IMPORTANT
Before use, clean the airbrush by spraying Medea Airbrush Cleaner or similar cleaner through it. This will clear the airbrush of any residual pre-testing pigment and the protective coating of oil on the needle and nozzle. While in use KEEP YOUR AIRBRUSH CLEAN. Between color changes, spray cleaning solution through the airbrush to clean the nozzle and needle of the previous color.

Fine Line Spray
To spray a fine line, depress and slightly pull the trigger back while positioning the airbrush close to the surface (approximately 1 - 3 inches). The thickness of the line can be controlled by adjusting the distance of the airbrush from the surface. An extremely narrow can be obtained (line with the Eclipse) by carefully removing the needle cap (#1) and positioning the airbrush closer to the surface. (The needle cap for the Eclipse is for protection of the needle while the airbrush is not in use and should be removed before spraying). CAUTION: The needle and nozzle are very delicate. Even a slight bend on the tip of the needle can adversely affect the spray pattern. Replacing the needle cap on the Eclipse with the optional crown cap will protect the needle and enable an extremely narrow line to be sprayed.

Wide Line and Background Spraying
For wider lines and background spray, pull the trigger further back to release more paint. Increase and adjust the distance between the airbrush and painted surface to control the width of line desired (from 3 - 6 inches is common). Increasing the air pressure will also affect the spray width. The Eclipse will spray a background width of approximately 2 inches.

Cutaway Handle
The cutaway handle (#19) is a special feature on the Eclipse. Its purpose is to allow you to free up clogs that may have formed at the tip of the airbrush without removing the handle and needle. To use, simply grip the exposed needle-chucking nut (#18) with thumb and forefinger. Pull back on the needle-chucking nut while simultaneously depressing the trigger (#12); this will allow paint to flow past the needle and tip, freeing up any clogs. Repeat this process several times until the airbrush is free of clogs and spraying normally.

Stippling
Iwata airbrushes are designed to produce a wide range of stippling textures. Stippling is achieved by removing the needle cap (#1) and nozzle cap (#2). The air pressure is adjusted between 5 and 50 p.s.i. Paint viscosity will also affect the stippling texture.

Air Pressure
Working pressures vary from between 10 and 60 p.s.i., depending on what textures are desired. The viscosity of the paint and your desired spray characteristics will also have an effect on what pressure is ideal. As a general rule, larger amounts of paint will be sprayed with higher pressures. A good working pressure may average around 35 p.s.i.

Paint Preparation
Proper preparation and filtering though a nylon mesh is recommended for best performance of the airbrush. Paint should be thoroughly thinned and dissolved with its proper solvent. It is best to prepare the paint relatively thin and make repeated passes across the work to achieve the desired shade. This will also improve the quality of your work and decrease the cleaning time of your airbrush.