Airbrush Equipment for Automotive

When airbrushing on a car or truck, artists are dealing with large hard-surface areas that require medium to high detail levels. Efficiency is important. Even if painting only one element of a car body, most colors will need a lot of value compared to some other airbrush applications. Ability to use any paint is also important. Even if you prefer water-based paints, you may need solvent-based paint as well. For example, if you need to color-match the OEM color of the car for better blending. Because of that, seals in the airbrush that get in contact with paint (such as needle packing seal) must be made from solvent-proof materials.

Recommended Airbrushes for Automotive Custom Painting

Many different airbrush models can be universal for many applications, but here is our recommended list for automotive custom painting, based on the parameters discussed above:

1. RichPen Phoenix 223C. This legendary Japanese airbrush comes with 0.3mm nozzle and 5ml paint cup. Combination that will allow you to work longer with one color, at a higher speed (.3mm nozzle), but still get incredible control and detail capability because of the Phoenix air cap system.
2. RichPen Apollo 113CA. Economy option of a high-quality product that also has a combination of 0.3mm nozzle with 5ml paint cup. Tailored for even higher speed, with a slight trade-off in detail capability and modulation.
3. RichPen Sirius 312S. Shares the air cap/nozzle system with the Phoenix series airbrush, which gives it the ability to produce incredibly tiny dots and hairlines. Because of its side-feed design and new ergonomic trigger, it allows even better control and visibility than Phoenix. Comes with 2 paint cups and a 0.2mm nozzle.
4. GSI Creos Platinum PS-289. One of the best-selling Japanese-made airbrushes with 0.3mm nozzle and 7ml paint cup. Known for its removable head system that gives a combination of 3 unique features: 1. Splits airflow into 3 channels for better balance of air at the exit, which results in incredible predictability and control. 2. Easier to disassemble for cleaning. No need to remove the tiny nozzle that all Japanese airbrushes come with. 3. Ability to switch to 0.2mm setup for better control. PS-270 is a version of the same Platinum airbrush that comes with 0.2mm nozzle but can also be converted to 0.3mm.
5. GSI Creos Custom PS-771. This Japan-made airbrush is for someone who needs extreme detail capabilities from their airbrush. It has a larger 7ml cup, but an incredibly small 0.18 mm nozzle. This combination allows artists to dial in and focus on a longer session with one color and full control over it.
6. Iwata Custom Micron CM-CP. Very capable detail airbrush that has a larger nozzle 0.23mm with a 7ml paint cup. Still capable of micro-detail work but can do it at a faster pace. Head is also removable, that allows easier cleaning and can be swapped with 0.18mm setup.
7. Iwata Custom Micron Takumi. Another example of a brilliant detail airbrush. Side-feed design with ergonomic trigger and 0.18mm nozzle for extreme detail capabilities. Pieces are quite high on the Custom Micron series from Iwata, but if you can afford it, it’s definitely one of the legendary airbrushes of all time.
8. Iwata Eclipse HP-CS. 0.35 mm nozzle with 7ml cup – golden standard for a workhorse airbrush.   It thrives at higher pressure and requires a bit more air than most airbrushes on this list, but it is predictable, reliable, and balanced. Because of its love for air, it’s one of the fastest airbrushes on the list. Getting the job done quickly with enough detail capabilities to satisfy most artists.
9. Harder & Steenbeck Evolution 2in1. We do recommend skipping the solo version and going to the 2-in-1 set because of its versatility. Nozzle sets are easy to swap, and that allows artists to go from a more detail-oriented airbrush to a heavier/faster painting tool.
10. Harder & Steenbeck Infinity 2in1. Top-tier airbrush from Germany. The 2-in-1 set gives versatility. The trigger is a controversial topic for this model; some users love it, some hate it. The good news is that the Evolution trigger can be retrofitted onto this airbrush.
11. Badger Patriot 105. Very fast airbrush with a large paint cup. Capable of medium detail. Shines when speed and faster coverage are needed.
12. Badger Sotar 2020. Detail-oriented airbrush with incredible capabilities when the owner knows how to set it up properly. Smaller paint cup, so it's better for automotive projects, and it’s usually used as a secondary airbrush for detail. Great combo with Patriot 105.
13. NO-NAME Pro Trinity. 3in1 setup offers unbeatable value. From extreme detail to fast coverage, this airbrush can deliver it all. Easy-to-swap nozzle system. Easy to clean. High-quality airbrush at an affordable price. Don’t underestimate it because of the low price point. People who tested it without knowing the price guessed the price 2-3 times higher than it actually sells for.
14. NO-NAME Pro BEST Airbrush. 2-in-1 setup with an easy nozzle swap system makes it a great workhorse for anything you can throw at it. PTFE seals and chrome finish for worry-free automotive setup.

Explore more RichPen airbrushes and NO-NAME airbrushing equipment, including NO-NAME PRO models.