Preparation

• Select a stencil design and draw it onto a thin piece of paper. Cut the design from the paper and set it aside; the piece you cut the design from is used as an outline. For example, if you use the team's logo as a design and it's the face of tiger, cut the face from the middle of a piece of paper, leaving a hole of the outline of the tiger's face in the paper.
  
  Take the paper with the outline in the middle and tape it to the helmet where you want the face to appear. Cover any exposed parts of the helmet with scrap paper so the airbrush does not splatter color in a place you don't want it. After all areas are covered, use a single color to airbrush in the cut-out area; this creates a base color and outline for your design.
  
  Paints made specifically for airbrushing create a smooth, even surface once the paint dries. Consider using other paints such as inks, acrylics, enamels and watercolors to create various textures. Use a solvent or medium to bring these paint formulas to a thin, milky consistency that won't clog the airbrush. You can find airbrush kits that come with both the airbrush piece and the compressor, and are geared toward beginning users. Test your airbrush without paint first to ensure a proper hose connection.
  
  When the airbrush is set up properly, add the paint and spray onto a test piece of paper so you can determine if you need to adjust the nozzle for consistency. Spray the stencil area using a slow back-and-forth motion until you achieve the desired density of color.
  
  

Details

• Let the paint dry for at least one hour without removing the stencil. The stencil and scrap paper act as barriers as you add details to the design. When the paint has dried, add different colors to enhance your picture. Flush the airbrush out with warm water before adding a new color.
  
  Prior to layering one color on top of another, let the bottom layer dry first. Because the airbrush technique distributes paint in a light layer, numerous layers can be added to the design. Layered colors usually take longer to dry, so allow your final picture to dry for at least 24 hours. After that time, remove the stencil and any other paper attached to the helmet.
  
  

Customization

• Airbrushing numbers on helmets helps each player distinguish his protective gear from the rest of the team's. It's easier to purchase number stencils from a craft supply store than to create the stencils. Select a location on the helmet for the number and tape the stencil in place. Cover the rest of the helmet, including the original design, with paper to protect the surface from excess paint. Airbrush in the numbers.
  
  To make the numbers stand out, airbrush on a second coat of paint after the first layer dries. Remove the stencil and other paper after one hour when all coats of the paint have dried.