Hobby Accident $$$

[NeilUnreal]

Arrghhh! I just dropped an airbrush and broke the paint tip (somehow, the needle survived!). Who would believe a piece of metal smaller than a caraway seed could cost so much!?

Oh well, I guess I can practice equanimity now and patience while waiting for the replacement...

How do you handle those situations when a hobby suddenly becomes more distressing than work? Perserverance? Or maybe change of pace? As I get older, I'm finding quiet perserverance pays off in the long run.

-Neil

 

[Deacon]

My nine-fingered dad's hobby is carpentry. Hobbies can be expensive.

 

[SaggyWoman]

I hate it when that happens, Neal.

 

[Dr. Bob]

HEY - Am I the only one that doesn't have CLUE ONE about what you're talking about???

 

[following-Him]

no, bob, you're not. i am clueless too.

 

[NeilUnreal]

I'm trying to get back into art as a hobby. An airbrush is a tool for spraying paint under air pressure. They vary in size, but it my case it's an illustration brush with lots of small, delicate, and expensive parts. The part I broke was the smallest, most delicate, and most expensive.

It's amazing how little painting is actually involved in airbrushing. It's 30% cutting friskets, 30% mixing paint, 5% painting, and 30% cleaning the brush (with 5% swearing and throwing things distributed over the entire process!).

Deacon - My nine-fingered dad

LOL. My Dad is a 9 1/2-fingered carpenter. He flush cut three of his fingers with a circular saw. He's a true craftsman -- you can see the twinkle of pride in his eyes when he holds up his hand and shows the eveness of the cuts! (Probably a "guy thing.")

-Neil

 

[Wisdom Seeker]

Neil,

I used to work for Carter Sexton Art Supply in North Hollywood, Ca. I don't know if you've heard of it, it's the oldest art supply store in California. When it first started there were still orange groves in the neighborhood. (1952) I used to be their buyer...that was about 8 years ago though. They are still in business...probably because of their determination to put service and old fashioned values into the store. If you walk in, you will be greated by real artists, who can help you with any question you need to ask. Listen to music from the 40's and have your change counted back to you with a smile. Not to mention that they have the best prices and give a discount to professionals and students.

My husband is an artist. (I am an amateur, he's a professional) My husband airbrushed a mural in our home for our girls room. It's quite a trick, isn't it. getting your strokes even and metered? He used to, about 25 years ago do murals on the side's of van's and motorcycles and such. He's very talented. Although he doesn't spend much time air-brushing any more. He's a graphic artist by trade now working primarily in the speciality advertising field.

Yes, it's amazing how expensive tools can be. But I think you will agree that to do anything well, you must have good tools. You might think about investing in a rubber pad to go under your work-station, in case you drop your tools again. That way they will bounce instead of break.

Nice to see someone else out there who is an artist...even if it's only a hobby.

Laurenda

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Originally posted by NeilUnreal:
He's a true craftsman -- you can see the twinkle of pride in his eyes when he holds up his hand and shows the eveness of the cuts! (Probably a "guy thing.")

Hey! I resent that "guy thing"!

I have a very straight line from a circular saw, on my left hand, that ran away with me! I even managed (barely) to miss the main artery!

If your hobby is stressing you out...take a break from it and do something else for awhile. That's what I do.

Sue

 

[NeilUnreal]

Laurenda: Yes, it's amazing how expensive tools can be. But I think you will agree that to do anything well, you must have good tools.

I do agree. There are two approaches when outfitting to learn a new skill: buy the most stuff or buy the best stuff. The second approach almost always works out better. Poor tools can be especially frustrating for beginners, since you often can't tell whether the problem lies in a lack of skill or just a bad implement or material. I went through this with my first airbrush (now relegated to spraying primer).

Eveness is a problem. Another problem for me is I'm working in classic watercolor illustration style, which means no painted white except gouache highlights. The white paper tends to get covered awfully fast with an airbrush, and thus the overall painting comes out too dark. Oh well, I've got lots of paper and practice makes perfect.

The rubber mat is a good idea. Someday I want to build a more proper hobby room, and I'm considering rubber "spill-through" matting for the painting zone.

Sue: Hey! I resent that "guy thing"!

Oops! Sorry -- no offense intended. Female craftsmen have just as much right to be proud of their "handiwork" as guys . (I'm glad there was no serious injury.) Oddly enough, most of my power tool hand injuries happen when the tool is off -- usually when I'm changing a blade.

-Neil

 

[Dr. Bob]

Sadly, I had a mechanical bypass when I was 8, so stay far away from any tools!

If the vacuum cleaner breaks or sewing machine locks up, thankfully God has given me a wife gifted with dexterity and a brain that functions (unlike mine).

But if anyone runs into difficulty parsing a Greek participle . . .

 

[SaggyWoman]

I used to work with ceramics at the children's home. I knew what Neal was talking about.

I would like to get a router some day. And one of those tools that are like drills--dremmels.

ew, Man, what a tool.

 

[Wisdom Seeker]

Neil, try heavier paper (300 # watercolor or heavier)and watered down acrylic instead of gouache. Watercolors are so tempermental aren't they even the opaque ones like gouache? That might help with the problem your having.

What exactly are you creating? You've peaked my curiosity.

Laurenda

 

[NeilUnreal]

Laurenda-

I got into painting in a roundabout way. Initially, I started learning figure sculpture in wax. The results were OK, but I realized that to continue making progress, I needed to learn more artistic anatomy. So, I started doing figure drawing to learn anatomy and posing, and general-pupose drawing just to improve my "seeing" skills (I drew skeletons until I was seeing them with my eyes closed!). While visiting on holiday, I borrowed my niece's watercolors and they were a lot of fun, so I added watercolors to my sketching. I've had airbrushes for a while (model making), and it wasn't long before I started spraying washes using dilute watercolors.

Now I'm kind of hooked on painting; I'm not sure when I'll get back to sculpting (the callouses I built up have long since worn off my fingers and thumbs). My favorite sculpture style is art deco, but the watercolor style I'm working in is realistic. I also like impressionistic watercolor, though I am de-emphasizing that until I accomplish my original goal of learning more anatomy.

My favorite sculptors are the deco masters Chiparus and Erte, and the contemporary master Bruno Lucchesi. My favorite painters are the realists John Singer Sargent and J.W. Waterhouse. I like the contemporary realist masters D. Jeffry Mims and Nelson Shanks.

You're right, watercolors are finicky. When watercolor sketching, I sometimes think the difference between a watercolor beginner and an accomplished sketcher is the ability to turn accidents into oppourtunies! When I'm doing (i.e. "trying to do") realism, I work by laying down lots of thin washes. This makes any mistakes a little easier to correct. I'll try some acrylics for highlights -- gouache covers well, but it re-dissolves too easily if you have to work the area wet again.

-Neil

p.s. You mentioned your husband did graphic arts for advertising. We share office space with a firm in that field. I'm a computer programmer, but I think their artists spend more time on the computer every day than I do. Computer art was just getting started when I decided (lo! these many years ago) to major in science instead of art -- how things have changed!

 

[Wisdom Seeker]

Yes, my husband is classically trained but he is almost entirely a computer artist now. It's amazing the things he can do. He is mostly self taught on the computer. Although he has taken a few courses in webdesign etc., just to keep up with the current trends.

He suggested that you try Illustration board for your airbrushing. I was thinking heavy watercolor board. He said that would be fine too as long as it didn't have any texture to it. He said and I quote "You really don't want texture when airbrushing, as it can detract from the effect your trying to create"

It was nice hearing you post the names of artists I also like. Erte' in particular is one of my favorites.

It's nice to talk art with someone who knows art. Even though it's been a while since I've been in the art world myself. Well, apart from seeing what my husband does on his computer at home that is. He's so busy he didn't get more than 5 hours of sleep last night. He's working on emergency awareness posters right now for a national firm.

Take Care and God bless you.
Laurenda

 

[NeilUnreal]

Hi Laurenda -

I've been experimenting with both cold-press watercolor paper and Bristol board. The watercolor paper tends to work slightly better, since I'm airbrushing in thin glazes (i.e. very high ratio of water to pigment, thinner even than ink). The paper absorbs the excess water and -- since each coat is so thin, the texture isn't a problem if I spray at high angles. I also like the fact that watercolor paper can withstand a lot more re-working with colored pencil -- but the bristol board does allow a much higher level of detail. However, I suspect that if the painting were reproduced, the paper texture would become apparent.

I'm also trying soaking various smooth boards like Bristol and then letting them dry thoroughly. This seems to expand the nap and increase absorbency while leaving the smooth surface intact.

I want to try a good hot-press paper, but I haven't been able to locate any around town. I guess I'll have to order some. (Speaking of orders, the replacement airbrush nozzle that started this thread finally arrived and is installed!)

Re. artists, I'm discovering the "lost world" of classicism and Victorian realism. Painters were doing amazing things in those genera, most of which was eclipsed by the rise of impressionism and modernism (and the loss of interest in classic literature). I happen to like impressionism and modernism, but I'm also starting to realize that an entire world of realistic art lies relatively undiscovered in the period from 1800 to the present. Most modern realistic painting leans toward either the impressionist/primitivist or the photorealist. Modes like classicism and traditional illustration are under-appreciated in the fine arts (as I'm sure your husband will agree).

-Neil