Airbrushing a Paintball Mask

Paintball is a recreational sport where players attempt to eliminate each other by shooting paint pellets at each other from gas-powered guns. Although the paint pellets are designed to avoid injuries to players, some safety equipment is still required to ensure the players' safety. A paintball mask protects the eyes and throat of players, which are most susceptible to damage from the paint pellets. Airbrushing a paintball mask allows for a custom design to be sprayed onto a mask to create an eye-catching, one-of-a-kind mask.

Things You'll Need

  • Masking tape
  • Paper
  • Air brush
  • Paints
  • Blow-dryer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cover any parts of the mask you do not wish to paint but cannot remove, including the lenses of the goggles, using paper and masking tape.

    • 2

      Spray the entire mask with the base color for your design. Black and white are ideal base colors. Even if using a solid color backing such as red, a base of white applied first will allow for a brighter, truer-to-color background when next sprayed with the colored paint.

    • 3

      Dry the mask faster using a blow-dryer on low to keep fresh air passing over the paint.

    • 4

      Apply multiple layers of base color, if needed, until the color is even across the entire mask.

    • 5

      Spray the outline of any advanced shapes you wish to add to your design. For example, when making a skull design, spray an outline of the eyes and nose of the skull.

    • 6

      Add detail to the design by filling in the basic outline and "building up" by applying the base color of each shape, and then adding the detailing colors over the base.

    • 7

      Spray using light applications of paint to provide fading colors. You can always apply a second fine coat over an area to darken an application.

    • 8

      Apply a clear finish over the mask to protect the details of the new paint job. A clear glossy finish or a clear matte both are effective for sealing a mask.