If you go on this type of course, you WILL NOT be able to paint a car or bike, or, any other surface for that matter, if you’re going through the full process of a custom paint job. Airbrushing is for artwork only, therefore a much broader knowledge is needed to tackle a full custom paint job.
If we take that airbrushed skull on the top of that Harley tank as an example, what else do we need to know to start and complete this job?

a. Does it have decals to remove?
b. Will it leave a Lacquer edge to be feathered?
c. If I sand through to metal, do I have to etch first before primer?
d. 1k or 2k primer and how will it affect shrinkage issues?
e. What colour?
f. How long should I leave it before sanding and how should I sand it?
g. Should I use a sealer for this area?
h. I'm spraying a light silver base for my airbrushed skull, should I flatten the tank dry, wet or maybe just use a scotch-brite pad?
i. What grit should I use so I don't get sinkage scratches?
j. What gun should I use? A mini or full size, 1.1, 1.2 or 3?
k. What if my silver goes on too dry (or too wet for that matter)?
l. Is my gun set up right?
m. I'm getting orange peel, am I too close and wet, or is my pressure too low? Maybe my paint consistency is too thick?
n. Water or Solvent based paint?
o. Shit! I have a reaction, how do I fix it? How did it happen?

OK, to finish the job off let’s lacquer the tank.

a. Should we use high solids, or medium, and how many coats?
b. Do we need to sand it down the next day for a second lacquer stage?
c. Shit! I got a drip right on an edge, is there anything I can do while it’s still wet?
d. I’ve sanded through to my paint trying to remove the drip, what do I do?
e. I used an airbrush to touch up my mistake, but it’s gone darker in that area and I can still see a halo in the area I sanded through. Why?

Just a small insight into the process! I could go on and on, but I hope you can see where I’m coming from now.

 All of that goes against my style.  I really don’t need to waste your time and mine sitting there giving you endless demonstrations on how to achieve certain effects like how to airbrush wood, a chequer plate, rock, metal etc. Once you know how to airbrush these, individual looks can be easily learnt yourself, from your own assessment or from the many people giving demos on the net.

I class myself as a non-artistic air-brusher; this means I can airbrush an image in front of me to a very high standard and sell it. If it’s art advice you need, I have that covered; Jennifer, my office manager and teaching assistant, is a qualified art teacher and is there to assist  in any art related issues you may have. Some courses are run by outstanding airbrush artists and I have read statements saying,  ‘’look at your teacher’s work to see what standard you will be taught to’’. This statement only compares their work to other teachers’ work and it has nothing at all to do with the students’ capabilities. These guys are ‘artists’, with natural ability to produce their standard of art, but they are the first to remind you that you don’t have to be an artist in order to airbrush. This is true, to a certain degree. You don’t, and I’m a prime example of that. 

So if that’s the case, surely it’s all about techniques, right? Yes it is, and then natural artistic ability takes over to produce some of the teachers’ work you see on these other course sites. So really the question is, who has the ability to get you to the best level you can be in the time you have? Again, have a look at my students’ work and you’ll see for yourself.