Before I would fork out the costs involved in the course, I would settle for a couple of DVD's and some brain picking on here.

I'll second that, followed by practice, practice, practice

 

[Gern]

There's nothing like doing things yourself to learn practical skills, but it's always useful if you have an expert standing next to you to point out your errors and demonstrate methods.

I've seen some of the videos you guys refer to and, in their own way, they're very good and it is possible to learn things from them. However, when I was teaching, a lot of my vocational students told me they had a different name for this kind of teaching method. They called it "Death by Powerpoint".

I know it's very much down to the individual, but if I had a chance to attend such a course, I'd jump at it.

Gern

 

[spanner570]

Slightly off on a tangent, but Dave's post reminded me of the days when my missus teached.

When the students were a bit awkward and she was getting a bit cheesed off, the next person who asked a question was told to use the 'Fofo method'!!!

I will leave the reader to decypher the word....

Cheers,

Ron

 

[BarryW]

Barry before you decide to go on this course have a look at - Guest Login. There are 6 by 30 min videos that Phil Flory has produced on air brushing. Think that probably the only thing you will not get from these videos, which you may from a course, is what you are doing wrong. What you will get is I am sure mostly what the course is about. But at least if you do go on a course after viewing these tutorial videos you have a very good idea of what it is all about. Will cost £3:00 per month to lock into these tutorials big big saving. Not only on Airbrushing but on producing models from getting them out of the box to completion, Decaling, masking & many other things. Wow surprise surprise including Klear !

What I have found in my short history in modeling is exactly as Steve has mentioned practice & more & more practice. I am also of the opinion that it is best to dabble first of all without other than minimal info make mistakes as these lead to the correct & remembereed way of doing things. Then fill in afterwards with any difficulties from all the expertise on this Forum.

As my wife Pauline will constantly remind me daily. "Why do you not read the instructions first". I really do hate pedants. She is good at cooking though.

Laurie

Thanks for this tip

I have subscribed and watched the videos. Then I set about putting some of this into practice....

I have certainly made progress, moved from 'totally incompetent and don't know what I am doing' to 'incompetent but knows a bit more' I am sure that in time, with practice and a few more viewings of these videos that I will improve on that!

I did manage to produce some very thin lines but found that the bottle on my airbrush gets in the way stopping me from getting closer.

I think I will buy another airbrush with a gravity feed, without spending too much. It looks as if these are easier to work with cleaning between colours/mixing etc. As I like large scale planes the old bottle fed one will still get a lot of use on larger areas so I don't regret that purchase.

 

[tecdes]

Wise move Barry. I started with a suction feed bottle under & single action airbrush & found they are just awful at least for learning the art.

Soon gave this model up & went to a gravity feed dual action & this changed airbrushing into a joy (near) from a complete frustrating horrible soul destroying episode in my modeling life. Nearly gave up.

Not sure if your existing brush is single or dual action. If yours is single do not worry when you read as I did when opting for the single action that dual is only for those who are accomplished airbrushes. Dead easy. Press down for air & keep it there pull back for paint flow.

Any body need a single action drag the paint in bottle under the airbrush model. No ! Wise.

Laurie