Airbrushing is an artistic technique that uses a compressed air tool, called an airbrush, which sprays various media such as inks, dyes, or paints on to most any surface. There are various techniques to airbrushing, many of which can be difficult to master, but artists pursue airbrushing because of the potential for stunning realism in their final work. The first airbrush was invented in the late 1890s, making airbrushing an art form over a century old.