I’m intrigued by air brushing- the results can be so amazing, and the looks so versatile- so I was drawn to the ColorArtz Fabric Airbrush Kit in my local craft store.
The kit, which retails for $29.00, includes:
ColorArtz airbrush, airbrush propellant and three paints pouches, everything needed to complete a project.
Colors included are Mango Tango (orange), Gremlin (apple green) and Purple People Eater (dark purple).
They said on the package that you just snap & spray, but I was skeptical that it could be that easy to set up. Here’s what you have to do:
Then adjust the little plastic lever in the back of the paint pouch that adjust the spray from narrow to broad coverage. Then depress the orange lever trigger at the top of the nozzle and spray.
I didn’t notice an odor at all. How can that be? Because the paint isn’t INSIDE the can, you don’t have to worry about working in a well-ventilated area or solvent fumes. This also makes it kid- and senior- friendly, and is a good product for those with lung/breathing issues. No nasty fumes or smell.
I found this incredibly easy to use- just point and spray. Actually, I felt a little silly that I’d been so intimidated by airbrushing! The nozzle was very comfortable in my hand, and I had none of the hand fatigue that I get from using spray cans.
I started off by practicing my airbrushing on some quilled tags that I’d made.
A word on the tags: it did take some getting used to the feel of how much paint was actually going down. The light green seemed to take more spraying, but the black was very opaque and it only took a little bit. You’ll also notice that there is some significant speckling on the black paint- that’s because I didn’t test it on scrap paper first. I started right in on the tag and it kind of splattered a little. I kinda like it!
Also, I want to point out that these were matte-finish paper tags- but the paint has a glossy finish. And the paint dried very quickly with absolutely no warping or wrinkling of the paper.
Now, The box says this is a FABRIC paint system, but the paint pouches say that the paint is formulated for metal, paper, wood, plastic and glass. Any if there’s anything we crafters love, it’s versatility!
So here’s a little version of “swatching”- I tried out the paint on different surfaces: a wooden letter, a glass ornament, a “rust-finish” metal heart, a shell, and a hamsa Style-Stone.
As you can imagine, the porous surfaces- the wooden letter – dried the fastest, almost instantly. The metal heart and the glass ornament took the longest, about 10 minutes. But I didn’t see any puddling and I didn’t have to heat-set.
On to actual fabric crafts! I have new niece, so I decided to try out some baby onesies. I cut a stencil using my Slice machine (you can read my post about cutting stencils here.) Here’s the photos of my process:
NOTE: Even with the lever set to the narrow spray width, you WILL have overspray. Use paper towels to mask off the area, or you will be forced to add extra color to cover up your mistakes….
Again, the paint was dry to the touch almost immediately, and the ColorArtz paint goes on so finely, there is zero seepage underneath my stencil. Take a look at this last sample:
This is a fun, quick, and easy system to set up and use- and there’s almost no mess! Once you are done with a color, just snap it out of the nozzle, turn the lever to close it off, and pop the cap back on to use another day. The nozzle stays clean, so you can work with multiple colors without having to clean out the system or wash a brush. And another plus? Because the nozzle doesn’t channel the paint- it only blows across the paint pouch-the nozzle doesn’t clog. Hallelujah!
Pros:
- System is fairly economical- $30 full retail, but I’ve seen it online for $21.00
- 29 colors available, retailing for $3-$4.50 each
- Quick and easy to change colors
- Easy to set up
- Paint dries almost instantly
- Good for a multitude of surfaces- great for “serial crafters”
- Color palette is great- a shade for everything!
- If you are a heavy-duty crafter, you can upgrade to an air compressor for under $50.00 (Note to friends and family- this is on my personal wish list!)
Cons:
- For heavy-duty use, you will run through propellant cans quickly.
- Propellant Cans are not environmentally friendly overall.
I struggled with this- the propellant issue- and at this time, it’s not a big enough “ding” to withhold the seal of approval. (After all, the CTD Seal of Approval is just my opinion, but it’s based on availability, cost effectiveness, usabilitiy, and positive results.) So there you have it- ColorArtz Airbrush System by Testors has won it:
Do you use airbrush painting in your crafts? Interested in trying? I’d love to hear what you have to say!
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Lisa M says
I love my color artz! I wrote a couple of reviews on my blog! Here is the first one:
http://thebunnylog.com/journal/2010/03/23/colorartz-review/
Syz says
I’ve been checking out this system, and if you are really invested in this product but hate the idea of going through a lot of propellant cans, they do sell an air compressor. It will run about $55, but if you are really using it…
Jenny says
Yes, I did mention the air compressor in my post….
Angela Reizian says
I like the system too, but the propellant is an issue for me too.I did not know that they sold the air compressor. I might revisit this one. I love the airbrushed effects, you can do so much with it.
Angela Reizian says
Jenny, I would be interested to know how well the air compressor works if you get it.