What it means: Paint cup sits on top; gravity pulls paint down to the nozzle
In a gravity-feed airbrush, the paint cup is located on top of the airbrush body. Paint flows downward by gravity into the nozzle area, where it mixes with compressed air and atomizes.
Advantages:
- Requires less air pressure to move paint — better for low-pressure fine detail work.
- Allows you to use very small amounts of paint (useful for expensive paints or small color batches).
- Easier to see paint levels in the cup.
- Most sensitive to color changes — easy to spot contamination.
Disadvantages:
- Cup sits on top, which can feel awkward at certain working angles.
- Smaller cup capacity than siphon-feed bottles.
Gravity-feed is the dominant design for professional and hobbyist use. Most recommended airbrushes (Iwata Eclipse, Harder & Steenbeck Infinity, Badger Patriot) are gravity-feed.
Related: Siphon Feed · Side Feed · Color Cup Learn more: Best Airbrush for Beginners 2026