Review: Harder & Steenbeck Airbrush Workshop

So I got my new (and first) airbrush system and with the set also arrived a dvd called "Harder & Steenbeck Airbrush Workshop". I ordered this dvd because I thought some advice on how to work with an airbrush could not be bad. Therefore I thought of doing a small review on my first thoughts about this dvd from the view of an absolute beginner in airbrushing who only watched Youtube tutorials.

Harder & Steenbeck Airbrush Workshop

The dvd arrives in a paperboard cover and first seemed to be completely in german but has an english audio signal (but no subtitles). It is divided in four main chapters with subcategories. I will try to translate them:

1. Airbrush basics
• airbrush
• compressors
• first steps
2.  Step by step techniques
1. using stencils
2. using masking tape
3. Cleaning and troubleshooting
1.  cleaning your airbrush
2. searching and solving error
4. About Harder & Steenbeck
1. how an airbursh is made
2. product overview

In whole it is approximatly 90 minutes long, therefore I will not give a deep insight into all of the subchapters but give a brief overview of the main chapters and go in depth where I think it makes sense.

Chapter 1 - Basics

Pretty what it says. It covers the basics of what an airbrush is what types (gravity feed, siphon feed etc.) are produces and what types of compressors exist and how you should set up your system. This part is extremly focused on Harder & Steenbeck products you just get the feeling you are watching a promo video. The last part shows the first steps: circles, lines and spirals. It only shows this techniques and explains VERY shortly how they are done.

Chapter 2 - Step by Step

... Sunset [with stencils]

The first subchapter explains how to use stencil. Alright... But no it only covers some other tips & tricks. It explains how you can make stars, create mirror images and etc. pp. I was really surprised how much is explained in this chapter after the first step where this short. The complete subchapter is about 15 minutes long so many things can be explained.
On the basis of a sunset the subchapter explains how color transitions are made (for the sky and water), how you use stencils (for the sun and the mountains and the mirrored images) and how you can brush plants. To achieve this many many lines and dots are used (nothing for a newbie like me but it gives some hints how you can achieve this). For the final finish stars and some shining effects are painted on.

... Planets in space [with masking tape]

Approximatly 40 minutes of videotutorial for a planets in space picture. Wow! "Hopefully not only long but helpful" I thought and started watching.
This subchapters not only explains how to use masking tape (for this you wouldn't need 40 minutes) but also shows many techniques how to paint effects, e.g. mountains and planets, shadows, glare and glowing effects and how to achieve these by layering and masking techniques.
I think this chapter is really good but too much to explain or summarize with some words.

Chapter 3 - Cleaning and error search

Again exactly what is said: It is shown how you should clean your airbrush and what things you should take care of. It also gives hints and solutions for some common problems with your airbrush.
Nothing fancy but pretty useful although again very focused on Harder & Steenbeck products. I think you can shift the tips to other manufacturers because the airbrushes are of similiar builds.

Chapter 4 - About Harder & Steenbeck

The first subchapter shows how an airbrush is build. Not as uninteresting as I first thought. You see how much work goes into these airbrushes I was suprised how much handwork is involved in the production.
The second subchapter is the obligatory product catalogue. Since I already made my choices I think this subchapter is pretty useless. If I am interested in the product range, I go to website and do not watch this on a dvd.

Conclusion

At the end the dvd is quite good. Nothing you could not get by searching in Youtube or Google but everything at one place in a decent quality. I think the first steps could be explained better but the step by step chapters are really good. And this whole dvd only costs 3€ (right, three! euro) a gigantic price/performance ratio. Therefore you do nothing wrong by buying it for a good overview. But for more indepth coverage of the techniques you should watch out for a different dvd/book.

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Ok wow, this is the longest blogpost I did since I started blogging! I hope you could follow my thoughts and it was not too boring to work through this post.

So long,
Paradox0n