Wear a face mask to protect yourself from fumes. Set the canvas in a steady place where it will not move. Pour the denim blue paint into the paint reservoir of the airbrush paint machine. Adjust the pressure of the hose to a medium flow by gently twisting the tip. Test the desired pressure on a piece of paper towel. Apply two solid, even coats to the canvas. Allow time to dry.
Rinse out the paint reservoir with water thoroughly. Test to make sure it is clean by spraying a piece of paper towel. If the water comes out clear, then the paint reservoir is clean. If it isn't, repeat the rinse until the machine sprays clear.
For wrinkle airbrushing, pour the dark blue denim paint into the reservoir. Adjust the hose to a very high pressure. Choose a place on the canvas where you want to start applying wrinkles, as you will have to pattern the wrinkles for them to look realistic. Spray the paint onto the canvas using firm, abrupt strokes of the wrist. Do not use as much paint on each and every line, as some wrinkles are deeper than others. Contour the different shades of blue paint to coincide with the way wrinkles really look on jeans. The highest part on the top of the wrinkle is lighter than the normal hue, and the darker areas indicate where the wrinkle dips down. Fade all details into the original fabric color. Repeat this step until the detailed wrinkle effect is achieved. Allow time to dry.
For rip effect airbrushing, fill the paint reservoir with the dark blue paint first. Apply the dark blue paint in spots that resemble holes in the canvas. Allow time to dry. Rinse the paint reservoir thoroughly of the dark blue paint, then fill it again with the lighter blue paint. Detail around the dark holes with details from the lighter blue paint. Create pieces of material that hang in elaborate detail. Repeat this step until the rips in the canvas look very realistic. For blue jean rips, white paint and a detail brush may be necessary to capture the authentic look of torn fabric. Do this by gently painting white strokes at the ends of the lighter blue paint to look like torn threads at the edges of the fabric. Avoid painting within the areas of the original blue paint or its darker shades. Allow time to dry.