Iwata has extended its Eclipse airbrush range with a new All-Star Versatility ‘Takumi’ side-feed model… and the results are excellent says CHRIS CLIFFORD.
With so many airbrushes on the market, it can be confusing as to which is the right choice for you. Single- or double-action, top or side cup etc. The mantra, though, is always buy the best you can afford… and if it means waiting a little longer to save for a higher quality model, then please, try to do so.
I used a side-feed Badger 100IL for almost 20 years. It was second-hand from a friend who upgraded, and it served me very well until the orifice for the side cup began to enlarge, and the cup wouldn’t stay in as it should have. But two decades’ use is pretty darned good for what was then a mid-range airbrush, and not being brand new when I acquired it.
I eventually gravitated to integral top cups on my airbrushes, but trialling this new double-action, side-feed ‘Takumi’ Eclipse from Iwata has been somewhat revelatory. ‘Takumi’ is the Japanese moniker for artisans who achieve a Zen-like state when mind and hand become one. While I'm far from a Samurai at one with his katana, the Eclipse was incredibly comfortable and accurate, and the 7ml side cup, which can be attached on…
