[wayne]

Some of you have shown interest in some of the airbrush work I posted in my mods thread so I thought I'd give a quick overview of the steps for custom painting using a helmet for an example. It's a great way to leave the world behind and once you get beyond the frustration it can be very rewarding and fun. This ones for you kraazymike!

First I stripped all the removable parts from the helmet and gave it a good cleaning with a spray cleaner followed by cleaning it twice with alcohol to remove any wax, grease or silicone which would reek havoc with the paint. A good wax and grease remover would do the same but I had the alcohol on hand. After it was clean I wet sanded with 1000 grit paper. As the helmet was in good shape this was sufficient. the object here is to give the new paint some "tooth" without sanding through the existing finish on the helmet.
Then I masked off the remaining vents, edging and interior with quality masking tape and masking paper. As the paint job was going to require multiple sections and varied artwork I masked out the first section with fine-line tape and cover the areas that wouldn't be painted.

I started the airbrushing by laying out the outline and facial placement for a skull on the back and layed on the first layer of flames around and above it. This was done with reduced white followed by a wash of reduced transparent red. This would serve as the background layer for the flames and a reference for me to come back in and do some freeehand work on the skull.

I then came in with some overly reduced black and the skull reference stencil I cut to place the eyes, nose and teeth on the skull. This is merely for reference purposes and will be covered during the freehand work. It also provides some reference for the darkest shadows.

Over the black layer I come back in with reduced white and start shaping out the skull. when the initial form is ther I added a second layer of white flames over the first layer using both sharp and soft edges and blending.

This is all covered over with and good coat of Orange Candy. Candy colors will show up over the underlying layers but won't show up over black and will retain their transparency.

I get some more posted up tomorrow and show you how the skull takes shape and the final layer of flames.

 

[middleagecrisis]

Where do you get the correct paint? What type of equipment is required?
BTW-That's bad ass.

 

[deputystryker]

How much for your services on painting a skid lid?

 

[kraaazymike]

I would LOVE to see how the skull takes shape. Thanks Wayne! Awesome write up. I'm currently working on Humphrey Bogart. Just finished the freehand drawing. Might tackle the paint tomorrow.

 

[wayne]

Where do you get the correct paint? What type of equipment is required?
BTW-That's bad ass.

Paints vary depending on availability and your situation. For this one I am using a brand of airbrush paint called Wicked Colors. I have also used a brand called Auto-Air both from the same company. These are water based (or waterborne in the case of the Wicked as it does have a small amount of solvent in it). When I do my bike I will use urethanes. Probably House of Color. Urethane requires much more care due to their toxic nature.
As for equipment, a decent airbrush, Badger, Iwata and many others make usable models for $100-150 that are fine. I'm using an Iwata HP-C. A reliable compresser with a regulator and water trap. I have a Home Depot model that I picked up for a bout $129.00 Some stencil material, masking tape and paper, an xacto blade, and lots of patients. I use various materials to spray through or around to get different shapes/textures. Oh and the most important thing, lots of practice! There are a number of forums on the net that have great how-tos and practice materials.

 

[wayne]

I would LOVE to see how the skull takes shape. Thanks Wayne! Awesome write up. I'm currently working on Humphrey Bogart. Just finished the freehand drawing. Might tackle the paint tomorrow.

Way to go Mike. Your a braver man than I. I don't really do the portrait thing. My backgrounds more in the old school auto-custom stuff. Never claimed to be an artist LOL.

 

[wayne]

Ok back to our skull. At this point I come back with black that is a bit over reduced and start detailing the shadows, adding fine lines around the teeth sockets and a few other areas. Followed by white with a couple of drops of black to make a very light gray, I blend out the highlights, re-define the basic shapes. At this point I might bring my stencil outline back just to define the skulls outline, the eye sockets etc very lightly. Spraying around a stencil or against an edge leaves a very sharp line which can be unnatural looking. Again more black to soften edges, define the gaps between the teeth, clean up white over-spray in the eyes, nose etc. Finally the last highlights with white and redefining the teeth and the highest areas. Now I move on to adding a little yellow to the white for the final flame highlights. The yellow I am using is a pretty dark. golden color and I am looking to achieved something a little lighter for the flame highlights thus the white. Once I've highlighted the areas in the flames I want I sprayed a wash of orange candy lightly over the skull and the immediate area to blend him into the flames.
Here's a shot before the clear.

Here the highlights aren't readily apparent but watch what happens when I spray a coat of clear over the artwork.

The colors you couldn't see pop out and the dark areas get darker. Thus the beauty of candies and transparent paints. At this point the clear is simply an inter-coat so that I can mask over the artwork without damaging it as I prepare to do the side panels. Sorry for the reflections, the clear really bounces back the lighting. If you look back at the first series of photos you'll see that most or all of the stenciled reference is lost under the free-hand work.

The stencils are merely for referencing the placement of the major features and beyond the shape have little to do with the final look. I'll post more as I start working on the rest of the helmet.

 

[strykenshane]

nice work Wayne, looks like ya really know what you're doing there

 

[Strykeback]

You are very talented and that looks bad a$$.

 

[J4patrice]

Nice write-up Wayne. Wish I could do that, but I will leave painting my helmet to my painter.

 

[wayne]

Thanks everyone I hope your enjoying this and can appreciate what your painter does.
After the clear dried I lightly wet sanded the edges of the first section to remove the lip that the masking leaves. Then I masked off the second section and proceeded to do a marbling effect in white followed by stippling (shooting under reduced paint which creates small dots or specks).

I went over this with a mixture of blue and translucent base (makes the color more transparent).

Then I came back in with a reduced black and added a few ghost skulls to tie in our theme.

All this was covered with one coat of clear, again to protect the artwork while masking out the next section. Here's were we're at so far.

Looking fairly good but we still have a couple of tricks to try yet!

 

[wayne]

Getting close to finishing up the paint job. After the clear on the blue dried I went back and added a purple section on the bottom with a graph like striping. After seeing the results I have decide I'm not really fond of the look and will repaint the bottom section. I then went for one of the final deatils. A torn metal look between the flamed skull section and the blue marble.

This was accomplished by masking out the appropriate shapes and a series of shadings. Staring by filling in the masked sections with black for coverage I then laid a base of blue/grey. I then ran a light grey blend up the middle of each section. This was followed by black on the edges, then a smaller white up the middle. Back to black to redefine the edge and a final highlight of white in the middle of each section and on the curved ends. Normally this would be followed by lightly adding drop shadows underneath each curve section but due to the fact there is so much gradation in the underlying blue I felt they were not needed. I did run into one problem. The frisket paper I was using was quite old and it left a great deal of adhesive on the helmet when it was removed. In cleaning this up there was a bit of damage to the fresh paint so I will have to go back in and touch it up a bit tomorrow, bummer. I'll get that straightened up and do something with the purple section and then it's ready for clear coat, wet sanding and buffing. I am pretty pleased with the results and will be happy to wear the helmet while enjoying my new Stryker Hope you enjoyed the ride!

 

[BrettRTR]

Wayne, thanks so much for the write-up. I have such a better appreciation for the abilities of custom painters after reading this. I was digging how you made the mouth of the skull the focal point and the detail you put into the gum line around the teeth. I never really noticed the use of shadows and highlights but now I can see what you were talking about with the white going up the middle. It would look so incomplete without it. Like I said, got a new appreciation for the work and now I will be able to see the finer details. Thanks man.

 

[_M_]

This is so foreign to me. I can calculate the physics of and engine and geometry of suspensions, I can cut and weld, I can diagnose and repair just about any mechanical failure, but art is like another language. I have about zero artistic ability. Just wasn't born with that ability I suppose. I'm sure I could be taught how to paint, but no one can teach creativity in art, and that I do not have. I have much respect for those who do. May you always profit from your skills.

 

[wayne]

Wayne, thanks so much for the write-up. I have such a better appreciation for the abilities of custom painters after reading this. I was digging how you made the mouth of the skull the focal point and the detail you put into the gum line around the teeth. I never really noticed the use of shadows and highlights but now I can see what you were talking about with the white going up the middle. It would look so incomplete without it. Like I said, got a new appreciation for the work and now I will be able to see the finer details. Thanks man.

Brett, your welcome. i thought some people might be interested in the amount of time and effort that goes into this type of thing. Helps when you get that big bill LOL. As for the teeth I thought that might help with tailgaters! The shadow and highlights are the key to making a 2 dimensional image look 3D. I'm don't have an art background so I'm still learning but I am stubborn so I can usually fudge it!

 

[wayne]

This is so foreign to me. I can calculate the physics of and engine and geometry of suspensions, I can cut and weld, I can diagnose and repair just about any mechanical failure, but art is like another language. I have about zero artistic ability. Just wasn't born with that ability I suppose. I'm sure I could be taught how to paint, but no one can teach creativity in art, and that I do not have. I have much respect for those who do. May you always profit from your skills.

Thanks M. to tell you the truth my profit comes in much the same way, mechanical work, welding, repairs and equipment operation. I don't consider myself a custom painter (use to do some bout 30 years ago) but if anything I am stubborn and want to paint my bike, thus the practicing. I always figure there's nothing I can't do if I really want to. So far it's worked out as I've done everything from lumberjacking/tree climbing to pro photography to computer network support (i'm currently certified as a network tech, PC tech and network engineer) to my current position as a equipment operator/mechanic (certified Hoisting engineer) and a whole lot in between. I think I just get bored easily!

 

[wayne]

And the final product

After touching up the damage from removing the adhesive I decided to push the purple into the background, and added some more marbling and ghost skulls to the lower section. Cleared everything and here it is, my helmet for the riding season. I'll let the clear dry for a few days and then sand it out with some 2000 grit wet and do the final polishing. I'm pretty happy with the results and hope you all enjoyed seeing how this is done. Without further adieu.....

 

[Strykeback]

Wow!. Nice How to... You obvious have a real talent and eye for this art. I cannot even touch up the nicks in my cars hood without it looking like a 3 year old did it. I agree with Patrice and others that I would leave this kind of work for a person like yourself and happily pay the money to have it done than even attempt such a thing. Again beautiful job.

 

[J4patrice]

Very cool Wayne!

 

[11Stryker]

Great write-up Wayne!!