Artool - Uses of Airbrush Templates with Watercolor

ARTOOL ARCHIVES

CARTOON and CARICATURE by Kent Lind
Renowned T-shirt artist Kent Lind takes a lighthearted look at two techniques he uses to communicate the character of his subjects.

RUSSIAN EMIGRE BORIS ZLOTSKY by Neil Johnson
finally found complete artistic freedom in America... with an airbrush
     Imagine a society that values art so highly that it places artists close to the top of the financial food chain.
     You could earn more than an engineer and more, even, than a doctor. You could live in the best neighborhoods and enjoy a constant demand for your work. You wouldn’t have to scramble for freelance jobs, and your paintings would be on display where thousands of people might see them every day.
     Boris Zlotsky worked for more than a decade in just such a place. "I was making money and security for my family," he says.

DOUG STEWART by Sheri Lynn Meyers
Master of the Airbrush & the Monster Movie
Star Wars has kindled abiding love for monsters, spaceships, special effects and movies in the hearts of small boys for over two decades. For Doug Stewart, the movie marked the beginning of a lifelong career in the art behind special effects. "All I ever wanted to do was make real models for the movies someday," he says. After seeing the original Star Wars, he became totally immersed in the art of the movie. "I had to draw X-Wing fighters and R2D2. Then I found model kits of the Tie Fighters. That was exciting."

TRUCK OF MANY COLORS by Craig Fraser
Kal Koncepts has been in the business of painting sport trucks for over a decade. While styles and trends in the kustom paint industry are constantly changing, one thing does remain a constant–the need for a vehicle to catch the eye and hold it. In the past eight years, I've seen graphic styles evolve from the linear "street-rod" look to what is currently known today as "Radical" or the "West Coast" style. Whatever you call it, the color combinations and tribalesque intertwining of graphics is very definitely eye catching.

THINK BIG by William Lazos
For 15 years, I painted large scale canvases for galleries. As I became accustomed to working "big," and began to make a name for myself and my work, I got swept into the world of advertising murals. Inspired by other artists, hand painted billboards, and muralists such as Wyland, I started creating my own. In my ten years of mural painting, I've worked on over one hundred.

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS by Silvain Beliveau
One of the most important elements of my personal working process is to start with great references; pictures, photos, portraits, objects, models, or anything else that helps me recreate the "magic" of the moment. When I painted Michael Schumacher, I used pictures from the 1998 "Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro" Formula 1 calendar. I really liked the position of the car on one page of the calendar, but I had to create another background. So I added a checkered flag and the Ferrari flag and used a light gray to create the checkerboard effect.

KEEPING IT REAL by Phil Chalk
While working on my art degree in college over 20 years ago, I studied a lot of art history. Through the process of being force-fed information about the "great movements" in art over the centuries, I became intrigued by the work of the photorealists. The range of techniques, subjects, and mediums used by various artists ran the gamut from traditional oil-painted urban scenes to meticulously placed airbrush dots that visually transformed into monolithic portraits when viewed from a distance.

MAKE-UP FOR A FUTURE GENERATION by Alberto Machuca
When I felt it was time to take my work as a professional make-up artist to a new level, I decided to explore a new medium. Airbrushed make-up was naturally the next step for me, so I began by researching the different options available.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE GREAT SANTINI by Craig Frasier
In an industry of new, and ever changing styles, it is not easy to stay in business a single year, let alone 20. Pete Santini, through sheer work quality and consistency, has become an icon in the kustom painting field. Whether it's a flawless single color, multiple-graphicked mini, or two-tone kandied rod, Pete has proven to be at home equally with whatever style is currently in demand.

THE GOLDEN AGE: History of the Airbrush Part 2
One of my customers approached me with an idea for a helmet with his signature colors—silver and orange—and a traditional flame and skull theme, but he wanted it done in a not-so-traditional style. His only requirement was that the flames had to be orange—the rest was left completely up to me.

HATE TO LOSE by Matt Slape
One of my customers approached me with an idea for a helmet with his signature colors—silver and orange—and a traditional flame and skull theme, but he wanted it done in a not-so-traditional style. His only requirement was that the flames had to be orange—the rest was left completely up to me.

ROGER HUYSSEN — A Profile of the 1999 Vargas Award Winning Illustrator
You don't have to scratch too hard to uncover the capitalist beneath the surface of commercial illustrator Roger Huyssen. He's an artist who loves the business of illustration art and a businessman who's thrilled to earn his living by indulging his passion–painting. Roger Huyssen has built himself a highly successful career straddling two worlds that most people find mutually exclusive, and from all indications, he's delighted with both.

DRIVING DESIRES — The long strange trip of Ed Newton
In the early 1960s, when Ed Newton and his fellow students at the Art Center dreamed, it was of going to Detroit to design the next hot selling sedan or T-bird for Ford or GM.

BIG KITTY — by Patrick J. Reynolds
It is said that the eye of the artist is only explained by the artist . When I started this piece, the subject was to have a powerful, majestic look about him, however, as the painting evolved, with the many fall leaves and the relaxing atmosphere surrounding him, it seemed more appropriate to give him that “ I’ve just eaten, leave me alone” look.

GEARING UP — A Work in Progress by Scott E. Jacobs
Scott Jacobs is known for his strikingly photorealistic renderings of motorcycles and cars. This step-by-step description of his latest piece makes it look simple.

T-SHIRT TACTICS — Shirt Du Jour by Kent Lind
I'd like to welcome you to a brand new column dedicated to the belief that we all have a little something left to learn. There isn't a single T-shirt artist out there who can honestly say that he or she knows it all. The simple fact that there are always new styles, new applications, and new surfaces to paint makes it nearly impossible for anyone to be absolutely current on every aspect. We must remain open to new and innovative techniques if we want not only to survive but also to thrive. You can't let yourself develop a "relax and be comfortable with what I know" attitude. This belief is the cornerstone to everyone who has achieved something worth remembering.

HIGH FLYING HOT ROD — Who cares about Street Legal, when the sky's the limit? While an airplane may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word "hot rod," there is a connection that becomes obvious when you understand the definitive nature of hot rodding. Originally, "hot rod" was a derogative term for the radically customized vehicles built in the early to late '40s, recognized for their bizarre "fenderless" appearance on chopped and channeled bodies with exposed engines. Initially used to improve racing performance, these visual modifications, over time, were incorporated solely for their aesthetic properties. This was often done with hope of creating the same hype and portraying the same "anti-establishment" rebellion that fostered the original beatnik mindset of the early hot rodders. Basically, this was the cult of the individual embodied in a vehicle.

GO AHEAD AND PAINT MY PORTRAIT — by Scott Driscoll
Reflecting on his perpetual pursuit of the perfect portrait, Steve Driscoll demonstrates a few of the finer points he's picked up along the way.

Having spent most of my artistic career chasing the "perfect portrait" (I'm still chasing, by the way), l find that the biggest stumbling block is finding a way to blend the darkest areas into the lightest areas without getting any dull, muddy spots in the transition. The most important thing to remember is that skin is translucent, and there a number of colors showing through at all times–even in very dark to almost-black areas. The fade from dark to light must be smooth and fluid. This step-by-step lesson will guide you through the steps I use to create a vibrant, living portrait.

RACING REALISM — Albert Ponno's Art of Speed
It's photo-realism at its best. And whether or not you're into Formula One racing, you can't help but be compelled and touched by the incredible images of Alberto Ponno, Italy's phenom artist and one of the art world's best kept secrets—until now.

HISTORY OF THE AIRBRUSH
The versatile tool we know as the airbrush has a pedigree that stretches back only a bit more than a century. A hundred years ago, artists were using the same combination of mixed paint and air they use today, produced by basically the same instrument.

Through the years, engineering has created better tolerances for moving parts and finer nozzles and needles, and modern materials have altered the airbrush’s feel and heft. Still an airbrusher of today, dropped magically into the late 1800s, wouldn't have much trouble picking up one of the earliest models and using it.

McDONALD'S MURAL — by Timm Kurtz
When a Las Vegas art gallery owner first approached me about a mural project for a new McDonald’s restaurant, I couldn’t help but think that I’d have to develop a composition featuring the McBurgler and Ronald in a McFlurry cup or something to that effect. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that some Mickey D’s are adding a bit of bistro appeal. Non-corporate owners have the luxury of adding their own flavor to their shops and, in this case, the owner had chosen a sophisticated spread of textures and colors that made me want to grab a bottle of wine, some cheese, and a loaf of pumpernickel. McCool, I thought!

Paving the Road to Revival—David Willardson
David Willardson, who became a sort of Johnny Appleseed of modern airbrushing, somehow found himself at the core of the airbrush's rebirth in the 1970s. It may be that he was just in the right place at the right time, because it seems, without trying, he helped pave the road for the emergence of the airbrush from closets and drawers to become the hottest technique in commercial art for over 20 years.

Bring 'em Back Alive—SORT OF - The Facts on Airbrushing Taxidermy
By John H. Peterson & Bren Southerland
As a photographer, I am always looking for unique and interesting subjects to catch on film. When airbrush artist Bren Southerland of Las Vegas, Nevada, mentioned taxidermy art, I wasn't particularly interested. I have seen many mounted critters, all lacking the realism one would expect. Bren, however, wanted me to understand taxidermy as an art form, not just a matter of spraying a little paint. Knowing nothing of airbrushing, I thought the art form was knowing how to work the equipment. There were, after all, only two colors—it was a simple matter of using pink for the mouth and black for the nose.

To Urethane or not to Urethane: The ABC’s of Clear Coating by Craig Fraser
It’s the first thing you see and a paint job’s last line of defense. In the kustom painting field, there’s probably nothing as under-appreciated, yet as important, as the clearcoat. Today, kustom paint clearcoating is not just a good idea–it’s a necessity. Considering that 99 percent of all show-quality graphic jobs out there are 2-stagers (2-stage basecoat urethanes, that is), it’s a safe bet that, after the graphics have been completed, the final piece of artistry to apply is the clearcoat.

T-Shirt Basics—by Pat Reynolds
I will start this article with a statement. "If you want to be a successful T-shirt artist, you must have good lettering skills."
It’s the one ultimate truth, and you can’t get around it. Of course, in order to produce good lettering, your basic airbrushing skills must be in place. That means, if you can’t pull nice, smooth, straight and curved lines with your airbrush; if you can’t do dagger stroke lines backwards, forwards, up, and down with consistent ease; or if you can’t model areas or fade color tones, you need to go back to the basics and learn these skills, because they are necessary for good lettering and, ultimately, good overall airbrushing.

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