5 Best Airbrush Paints Of 2023 | Reviews + Guide
Airbrush painting is increasing in popularity among artists. However, knowing the right paint to use can make all the difference in the final product. Artists all over the world are beginning to explore the world of airbrush painting. This form of painting is often preferred over using paintbrushes primarily because of its consistent coverage. That […]
Airbrush painting is increasing in popularity among artists. However, knowing the right paint to use can make all the difference in the final product.
Artists all over the world are beginning to explore the world of airbrush painting. This form of painting is often preferred over using paintbrushes primarily because of its consistent coverage. That said, there are two vital aspects to keep in mind.
First, it is essential to learn how to use an airbrush properly to create magnificent results. Second, you need to choose the right airbrush paint for different applications.
If you are confused about the best airbrush paints on the market, don’t worry. We have curated an informative guide to help you learn about the best products and choose the right one.
So without further ado, let’s get straight to the reviews.
Best Airbrush Paints
Here’s the list of the 5 best airbrush paints of 2023, providing you with the ultimate guide to selecting the perfect paint for your airbrushing needs.
1. Arteza ARTZ Outdoor Acrylic Paint – Best for Outdoor Projects
- Exciting Selection of Vivid Colours: Whether you’re new to...
- Rich, Vivid Pigments: Your professional acrylic paint...
We begin the guide by introducing you to one of the top-rated acrylic airbrush paints – Arteza ARTZ-8661 Outdoor Acrylic Paint. This set of 20 paints contains a beautiful, vivid selection of colors that will instantly brighten up any art project. Being ACMI-certified, they are entirely non-toxic and safe to use at home or outdoors without worry.
Why Did We Like It?
For starters, we loved the rich, vivid pigments offered by Arteza that enhanced the appeal and aesthetics of any art project. Each paint has a high level of viscosity, ensuring that the paint spreads smoothly and consistently over any surface. Furthermore, these acrylic paints are excellent for traditional as well as airbrush painting projects.
The next feature we want to talk about is the anti-scuff characteristic of the paints. Once you allow the paints to dry completely (which takes around 24 hours for large projects), the paint is completely scuff-resistant.
This ensures that your vivid paint projects last for years with good use. Moreover, it prevents scratch marks from showing up easily on the surface of the project.
Lastly, these paints are self-sealing. Essentially, it eliminates the need to apply a topcoat or varnish on the surface you paint. And it ensures that you can use the paints on any surface with ease.
What Could’ve Been Better?
The only drawback we faced while using these paints was that they are incredibly thick. Furthermore, the manufacturer provided no instructions on how to thin the paints; hence, we did not attempt to do so without further information.
The thickness of the paint also contributes to its long drying time. You may need to leave the paint undisturbed overnight.
- Self-sealing paints
- Two metallic shades included
- Vivid colors
- Scuff-resistant texture
- Easy to clean
- Thick paint quality
- It can take a long time to dry completely
2. U.S. Art Supply Acrylic Airbrush Colors – Best for Airbrush Painting
- Kit Contains: 1 oz. Bottles of 12 Primary Opaque Colors, 12...
- Colors are ready to spray out of the bottle and have...
Moving on to our next product, we have the U.S. Art Supply AB-KIT-S24 Acrylic Airbrush Colors. These paints were designed to be used with an airbrush. The kit contains 24 colors and includes a color mixing wheel and an airbrush cleaner. All the pigments used are entirely non-toxic and lightfast.
Why Did We Like It?
Those looking for a relatively inexpensive set of airbrush paints will appreciate these acrylic airbrush colors from the U.S. Art Supply. These water-based acrylic paints come in a ready-to-use 1 oz. bottle that you can attach conveniently to an airbrush.
The choice of 24 shades is excellent if you are looking for color options to create your next masterpiece. We also appreciate the addition of an airbrush cleaner, an airbrush extender and reducer base, and an outstanding color mixing wheel.
These additions eliminate the need to purchase additional products to clean and maintain your airbrush. Not just that, the color mixing wheel helps you identify and mix the right colors to create an extensive range of beautiful shades which can completely transform your artwork.
Let’s not forget, these paints were designed to be used with an airbrush. This gives them excellent airbrush flow characteristics, which you will be hard-pressed to find in other products.
What Could’ve Been Better?
Our only gripe with this kit is that the packaging is below average. As such, our paints arrived in a cardboard box with all the paints and accessories jumbled inside. However, the paints were labeled correctly, making it easier to identify them without much hassle.
- Additional airbrush extender and reducer base included
- It comes with a color mixing wheel for reference
- The paints do not need to be thinned
- Ready-to-use bottles
- The packaging is not good
3. Vallejo WWII Allied Model Air Set – Best for Model Airbrushing
- The pigments used for airbrush colors are ground to the...
- Colors can be mixed with one another or diluted with water
The next product we want to introduce you to is the Vallejo VJ71180 WWII Allied Model Air Set. This kit consists of 17 airbrush paints made of high-quality pigments that produce excellent, vibrant colors and offer great coverage. These paints can be used on their own, mixed to create new shades, or diluted with water for increased transparency.
Why Did We Like It?
The first thing we want to talk about is the beautiful packaging offered by Vallejo. The set of 17 acrylic airbrush paints come in a sealed package that prevents the paints from drying or evaporating. Moreover, this makes it easier to store them after each use.
The range of colors offered by this brand is fantastic. That said, if you don’t plan on using the airbrush paints very often or using all the shades, you may find the colors excessive.
An excellent quality about these paints is that they can be used directly, mixed, or thinned with water. This gives you immense flexibility and the ability to create unique new shades.
Each paint container comes with an eyedrop tip that allows you to pour small quantities into your airbrush. This effectively eliminates wastage or spillage of paint. The highly pigmented shades are excellent to use on most surfaces with ease.
What Could’ve Been Better?
All said and done; there was one minor drawback we noticed while using these paints. Since the paints have a thick consistency and dry quickly, they often tend to clog the airbrush tips and nozzles. As such, it is best to purchase an airbrush cleaner to clean the tips after every use.
- Excellent consistency
- They can be mixed with each other to create new shades
- Fantastic range of shades
- Consistent application
- May clog airbrush nozzles if you don’t use a cleaner right after each use
4. TIMBERTECH Professional Airbrush Paint
- PREMIUM ARTIST QUALITY: Timbertech Airbrush paints 12*30ml...
- VERSATILE PAINTS: Our vibrant acrylic airbrush colors are...
Next up, we want to talk about the TIMBERTECH Professional Airbrush Paint. With this kit, you get a set of 12 quick-drying acrylic paints, all of which are water-based and easy to use with an airbrush. Moreover, they have a thick, creamy consistency which offers optimal coverage for painting projects.
Why Did We Like It?
These opaque acrylic paints from TIMBERTECH were designed for use with airbrushes. With excellent airbrush flow characteristics, thick, creamy consistency, and fantastic coverage, these paints are an ideal option for beginners.
All the paints come in an excellent ready-to-use form. Pour them directly into the airbrush and start spraying for maximum coverage and a truly opaque finish.
The best part is that they are water-based and entirely non-toxic. Furthermore, their gluten-free formula makes them ideal for beginner artists and young learners to experiment with. The range of colors is vibrant and offers a fantastic richness to any paint project you take on.
If you want to create new shades, mix the paints with each other in any clean container. You can use these new shades to create unique art pieces or paint any surface. On drying, the paints retain brush strokes and peaks, enabling you to achieve textures and patterns with ease.
What Could’ve Been Better?
Since the paint is quick-drying, it is important to clean the airbrush tip and nozzle quickly after every use. Failing to do so may lead to clogged nozzles which can be extremely challenging to clean later on. We recommend purchasing an airbrush cleaner with this product to avoid clogging.
- Easy to clean with soap and water
- Water-resistant finish
- Semi-gloss effect on drying
- Retains peaks and brush strokes
- Quickly clogs airbrush tips and nozzles
5. The Army Painter Starter Airbrush Paint Set
- THE ESSENTIAL STARTER AIRBRUSH PAINT SET: This starter air...
- PAINT YOUR MODELS FASTER WITHOUT LOSING QUALITY: The paints...
The Army Painter Starter Airbrush Paint Set is a creatively curated kit designed to help you bring your artistic ideas to life. Whether you’re painting on canvas, paper, or even metal surfaces, this set comes packed with a versatile assortment of colors and a primer. The kit’s wide array of shades opens up a realm of possibilities for those looking to plunge into airbrushing.
Why Did We Like It?
The Army Painter Starter Paint Set is exceptional due to its variety of vibrant colors and user-friendly nature. We appreciated it for multiple reasons. The first has to be its diversity, allowing for a wide color palette to bring any idea – abstract or precise – to manifestation. Secondly, these paints’ safety and environmental friendliness attest to the quality standards of The Army Painter. Furthermore, the durability of these paints, crafted for permanent results on a variety of surfaces, makes a compelling case for their value.
A unique feature of this set that makes it stand out in its category is the lightfast pigments, which ensure that your artwork will endure the test of time without fading.
The paints have evolved over time, providing an increased level of freedom for the artist. They can apply it on different surfaces, resulting in better performance and utility. There is a clear demonstration of how past issues have been addressed in the latest release of the paints.
What Could’ve Been Better?
Despite the many benefits, we did find some room for improvement. For instance, the intensity of certain colors wasn’t quite what we expected. Particularly the red shade seemed less vibrant and didn’t stand out as nicely against various skin tones, which might impact the overall aesthetics of your project or artwork.
- Made in the USA, ensuring quality assurance
- Versatile for various applications, including acrylic pouring art
- Contains lightfast pigments, preserving artwork longevity
- Yields permanent results on diverse surfaces
- Certain colors, like red, may lack vibrancy against different skin tones
Best Airbrush Paint Comparison Table
| Product | Colors | Type | Size | Dimension | Weight | Unit Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arteza ARTZ Outdoor Acrylic Paint | 20 | Acrylic | 20 Packs | 7.05 x 5.67 x 4.29 inches | 3.61 pounds | 40 Fl Oz |
| U.S. Art Supply Acrylic Airbrush Colors | 24 | Airbrush | 26 Piece Set | 7.8 x 3.2 x 8.3 inches | 1.3 pounds | 24 Fl Oz |
| Vallejo WWII Allied Model Air Set | 16 | Watercolor, Acrylic | 16 Packs | 8.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches | 0.28 pounds | 9.19 Fl Oz |
| TIMBERTECH Professional Airbrush Paint | 12 | Water Based, Acrylic | 12 Packs | 4.69 x 4.29 x 2.91 inches | 1.19 pounds | 12 Fl Oz |
| The Army Painter Starter Airbrush Paint Set | 13 | Watercolor, Acrylic | 13 Piece Set | 7 x 5 x 2 inches | 1.52 pounds | 1 Fl Oz |
Buying Guide For The Best Airbrush Paint
These are some of the top rated and most popular airbrush paints you can consider. If you are still unsure about how to pick the right airbrush paint for your needs, don’t worry. We have curated a guide to help you choose the right one.
Opaque Vs. Transparent Paints
Consider the result you wish to achieve when choosing between transparent and opaque airbrush paints. Keep in mind that some opaque paints can be made transparent by dilution; however, it is challenging to make transparent paints opaque. The only way to do this is by applying multiple layers of paint.
Ingredients And Pigments
If you plan on using the paints on a food surface or anywhere indoors, we recommend opting for non-toxic paints. This is a vital consideration if you have children around who wish to use the paints from time to time.
Mixing Shades
Who doesn’t like experimenting with colors and creating unique, new shades? Well, you may be surprised to know that you can’t mix paint shades for every brand. While certain brands are flexible and versatile, allowing you to mix them with each other to create new shades, other brands do not offer this.
If you wish to experiment with colors, opt for a brand that offers paint shades that are easy to mix or dilute. Attempting to do this with highly opaque shades that don’t have this characteristic can ruin paint and cause unnecessary wastage.
Diluted Vs. Undiluted Paints
Another essential consideration is whether the paints are pre-diluted or not. While some artists prefer using diluted shades, others do not. This is entirely a personal preference. However, it is best to check this aspect before purchasing paints.
As such, you can purchase an airbrush paint thinner which can easily dilute any paint to offer a thinner consistency. Often, thinner paints are easier to paint with compared to thick, creamy ones.
You may also find paints that can be diluted with water. This eliminates the need to purchase a paint thinner. That said, we recommend purchasing one anyway, as it can come in handy for various painting projects.
Airbrush Paint FAQs
Not all airbrush paints are non-toxic, so it’s important to check the product label or description to determine if the paint is safe for use. If you plan to use the paint on surfaces where food may come into contact or in environments with children, it is recommended to choose non-toxic airbrush paints.
The ability to mix different brands of airbrush paints can vary. Some brands offer paints that are compatible and can be mixed together to create new shades and colors. However, not all brands have this flexibility, and attempting to mix incompatible paints may result in undesirable effects. If you enjoy experimenting with colors, look for brands that explicitly mention their paint’s mixability.
Whether to use diluted or undiluted airbrush paints depends on personal preference and the desired effect. Some artists prefer using paints in their original consistency, while others prefer diluting them to achieve a thinner consistency. Diluted paints are often easier to work with and can create smoother gradients, while undiluted paints offer more opacity and coverage. If desired, you can dilute paints using a paint thinner or water, depending on the paint’s compatibility and instructions.
Opaque airbrush paints are solid and do not allow light to pass through, resulting in a solid and non-transparent finish. Transparent airbrush paints, on the other hand, allow light to pass through, creating a see-through or translucent effect. When choosing between the two, consider the desired outcome and the ability to layer or dilute the paint for different effects.
Conclusion
With that, we have come to the end of our informative guide. We hope you had no difficulty in finding the right airbrush paint for your projects.
However, before we sign off, we want to take a moment to reiterate some of our findings.
Overall, we loved the vivid shades and consistency of the Arteza ARTZ Outdoor Acrylic Paint. Furthermore, this is one of the items on our list that is ACMI-certified non-toxic, and safe to use indoors.
Those looking for an affordable airbrush paint set can consider the U.S. Art Supply Acrylic Airbrush Colors. That said, we also loved the Vallejo WWII Allied Model Air Set.
Let us know if you agree with our verdict. If not, which airbrush paint was your favorite? Leave a comment below, and stay tuned for more such fantastic guides and reviews.
Until then, stay safe!
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