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StorybookCreatures — How I Art Doll - Airbrushing Fur
Published: 2017-08-17 05:06:47 +0000 UTC; Views: 10605; Favourites: 63; Downloads: 0
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How I Art Doll - Airbrushing
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- Updated 2019 -
- Airbrush Parts -
You will need a compressor, airbrush, and a hose to connect the two. There are a lot of kinds of compressors and airbrushes and it can be overwhelming, I learned a lot from this site: www.airbrushguru.com/
I got all my parts from www.TCPGlobal.com, a company based in USA. The price for all my tools + paint was $158, 1 compressor with tank, 1 airbrush kit with 3 nozzles, 1 hose, and 4 2oz paints. The compressor I got specifically, is Master Airbrush brand TC-20T. It is very small, pretty quiet and good for small projects. My airbrush is Master Airbrush brand Master Performance G222 Pro Set with 0.2mm, 0.3mm, and 0.5mm nozzles.
I read that others use cheap automotive windshield fluid to clean out their airbrush so that is what I got. You do not want to atomize this stuff into the air though, so build yourself a cleaning box to spray it into. I made mine out of an old cereal box and a shop cloth(heavy duty paper towel). Cut a rectangle out of the front of the box, tape the shop cloth on it as a filter, and make a small hole in the bottom for the airbrush to enter. Just set the box upright to dry after use.
Now I started out using acrylic airbrush paints, but they just don't work well on real fur, and they can turn into a clumpy mess so easily. I now prefer to use watered down acrylic ink, not acrylic paint, acrylic ink. Acrylic ink can be applied with a paint brush or an airbrush. It works wonderfully on both real and faux fur.
I just couldn't get the airbrush paint to work consistently or well for me, whether I combed immediately, or later, or multiple times, with using a hair dryer here or there, acrylic ink is just a whole lot more user friendly.
I airbrush thin coats of ink at a time, and blow straight air from the airbrush to separate the hairs and make it dry faster without clumps. You can only feel the ink if you have many layers of it on the fur, and it's not bad. I have used Daler Rowney FW inks and Amsterdam inks. The ink seems to work best when watered down.
Look at this gorgeous Cheeto colored rabbit fur I got by airbrushing with Daler Rowney FW Flame Orange. The right most fur is HEAVILY airbrushed with straight ink and feels slightly rough. Going left, the ink is mixed with more water and more water on each sample.
A very light tan and a black faux fur lightly airbrushed with gold acrylic ink.
Top row is white rabbit fur, bottom row is a very light tan faux fur. Both airbrushed with a brown acrylic ink, with less ink on the left, more ink on the right. You can see the ink sticks way better to faux fur. I had much better results with the bright orange ink on rabbit fur, not sure why.
I would like to get a video here soon.
Here's a few photos from when I tried to airbrush with airbrush paints.
Clumpy uneven color
Same copper paint airbrushed on black rabbit fur vs white rabbit fur.
Same paint applied with a paint brush.
A bit random, but these gorgeous faux furs from BandJfabrics.com have a cool metallic texture.
White airbrush paint on black faux fur.
That's all for now~
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Comments: 37
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I didn't know how to apply color to fur without an expensive airbrush kit until I saw this. Had no idea about the wet fur trick! Thank you for the helpful tips.
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You're welcome! 
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I'll have to try out both! c:
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For such work, how would you go about washing your art doll so that you don’t lose such beautiful markings?
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Once the airbrush paint dries, it does not come off. Createx airbrush paint is permanent once it sets.
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*cough* Just saw the instructions. I’m assuming it still applies?
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Thank you SO much for this I was literally just looking for help on this exact subject, I'm so overjoyed you made this thank you!
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You're welcome! Good luck with your project. (:
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You're welcome! Thanks for letting me know, it encourages me to do more stuff like this. (:
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You're welcome, and thank you!! (:
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Holy crap! this is amazing! I have already thought of another use for your technique. I was thinking about buying fabric for doing a cross stitch picture on. The idea was to paint directly on the fabric. But then I thought "What if I smudge things up when I actually go to work the fabric?" But, I think I could adapt this technique.For one thing, it never occurred to me that I could air brush it (pretty dumb, huh?). Thank you so, so much.
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Thank you!! Ooooo, I'm glad you told me this! That's another thing I can use my airbrush for! I could totally airbrush my own backdrops, my clothes and I'm sure I could find a thousand more projects. (: I came up with a new idea just last night, I can make a stencil of my logo, and airbrush it onto my shipping boxes. (: How fun is that? You can airbrush pretty much anything.
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Cool! I like the backdrop idea, too. Soon the weather will be getting cold and I'd like to have a nicer back drop for my foxes besides plywood. So far, the best ideas I've had are 1) getting a mural or 2)using that faux 3-D log wall wallpaper
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I really want a real wood backdrop, something a bit worn and grey. Maybe my Dad could help me make shingles out of some old wood. Then maybe some newer wood for the doll to stand on. Maybe get some nice rocks too. (: I'll have to check out that 3-D wallpaper!
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I thought of you when I saw these while on EBay looking at photo backdrops! www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=…
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Ooooo the one is a beautiful grey wood! Thanks! (:
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Welcomes! I, of course, now want all of the 'special' themed backgrounds I saw, like the Halloween and Christmas ones...
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Haha! Oh yeah. I'd love a soft snowfall drop for winter dolls, and a warm fall drop for rustic colored dolls, and a flower field for cute dolls. (:
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Have you seen these? thelashop.com/products/24-phot…
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Get ready to read a lot!
I've seen just one kind around several sites, the one that fits a shoe in it, which would be too small for my use. It does seem like a pretty good deal for a beginner photographer! I personally don't like the enclosed space though, I feel like it's restrictive, you'd have to photograph from straight center.
All I really need right now is a bigger backdrop and a second light. I've got my sights on this one: www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01L75T…
It's got a high CRI rating which is good for picking up accurate colors, temperature and brightness adjustment, light diffusing panel built in, tripod attachment, and LEDs don't overheat as quickly. You just gotta make sure you order a battery or power cord separately (or both!).
I'm using a really short long blanket as a backdrop now, I think it's one meant to cover your lap. I love it but it's only big enough for small dolls.
This is my old tan backdrop with 1 light: sta.sh/0265nniduwn4
The colors of the doll just don't look right, and the backdrop turned so dark behind it.
Here's with the grey blanket and 2 lights: sta.sh/0n6if4lxwt1
So much brighter and softer. I think the problem was that doll's colors are too pale and the little bit of color to the tan backdrop drowned it out.
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Well, so far you've been more successful than me! I obviously need to learn more about lighting! The lighting concept that seems easiest for me to understand is the 'three point' system, mentioned here www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzvHEB… (Main, fill and back light). Plus, my camera is dying (I have a new one on the way). Anyhow, this is the 'Foggy Forest'; photo back drop I bought on EBay
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Yeah, you don't want just one light source, and you also don't want light that is too bright because it will cause harsh shadows. By the way, your backdrop and setup is gorgeous!
This is my main light:
I have some opaque plastic packaging taped over it to diffuse the light.
This is my second light:
It's further away and much lower so it brightens the areas that the first light shadows.
I was thinking about adding one directly over the doll. I'll see what works when I eventually get my new light. (:
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Thank you so much! I was just pricing diffuser lamps, tripods and such and getting a little depressed about the cost. But it looks like I can make do with some stuff I already have on hand. I think my 'clam shell' lamp could be fitted with some type of diffuser, provided I use a cooler bulb than the regular incandescent one I have in there right now. Like you, I have to watch out for over-tiring myself. Right now I have three things I want to do, and I simply can't do all at once, and it is very frustrating!
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Yeah, you can work with any light fixture really. (: I wanted to get all daylight bulbs but I've already got a kitchen & bath bulb(warm white) in my magnifying lamp, and it seems to work just fine. My camera does have an auto white balance setting which usually works great, sometimes I get photos that are a little too warm but I know how to fix it on the computer.
Uhg, yes.... I want to draw, I want to make dolls, I want to do taxidermy, I want to build my rabbits a super awesome play space, and there isn't enough time for all of them!! And then you know chores have to be done first so there's even less time. Just gotta change my mind set and be happy getting anything done. lol
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I knew that you'd be able to relate to the "so much to do, so little energy!" feeling! And thanks for all of the faves! I'm pretty [proud of Teddy (the cross), especially considering he was a $40.00 wall hanger. Of course, I was only able to mount him because I have a ton of left over fox parts to 'paw' (tee-hee!) through. I'd forgotten how difficult it is to mount a non-taxidermy prepped head.....
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Dang, you did such a good job I wouldn't have known without you telling me. Nothing looks out of place on him! 
Someday I'll try to mount a fox myself... still afraid to, afraid I'll mess it up because it's new to me. It's not like trying out paint, you can throw the piece of paper away if you fail and it's no big deal. A fox pelt, especially one that I fully prepped myself, I don't want to ruin.
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I have no doubts AT ALL that if you mount a fox it will be beautiful and well done. And you're smart enough to know to buy a fully taxidermy prepped pelt. So many Beginners don't want to pay much for their first pelt since they think they might 'ruin it'. Sooooo...they buy a wall hanger and pretty much doom themselves before they ever start. The experience is then so frustrating that they often just give up. I know, I did the same darn thing!
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Awww... thank you! When I said I fully prepped it, I mean I was given the whole fox after it was shot and I skinned and tanned it, and it was many many hours of work! I forgot, I do have a squirrel form that I could practice on. (:
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That's right! And you've already done an LS squirrel, too, so you're good to go!
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Yeah, the big difference with the squirrel I did though was using dry preservative on a fresh skin. So it was drying and shrinking as I was trying to mount it and was a bit of a nightmare!
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Man, I am just so impressed with your tutorial journals. You don't miss a detail and
all the information is super helpful. I've never used an airbrush but if I do, now I can
avoid a lot of trial and error because you've documented all of yours here!
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Thank you!! I have a lot of fun making them, and the great part is encouraging people to create and try new things. (:
Using the airbrush itself was pretty easy to pick up, I thought it would be a lot more difficult. I got a dual action brush, the more you pull back the trigger, the more paint it releases. I kept accidentally pulling it all the way back and putting on way too much paint, haha.
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