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Airbrushing 'rules'

post #1 of 36
9/29/09 at 7:16am
Thread Starter 
I did it!!! I finally dived in and tried airbrushing. I used black on a dummy to see how it works. I put a box in the background and sides to keep things neat, but it is all over my floor! How do I maintain the spray? I feel like I have to set up an area in the garage just for this mess!

Any suggestions?

Also, how long does it take to dry? I used it once on a fondant border on a fondant cake and there was so much condensation....should I wait until it defrosts before airbrushing? Can I stencil on top of it? Anything else I should be aware of?

TIA

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post #2 of 36
9/29/09 at 10:06am
Thread Starter 
Anybody? And the airbrushing is still wet! Does it ever dry?!

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post #3 of 36
9/29/09 at 10:19am
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by condensation but when something similar happend to me it is from holding the gun in one place too long or too close. It eventually does dry but takes a bit of time. I sometimes do light layers and let them dry and go back and keep adding to it. I haven't had too much of a mess with overspray so can't help much there. I lay newspaper or wax paper down to shield from the mess. It's fun once you get the hang of it!
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post #4 of 36
9/29/09 at 10:33am
Earlene's husband built her a cabinet for airbrushing (and I've read posts where others here have done the same). She has pictures and details on her site at http://www.earlenescakes.com/AirbrushCabInst.html

I just use mine on countertop - I first cover a large area with parchment paper (it doesn't stop it all from spreading but a great deal of it) and I haven't found any on the floor. When I spray the counter and side of my fridge with my cleaning spray, I can see where it is because the spray mixes with the color - but I've never had it stain.

What do you mean "wait for it to thaw?" I've never airbrushed a cold or frozen surface, but I have read that you shouldn't refrigerate an airbrushed cake because the condensation can make the colors run. It does take a while for the color to become dry to touch on my cakes. And yes, you can use stencils. I've used some that are made just for cakes and others from the crafts section meant for other projects. The ones for cakes are easier as their thinner and bend around the cake better, but are more costly.

HTH!
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post #5 of 36
9/29/09 at 11:26am
Thread Starter 
Thank you for the info everyone! In regards to thawing the cake, I meant that I usually ice a cake when it is frozen, so I didn't know if I should wait for it to come to room temperature before airbrushing.

Thanks CS for the info on the stencils.....icon_wink.gif I already have quite a few icon_wink.gif I just wasn't sure if I could use them on cakes that have been airbrushed since it never seems to dry!!! Aaahhh!! Very frustrating. But since I have other things to do today, I can just let it sit out and see how long it takes.

Do you think I might be using the wrong nozzle on the airbrush and that is making it spray all over the place? I did cover the counters, just not the floor.

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post #6 of 36
9/29/09 at 11:35am
If you turn the PSI down and spray lightly the overspray isn't that bad.It's when you put it on full blast and spray red or Blue it gets everywhere!
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Busy Bakin Kakes For Kids!!!

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post #7 of 36
9/29/09 at 11:39am
definitely wait until the cake is thawed or the color will get spotty too with the condensation. Remember 10 light coats is better than 1 heavy coat. If you do one light coat at a time it'll be dry in less than 2 minutes, if you spray a heavy coat it can take an hr. or more to dry fully and it will look streaky and not even.
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God's Word will either keep you from sin;
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post #8 of 36
9/29/09 at 12:06pm
Glad you aked the question b/c an airbrush is a near future purchase for me. What kind of buttercream do you use? If it's not butter based you might could use a hair dryer on low. (I'm not talking right at the surface 1" away), but stand at a distance & slowly "dry it" may speed it up & keep it from being blotchy.

As for your floor. Scrubbing bubbles to the rescue. If it gets the color off my hands, counters, floors, etc it should work for yours too. (altough I've never used it on natural stone)
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post #9 of 36
9/29/09 at 12:20pm
A regular old fan would help dry it.
¢¾Sarah
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¢¾Sarah
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post #10 of 36
9/29/09 at 12:22pm
I just picked up an airbrush with the 40% coupon from Hobby Lobby. Now to order some colors. I have to leave town a few days, so colors should be here when I get back! I got a book about airbrushing from the library (not cakes) to read in the car.
Linda
...above all, try something
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Linda
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post #11 of 36
9/29/09 at 12:29pm
On the floor/walls/wherever you think it couldn't possibly go .... it will!!

Have you blown your nose yet?!?!? icon_lol.gif

I cover the table with newspaper - set my turntable on top of that and cover with paper and I have a big piece of cardboard that I cut up and made a spraybox out of! But yet I still seem to find overspray in the weirdest places!! icon_smile.gif
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post #12 of 36
9/29/09 at 1:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bturpin

Have you blown your nose yet?!?!? icon_lol.gif



I am SOOOO glad someone else said!! I thought it was just me!

I am going to try the layers of light spray tomorrow...in my garage icon_wink.gif

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post #13 of 36
9/29/09 at 1:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by saberger

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bturpin

Have you blown your nose yet?!?!? icon_lol.gif



I am SOOOO glad someone else said!! I thought it was just me!

I am going to try the layers of light spray tomorrow...in my garage icon_wink.gif



Oh yea, I had a dark blue cake that I airbrushed and my son walked through the room not even 3 seconds while I was airbrushing it and later that night he wanted to know why he was blowing out blue gunk!! LOL No one is safe! icon_smile.gif
"He who passes on dessert drives home with a stomach full of regret."
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post #14 of 36
9/29/09 at 2:19pm
Earlene's reminds me of the hoods we used in chemistry class
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post #15 of 36
9/29/09 at 2:32pm
Thread Starter 
So, let me ask about the tape. On tv I saw decorators using that blue tape on the cake. When I tried it, it stuck to my cake. Was I using the right stuff?

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