[docfunkalot]

What is the difference between the airbrush and the paintbrush and why are drawings done with the airbrush so much smoother looking?

[Spiritwolf]

The biggest difference between the airbrush and paintbrush is that the airbrush supplies a continuous flow of paint. If you hold down on the airbrush, even if you don't move its position, it will keep working. With the paintbrush you need to 'stroke' to apply paint, typically creating harder transitions from one value to the next, thus making it more difficult to get the smoother 'airbrush' look.

-Spiritwolf

[RoadMaster]

unless you're using Paint Shop Pro, in which case there is no difference it seems

For some reason they have both tools, AND a button so that the paintbrush is additive or not.

[Derek]

doc...

I can't tell if you mean in 'real life' or in the comp/Photoshop, etc...

IRL, the airbrush provides an atomized stream of color that rests/settles onto the board by means of speed and amount that you control; a very fine build-up of color that blends and transitions well if you are knowledgeable about the subtlety of using such. See Michael Whelan, Ralph McQuarrie. You can get the same effects using a traditional brush, but it takes much longer and requires a good deal of control over the brush. The effect is actually more rewarding and visually pleasing with a real brush and all the fuzzy bits and such.

In the computer, the larger differences concern the same relative effect in appearance, but of course you can play with opacity, brush type, edge hardness and such to a degree that you heavily decrease the difference betwen the two. Think of the paintbrush as laying in large blocks of relatively 'solid' color, whereas the airbrush will give you a softer and sometimes more ethereal effect.

As for which to use, in either case you are better off learning with the paintbrush, gaining a good command of it, then experiment with the airbrush after a time.

In my opinion, the airbrush is a bit like unnatural fabrics... they have their purposes and uses, but I prefer cotton and leather and wool over them any day.

D

[docfunkalot]

wow. That was thorough. Ralph uses airbrush? i thought he used acrylic or something like it...

[Derek]

Yeah, he uses cel vinyl, the paint used for animation that's hand inked and painted, in his illustrations. He used airbrush in his concept art and also in his matte paintings, as well as his book covers, animation for NASA, etc. Matter of fact, I have one of his compressors... shhhh!!

D

[Terance Caesar]

quote:

---

Matter of fact, I have one of his compressors... shhhh!!

D[/QB]

---

Did you steal it !?

[Derek]

No.