When it comes to fish taxidermy, one of the most important aspects is getting the color right.
After the skin has been given a chance to dry, the color will fade.
That's why airbrushing the fish is necessary.
In order to do it right, there are a few things that you need to know.
Here are a few tips.
Airbrushing is one of the most difficult processes to get right.
You will have a much easier time if you're working with a fresh fish.
You should know that different fish have different colors, with those of cold water and warm water fish being completely different.
You can buy kits that provide you with the colors that you need.
It's also important to note that there are various types of paints that you can use to create your artistic effects.
Transparent paints, as their name suggests, will allow underlying opaque colors to show through.
Opaque paints won't show the underlying colors, so you can use them to cover up other paints.
If you want your fish to have a brilliant color, then consider using metallic paint too.
Some fish are known for having a pearl look, which you can replicate with pearlescent colors.
When it comes to airbrushing fish, there are also two main categories of paints that you can use, namely lacquer and water-based.
It's best that beginners avoid using lacquer because it's very hazardous and you will need to use a special spray booth which is very expensive.
The advantage of using lacquer is that they're very easy to thin.
They also produce more brilliant colors than their water-based counterparts.
You also don't have to worry as much about the paint drying on the tip if you use a retarder.
Water-based paints may be a bit more difficult for you to work with at first, but you'll get used to them over time.
They're harder to thin since you have to use alcohol, water, and a retarder combined correctly.
Another common problem is that they'll clog up your tips much easier.
When you use a water-based paint for airbrushing trophy fish, you always need to wear a dust mask.
If you don't, you may breathe in paint which will then enter your lungs.
This will dramatically increase your risk of developing health problems in the future.
There is an assortment of tip sizes that you can use.
You should have a variety of tip sizes so that you can choose based on the level of detail you want to achieve.
Size 1 tips will come in handy when you need to make very fine strokes.
The paint will need to be thinned pretty well in order to use a tip this size.
Size 3 tips produce medium-level of detail.
The paint will still need to be thinned, but not nearly as much as when working with a size 1.
Size 5 tips are used for working with thicker paints that haven't been thinned yet.
In order to airbrush a fish, you will also need to get your hands on a compressor.
There are various things to consider when buying one.
If you'll be painting all day in your shop, make sure that the compressor can withstand the continued usage throughout the day.
Also, take into account how much noise the compressor will make.