History.
The Airbrush exists in fact already for many ages. The technique was first used by prehistoric man in the caves of Lascaux in France. With a straw, the pigment was blown on the rockwalls.
With the introduction of the photographic technique, photographers used the airbrush to retouch their photos and coloured them.
In the thirties and forties of the last century we see the use of the airbrush rising for manufacturing of commercial art, such as posters. Who does not know the pin-ups of Vargas?
Around 1960 the Airbrush technique had a real boom. Especially the ad agencies make use of the airbrush in their illustrations an add a slick look into it. Nowadays that function has been entirely taken over by the computer.
The Airbrush technique has many applications today. It is not only used in the arts but also in the car world and model construction. Make-up artists and the film industry also work with the airbrush. Even cake makers use the airbrush for decorating their cakes.
Operation.
The airbrush itself is not larger than a fountain pen. The pen is trough a hose connected to a compressor, which ensures a constant and reliable air-supply. On top of the pen is a small reservoir for the paint or ink. There is also the trigger / button, by wich you can vary your air-supply. The input air ensures the spraying of paint or ink. The flow of the paint can be arranged by a needle that runs through the airbrush and using the same trigger / button to manipulate. It requires a lot of exercise to spout an even area and a straight line.
The first step is a sketch. That is very thinly drawn on a carrier. Usually special airbrush paper. Canvas is also used. Even metal, think of the pimpen of cars and motorcycles. You can then hand out free syringes, but you can also use templates, and even special acetate filmlayers. In principle applies: the further the mold of the cloth remains how more blurred the line becomes. Therefore, if you use film that is glued to the carrier you get a very tight line.
If you like the drawing you have completed, you remove all molds and templates and than you start finishing. This contains the painting of fine details or the illumination of certain parties by using an eraser or a scalpel.