Consider your budget and level of use. You’ll need to purchase an airbrush tool and air source with which to operate it, both of which come in a range of prices. The most common air source is an electric air compressor, which needs two additional accessories: an air regulator to control how much air you spray and a moisture trap, which prevents water from building up inside your tool. Other compressed air sources include CO2 tanks and air propellant cans.
Apply a base coat to clean, dry nails and allow it to dry. You should use an opalescent base coat rather than a clear one or ridge filler because airbrush paint does not stick well to those.
Apply a base color to the entire nail and give it time to dry. This will provide the background for your nail art.
Lay the stencil over your nail and use the airbrush tool to apply color to fill it in. You can use one color or many, depending on the desired design and effect.
Apply a varnish as well as a top coat to your newly airbrushed nails. A varnish is water-based and is sprayed lightly over the airbrush paint. It allows for a smoother top coat by creating a protective coating over the airbrushed portion of your nails. Once the varnish is dry, you can apply your top coat.