Moving to airbrush paints?

[James Kennedy]

We are moving to include airbrush makeup this year. I have heard that you do not have to use the airbrush specific makeup. That you can actually use a certain art paint that you can get in your local craft store. Is this true? What does everyone else use. I dont want to have reaction issues with my actors, but if we can save some money and get away with less expensive makeup that would be great.

Thank
Jim
Darkness Rising

[BigT]

I tried some other media and had nothing but trouble, even after cutting it with a lot of water. The time I spent cleaning my guns instead of painting my actors killed me, so i switched to airbrush makeup exclusively last year. Whan a difference! No problems with actors skin, it went on quick and easily without gumming up my guns, and I cut my prep time from 4 hours in previous years down to just two hours last year (and it could have been even quicker but I had a few actors that needed a lot of makeup!).

I use Graftobian which works really well, although I dont necessarily like the bottles as they tend to leak sometimes.

[hauntman666]

I have also used acrylic paint mixed with water didn't work as well seemed to take a lot more cleaning. Will agree graftobian is very good bottles do leak though. I also use European body art airbrush makeup works very good and bottles don't leak at all.

Kyle Guillette

[Wellinton]

We airbrushed 80+ actors per night with Mehron liquid makeup mixed with water. Worked great.
Allen Hopps has great tips on his airbrush DVD. I used acrylic for big costume jobs.
http://www.stiltbeaststudios.com/About.html

[James Kennedy]

We are planning to airbrush about 15 actors each night for 13 nights. The bottles seem to be very small like 2oz's. That cant last that long. Can anyone give me an idea about how much should I get. We are doing mostly zombies. I am using the airbrush to baseout everyone with makeup adding shadows and some latex for scaring and bruises. I am thinking we are going to need 5-6 colors.

Thanks

[Allen H]

http://www.europeanbodyart.com/catal...1_114_110_120/
get this set plus black and white. in 4oz bottles. that should honestly last you the season.
If you would like, then get my airbrush make up video, it has a ton of info and will help you.
http://www.stiltbeaststudios.com/About.html
DVDcoverfront.jpg

[BigT]

Mehron is the other I was trying to think of. I actually liked Mehron a lot. Had no problems with it, the bottles dont leak, BUT the bottles dont let you put unused makeup back in so you have to use sparingly in gravity guns or you end up wasting a lot.

I went with Graftobian because of the type of bottles (I can put unused makeup back in) and because they are a little cheaper than Mehron.

BTW I originally used Ben Nye. I am a theatre guy also and Ben Nye is the makeup of choice in theatre, but terrible in an airbrush gun. I spent a lot of time cleaning clogged nozzles even after watering it down. Its great makeup for every other purpose though, and I still use it for applying effects and stuff.