Airbrushing With Sharpies

[Guest]

Here is a link to an interesting you tube video I came across where a fellow air brushes popper bodies by simply using Sharpies and a can of compressed air.

 

 

 

Dave

[bass master 0]

I can see maybe one or two. looks likes the compressed air beats the tip off the sharpie. Then its not good for other uses. If your going to do air brushing. I just think its best, and more economical to use an airbrush kit.

You can buy small airbrush kits on eBay and harbor freight.

[mikechell 0]

It's a "DIY" version of a Copic.

[flytire 0]

cheaper than the expensive copic markers and it does the same basic job

 

good video find

[Gene L 0]

An interesting technique. Not one I'd adopt for the sake of appearance, but good to know. I don't know the cost of a Coptic, but this Sharpie thing ain't cheap. If you have the Sharpies on hand, of course, fine. I guess most of us do, except I lose the colors except black and red. The only thing I would do differently (maybe) is color the face after I colored the body. Apparently, this isn't a real issue, though. Occasional use? If I was tying professionally, I'd probably bite the bullet and go for an airbrush. Having no idea what an airbrush costs.

 

Edit: a Coptic system costs about $85! I wonder if a talented do-it-yourselfer couldn't rig up a holder for a Sharpie.

 

I tend to go overboard in most fly tying materials EXCEPT poppers. I used to buy the hard foam bodies, much smaller than that 9wt double barreled Pike-sized job. Nowadays, a section of flip-flop satisfies my popper artistic needs.

[1hook 0]

I will definitely be trying this

[Philly 0]

Seems like an awful lot of work to me. You can get the same effect using Sharpies or permanent markers just by using a piece of foam to smooth out the markers lines. It also allows you blend the colors together to get a smooth transition from darker to lighter colors.

[pacres 0]

Very cool. I'm tying a couple dozen poppers. Thanks for sharing to video. I have a few extra heads in white and will try this and the method Philly suggested above.

[Guest]

Philly,

Not sure I follow your technique. Do you just paint directly onto the popper with the Sharpies then take a piece of foam and sort of pull the one color into the other color?

[Philly 0]

I'll paint the popper. For example, if I'm doing a fire tiger. I'll do the belly orange, do the sides yellow, and the top green. Orange belly first, yellow sides and green back. Then with a piece of foam, I'll blend the yellow into the orange, then with a different piece blend the green into the yellow. Then add the black stripes. Not the best picture, but the idea is smooth the sharp edges between the colors.

 

 

I have a really good collection of bad pictures I've taken.

 

Here's a couple more.

 

This one has a light blue back, and light pink on the belly

 

 

This is a blue mackerel pattern. Black back, then a dark blue to light blue with a pink belly

 

 

 

 

[Owl Jones 0]

You really don't even need to "smooth out" the lines. Once it's dry and you coat it with whatever - the lines aren't visible unless you get a magnifier or something.

 

That didn't work? rats. maybe this?

[Saltybum 0]

You can get an Iwata Eclipse airbrush for around $85 and a cheap compressor from Harbor Freight for about the same.

The you can do all kinds of projects with it.

[Philly 0]

Wow, they're impressive. Kinda reminds me of the basket of Ukrainian Easter eggs my grandmother would put on the table before we used it for Easter dinner. The trick to making them was to dye them in the lightest color, then create the design for that color using a special pen dipped in hot wax. Dip the egg in the next color, repeat the process until the whole egg was decorated. Two questions. How long does it take to create one? Do you ever fish them?

[1hook 0]

Are they all done with SHARPIES?

[Mike West 0]

You can get an Iwata Eclipse airbrush for around $85 and a cheap compressor from Harbor Freight for about the same.

The you can do all kinds of projects with it.

I bought a Iwata Neo on the advice of Kimo when I got into this with a 5# CO2 tank.

Heck with that air compressor...CONS. Noise, you need a moister trap,electricity needed. CO2 tank Pros.. no noise, no moister trap No AC needed, totally portable

5# tank will cost you about $30-$40 and to fill it up at welding supply place or beer brewing place will be $8-$12.

Since I bought mine I've filled it twice and painted 100's of poppers.

 

Go with Copic or Sharpies and compressed air in a can you will spend a small fortune and have no real control.

Just my 2 cents.