Airbrushing lessons...the fun of being creative!

So I have been meaning for a while to upload the fun I had teaching my Media Make-up Level 3 airbrushing skills and how to make stencils for airbrush art/tattoos etc. So here it is...

My level 3 are such a laugh in the classroom and so creativity so I knew they would love airbrushing. Its one of those skills that once you get over the beginning frustrations of learning how to actually work the gun, positioning your fingers over the trigger till its comfortable and being able to confidently control the air flow and product release to create gradation of colour its one of the best skills to have as a make-up artist.
One of the main lesson that took my students along time to get use to was to turn off the product and air flow gradually instead of just "clicking" the trigger back which will block the gun up and could end up ruining the needle.
They all use a double action gun which is basic and I feel the best tool for learning detail make-up applications as well as basic foundation and colour work.
My airbrush gun which I can highly recommend is the Iwata silver jet compressor with the Revolution BR gravity feed gun. I can confidently say I have never had any problems with this kit, its always easy to clean and easy to disassemble and reassemble. As well as being easy to control and handle. 
The products am using for the coloured work are Temptu Dura and Aqua based but I'll put up a review on airbrush products at some point with more information on the different ones.
Now during one of my lessons on airbrushing (after we covered the history, how it works, the different equipment available, products available etc) we looked at creating stencils. Because I am an arty person, I love doing this. Be it for hair art/tattoos/body art love it! And its so simple. You just take a craft knife, a piece of plastic sheet or card and a good design, just cut it out...carefully! and voila!

 To applying it, you need an alcohol based airbrush product...which will make it last for about a week or 2. This product is fab for creating tattoos or hair art however as it is alcohol its very drying so be careful not to put on already dry areas or on the face. If you want it on the face I would recommend silicone as its less damaging. If you don't want it to last for ages or are sensitive use the water based ones. If your applying a big stencil then take your time, airbrushing is patient thing, don't go rushing it or you ruining the look, take one area at a time.

 My student wanted the "tattoo" on her belly, it was meant for the back but meh, her choice!
Another examples of tattoo art created using my very own hair made stencils (more can be found on my facebook page):

To remove you either use isopropyl alcohol or body oil which is much kinder to the skin.

Now hair art, same principles as the tattooing only in the hair, sometimes a white base colour is needed before applying the art/stencil but if your model is blonde then its ok. This one is stencil work:

 

This one is free-hand work:

And all hair art is washed way in the shower!

 

 The beauty of airbrushing, I think anyway, is that you can create anything in such a quick amount of time. You can turn your model into a work of art. And for body art its so quick to apply the colours. Best thing is airbrushing still allows you to create detail work.
This is another demo I did on creative make-up which am hoping they will be inspired to create their own crazy creative work after the Christmas holidays for their summative work:

Airbrushing is one of my favorite ways of creating a make-up look however this isn't saying I favor it above traditional techniques...they are the basis for everything.
xRx

P.S. Don't forget to check my facebook page for more photographs http://www.facebook.com/Ruth.E.Moulden.MUA ...next blog will have my Christmas style eyeshadow art.