How To: Select Airbrush Paint for Auto Painting

If you have an artistic ability, I encourage you to learn how to airbrush on cars. Sure, it may be a little different, but if you already have the artistic ability, the rest is a walk in the park.

What Kind of Paint Do I Use

There are many good paints to use for airbrushing car a painting finishing. The thing you will need to determine is if it will accept the automotive clear coat that will be sprayed on top. I know of several brand, but I am not saying these are the only paints out there for airbrushing. These are just the paints that I am familiar with.

Kustom Shop - This is a good choice when thinking about performing artwork on a car paint finish. It lays down well on the painted surface and will accept automotive clear coat. At the end of this article I will provide you with a link so you can learn more about this brand of paint.

House of Kolor - This is another well know airbrush and custom paint line. They have been around for a long time a favored by many custom painters. I am not sure how the two compare in cost, but the link that I provide has both brands for you to explore.

Auto Air - The third brand I am going to mention is Auto Air. This is a waterborne paint, which is also designed for automotive. Even though it is waterborne, the solvent clear coats can still be sprayed on the top of it. I have used this and it tens to work well too.

You can also use regular car paint. It is not as user friendly for airbrushing, but if you learn how to reduce, mix, and add base clears to make translucent colors, it will work as well.

Some of the custom paints are expensive, however, airbrushing uses very little paint. For instance, a few ounces of chameleon paint will go a long way when airbrushing. When painting a car with a paint gun, you will blow through 2 oz. in just a few minutes. So the material may be costly up front, but they will last you a long time.

What Clear Coat Should I Use

I would stick with what ever brand you decide to use. If you decide to use Kustom Shop paints, I would use their clear. The only one that I am not sure about is Auto Color. They may have an automotive grade clear coat, but I am not sure. You will need to do a little more digging to determine that for sure. I have used PPG clear coat on top of their paints and it worked fine.

Quick Tip

Here is a quick tip for you. Every paint line has a technical data sheet for each product. Ask for these or search for them online and read them before using a new product. It will provide very useful information and explain exactly how the product is intended to be used. This will save you problems and headaches in the long run.

To learn more about how to airbrush cars, I invite you to visit my videos that will provide you with more details.