6
EXERCISE TWO
On a board or paper, lightly pencil in a number of
1
/
2
inch squares. Hold the airbrush about
1
/
2
inch from the
surface and spray small dots on the intersecting lines, as shown in fig. 4. When you are able to place the dots
accurately, begin enlarging the size of the dots by allowing more color to flow through the airbrush. At the
same time increase the distance between the airbrush and the paper or board. If the airbrush is held too
closely to the paper with the trigger pulled all the way back and down, “puddles” will form and spread. Aim
for accuracy not speed and continue practicing until you can spray any size dot exactly where you want it.
This simple lesson will give you control of position and density of dots or shapes you require, which are
important for touch-ups and fill-in work.
MASKING OFF
In the next several exercises you will need to mask off a square area.
Make a mask from 4 pieces of scrap paper (fig. 8). These masks are
held in place by masking tape, keeping the atomized material from
creeping into the margins around the area. When using masks spray
over the edge.
FIG. 9
FIG. 10
FIG. 11
To accomplish a flat tone, we will airbrush a fine consistency of paint from left to right at the top of the
taped area. Hold the airbrush about four inches from the surface of the sheet. Be sure to spray a portion of
the tape so that no light line shows when the masking tape is removed. Use the trigger technique on page
3 throughout this lesson. Now airbrush from right to left, overlapping the previously airbrushed strokes.
Continue down the entire sheet, trying not to create a line pattern with the airbrush. Overspray the tape,
both right and left and top and bottom. Begin at the top again and spray the entire page. Repeat the exer-
cise until you reach the desired smooth coverage of the entire area. Do not attempt to cover the entire
sheet with a heavy tone at one time. Build the tone gradually (figs. 9-11). Make sure the work and tape are
dry before removing the masking tape. This should be done carefully to avoid tearing the surface of the
paper it is adhered to. If your first results are not satisfactory, repeat the lesson until you are satisfied.
EXERCISE THREE/EVEN TONES
FIG. 8
EXERCISE FOUR/VARYING SHADES
This lesson is similar to the previous one.
This time you will start at the top and gradu-
ally fade into white (fig. 12). Do not fade
abruptly and do not carry the tone further
than 2/3 or 3/4 of the page. Remember, you
must stop your tone shorter each time, since
the overspray will build up. Fig. 13 is a com-
bination of masking and varying shades. The
important thing in this exercise is to train
your eye so that all the small squares have
the same tone value.
FIG. 12
FIG. 13
