Airbrushing is an artistic technique that involves spraying various media such as inks, dyes, or paints onto almost any surface with a compressed air tool called an airbrush. Artists pursue airbrushing because of the potential for stunning realism in their final work. There are various techniques to the art, many of which can be difficult to master. The airbrush was first invented in the late 1890s, making it a century-old art form.
While many artists learn airbrushing skills for personal expression, it is also widely used in a variety of commercial applications. Artistic airbrushing is a highly sought-after skill in the auto body industry, which is one of the leading commercial industries. Other commercial applications where this art is common include photo touch-ups and restoration, custom clothing, and fingernail art. The technique is used to apply coats of paint to a variety of objects and surfaces in a similar but less artistic way.
Airbrushing can be done with stencils, but it’s more often done freehand. Artists who master the process must be skilled not only at recreating images, but also at manipulating the trigger with the appropriate amount of pressure and blending different colors together, as well as shadowing and highlighting. It can add incredible realism to images and graphics when done correctly, and it is sometimes used to paint realistic murals.
Custom airbrushed graphics and designs are typically applied freehand on motorcycles and helmets, automobiles, trucks, and boats. An auto body artist, like a tattoo artist, can often design an image based on a customer’s request, making the graphics truly unique. For a graphic artist who is skilled in the techniques, this can be a very lucrative business.
Another area where airbrushing can be profitable is custom t-shirts. At amusement parks, carnivals, street fairs, festivals, and other large crowd-drawing events, street artists airbrush portraits, names, and other designs. Nail artists who use these techniques are usually not freehand artists, but rather use a combination of airbrushing and stencils.