Artist Ambush wields airbrush in Wantage, July 22

Wantage - Portrait artist Peter Ambush will conduct a demonstration of airbrush techniques in portrait artistry from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 22, at the Sussex-Wantage Branch Library, 69 Rte. 639 in Wantage. He will start a portrait during the demonstration and, using suggestions from the audience, plans to complete the piece by the end of the demonstration. Ambush has used airbrushing to create some of his 400-plus portraits of television, screen and stage stars. He teaches a class in airbrushing at du Cret School of the Arts in Plainfield. A resident of Newton, Ambush will show art enthusiasts the precise technique he uses when airbrushing a portrait. He says airbrushing can be used to paint on multimedia board as well as murals, T-shirts, posters, and even fingernails. The technique, he says, has become popular in recent years but has actually been around since the 1940s. During the demonstration at the library, Ambush will show how to start an airbrushing project and the skill involved in mastering the airbrush. For the most part, the artist uses black India ink in his airbrush, and gets it onto the canvas through a brush powered by air pressure. Ambush explains that an entire piece can be done with the airbrush, or airbrushing can be one element in a project, combined with graphite, colored pencil and watercolor. Preregistration is required for the presentation. For information or to register, call 973-875-3940.