Learning Airbrush
Preparing Your T-Shirt
Buy cardboard shirt forms at any large craft store. They are shaped like a T-shirt and are labeled adult or child. Their purpose is to stretch the T-shirt out for you. You should trim the cardboard to be an inch wider and taller than the shirt you're airbrushing. Stretch out your T-shirt over the cardboard. Make sure it isn't twisted. The cardboard will keep the shirt stretched while you work on it. Tape the sleeves onto the back of the shirt while you work on the front and vice versa to keep them out of the way. The cardboard insert keeps the paint from soaking through to the other side and keeps you from having to hold the shirt to avoid wrinkling or smudging.
Getting Started
Before making an actual pattern, take some practice paper and use one color to practice making dots and lines. Hold the airbrush steady at a distance from the paper. If your paint is runny, you are standing too close. Use an airbrush-ready paint to make it easier for you to learn the basics. Once you can create a row of dots that are in line and the same size, move on to drawing lines. Keep them straight or draw a picture and practice tracing the outline. Then practice connecting dots and lines together. When you have this down, you're ready to move on.
Changing Colors
Next, know change the colors in your airbrush. For a gravity feed airbrush, wash out the color cup on the top. Use airbrush cleaner to clean out the old paint, then spray the color you want to use next onto a paper towel until the color is solid. You're then ready to use it. For a siphon airbrush, attach a bottle of airbrush cleaner and spray it through into your paper towel until it is clear. Then add you color and test it on your paper towel to make sure it comes out properly.
Creating Designs
Once you've mastered basic control of the airbrush, you're ready to move on to actual designs. Practice them first on a piece of paper or scrap T-shirt. First, create a design on a piece of cardboard and cut it out. Use this as a stencil for larger objects. Tape or clamp the cardboard over your shirt or practice paper, making sure it doesn't slide around. Fill in solid areas, and outline the rest. Remove the stencil and shade lightly, getting darker as you go. You can always add more shading, but you can't take it away. For small details, add them in on your own after you're finished. You may want to practice them first on a separate piece of paper till you get the hang of it.
