I now have about $450 worth of airbrush stuff, including the brush and compressor, and I'm not doing very well with it. I was so excited when I got it, but now I'm feeling really disheartened.

I could only buy the Kopykake colours where I bought the hardware, so I got the full set, and when I started experimenting, was immediately struck with how 'grocery store' they seemed (i.e. bright to the point of garish). I was after subtle, delicate colours, so I ordered some Americolor airbrush colours in soft pink, lemon yellow, mint green etc) I was after pastels really, but they also come up SO BRIGHT. The 'soft pink' actually looks like what I would call 'bright pink', not at all pastel.

Can anyone please advise me on how to have more success with my airbrush? I'm wondering if I'm too heavy-handed, working too close to the cake etc etc. Any good on-line tutorials? I've looked but not found anything which shows what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks in advance.

Try www.howtoairbrush.com It wont tell you how to tone down the colors but it will help with technique.

Hi Natalie,

Use the white to tone down the colors for pastels...I do that when I want lavender purple but it takes quite a bit of white...also turn the pressure down..it is easier to work with an airbrush with a lighter spray than full force and won't make blow marks on the cake...Use a sweeping motion when trying to cover larger areas...sweep the color/airbrush from side to side instead of one steady spot...This requires layering the color...the lighter the sweeping the lighter the color..Practice....It has taken me several years to get the feel and some days I am still lousy.

Thanks for the tips, and for the pointer to the 'How To' website. I'm not happy that I still have to dilute the colours though, I thought that was the point of buying colours like 'soft pink'!

I guess I just need to keep practicing.

Thank you.

Just think of it this way... your colors will last even longer then you thought.

You can also do your cake in the colors as they are and airbrush pearl all over the cake -- that will tone the whole thing down and give it some shine.

Yes..The pearl sheen does tone done hot pink quite a bit!

I, too, am struggling to learn to control my airbrush. I have had some measure of luck with diluting the airbrush colors with vodka - it just makes the color a little more "transparent" and less blotchy, and it still dries quickly. I do sometimes use white as mentioned earlier, too. Maybe some day I'll learn to press down and pull back gently without biting the tip of my tongue off and get into corners without twisting my arm and spilling pigment everywhere....

You can sometimes add a tiny bit of brown to let the colors have a more "country" look to them...you know, sage instead of green....dusty blue instead of royal...rose instead of pink...and then white helps get it lighter.