I've been cake decorating for family and friends for a year now, and last Christmas, by husband bought me an airbrush gun. I've been a little scared to use it just because I've never used one before. I want to know if there are any basics I should know, like do I need to dilute the airbrush gels or can I just use them straight out of the bottle, do I need do airbrush in a large room due to over-spray, and just basic information. I want to practice soon, so that I can make my niece's birthday cake. Also, how do I get the glitter effect? Do they make glitter airbrush colors, or do I mix in something. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

hi, i only use air brush colors in my airbrush system. which is a kopykake airmaster. That is what i was told to do. For the sheen look, i use Americolor airbrush sheen colors. Or Lucks airbrush sheen colors. I practiced with coloring books. Printed paper towels. Bought Frances Kuyper's dvd, and books,etc. bought carol faxons books, bought Roland
Winbecklers books, etc. there are so many on line that you can purchase. i just played and taught myself with all this help. you can, cut out a front from a big box and surrond it around your airbrush for overspray, etc. hth

put water in it and practise spraying that on newspaper first. youll be able to get the feel of where to pull the lever back to, how far away to be from the surface. Using water you wont have to worry about over spray. THEN when you feel ready to actually see what you are spraying , use AB colours but still use the newspaper. you can move to colouring books for more contral practice and before you know it you will be ready to spray a cake.

My best advice would be to do light coats, letting each one dry before you start putting another coat. It usually takes me about 3 coats to get a full coverage. But the biggest mistake is trying to paint it solid in one coat.

Thank you all for the advice. I will try water first, that way I won't waste color. Thank you again.

I've been using a regular paint airbrush for years and was wondering if there is any real difference in airbrushing on buttercream or fondant. I'm dying to get a 'food' airbrush and try it out! I've never used a pen style brush, just the ones with the jar underneath, the pen looks so much easier to control!

Anyone have any experience with both? I'm clueless when it comes to airbrushing on cakes

www.howtoairbrush.com This should be helpful

LOL, thanks, tiggy2, but I've been airbrushing for 35 years, just wondering if there are any differences when dealing with cake and edible products and the cake airbrushes. Not that I have the skills to do the little fine details free hand, I much prefer my stencils and taping to freehanding.

My DH keeps telling me to buy an airbrush but I am very nervous about (A) buying the wrong one & (B) not being able to use it properly, therfore wasting a bunch of money!

I got this one that i'm using on-line. I think balley's or so. Quite good and all steel. I prefer it to copykake. It's double action and easy to use. Came with 2 guns and a compressor. Haven't seen them on-line for a while now though. So if anyone know how to get them...