ART, pin striping question?...

[El Hueso]

i planning on learning the art. but have some questions first. whats a good size beginers/all around brush? and any good brands out there i should go for? ive read up on this but is there any info you can give me to help me out? any and everything helps. thanks...

[bradberry00]

go with a mack 00.....

PRACTICE is the key, and your first time is going to look like crap I guarantee it so keep trying...

[flyin'eye]

I've been trying to learn too. I don't think the brush you use to practice matters as much as having the paint thinned properly. When I finally figured out the correct consistency of the one shot, my stripes got a LOT better immediately. Keep practicing, it's not as hard as you might think.

[Anderson]

I made an attempt a while ago to stripe. Bought the full set of Macks from Eastwood and a few cans of one-shot. I was so very lost. Then i just kinda quit...I should really start practicing and do some technique research. For example, i was simply dipping my brush into the can for paint, not even wiping it off. Whats this about thinning it out? Huh? Practice makes perfect I guess.

[Peter Pan of Chicago]

Nailhead,

Pick up a Mack 00 original striping brush with the blue ferrel. The ferrel is the string that is tied around the handle to hold the brush hair. This about the best brush around and at $13.50 is priced right.

Next Buy 1Shot lettering paint and practice thinnig with mineral spirits. Practice on a piece of scrap glass. If you can stripe on glass you can stripe on anything. Don't go trying to be to fancy. Take baby steps. A little at a time.

Everyone has a style. It's what sets everyone apart. Find someone whose style you like and emulate it. At the risk of looking like a kopykat, it would give you a foundation that will eventually evolve into your own. Over time you will develop your own original style. You will borrow alot from what you see around you.

I feel that anybody can learn and be profient at pinstriping. There are two inportant ingridients you need to be successful. Desire and practice. The desire to get up and be the best and practice,practice,practice. Eat,drink,sleep cars and automotive pinstriping. It's a fun and Kool art. I am glad to see such a resergence in it today, especially in the Kustom Kulture segment of Hot Rodding.

Pick up Signcraft and Auto Art magazines for inspiration and tips.

I hope this helps. If ya have any other questions feel free to contact me. There's nothing like the "Brotherhood of the Brush"and the HAMB!

Practice,practice,practice! Good luck.

Joel

[Johnny Ace]

Nailhead,
Don't be afraid to buy a FEW 00's to start with and CUT a few down to see what feels and drags right for you...Absorb the mastery and experience of those who do live it(like the previous post)! As for us, we like to use Roth's work for inspiration, and there is always something new to learn from Dutch,no matter how many times his work has been seen.....'50s Car Crafts,early 60s Rod & Custom,Rod Builder,etc...always get us stoked to work....Andy Southard's wealth of foto info now available is great too....just our 2cents....if all else fails to inspire,get a grinder,a hood,trunk,fender,etc. and get a starting pattern! Nothing better than following the original aesthetic of cover-up striping,eh?
Best of luck!

[Johnny Ace]

Hey there... Kali's PS to our previous post:
Just a few extra pointers that might help... Don't bother with pounce patterns (at least at the beginning)... you'll be able to develop your symmetry skills and have more confidence with freehanding. Also, they won't help you with stuff like helmets & motorcycle tanks, right Barnett? ;-)
Some good beginning practices are doing simple lines... start with short lines and adjust your brush pressure to make the same line in different thicknesses... after you are confident with your short lines, do the same, but longer... once you have your long lines down, and in differing thicknesses, move to curves... do the curves the same way, but work larger to smaller... THEN, move to crecents. Also, in the simple line area, practice teardrops... lay your brush's head flat on your surface, then slowly turn the brush to the trimmed side while pulling toward your self. If you do this stuff religiously, you'll be pulling seriously sweet lines in no time! This isn't meant to be a guide... this is just stuff that worked for me. As a previous HAMBer posted, glass is totally the way to go... it is the most difficult surfaces to work on and requires the most control.
Have fun and don't be afraid to get creative... I hope this helps! Best of luck - and if I can help you out any, please don't hesitate to drop a line (har har)
xo- Kali

[El Hueso]

thanks guys. im already drawing out ideas in my head. but are there any good sites out there, with materials, brushes, info, etc?...

[abe lugo]

I got pointers for those beginers
keep your brushes oiled good
try using a french liner available at art stores
you don't have to thin out one-shot
house enamel at home depot is the same as one shot "not kidding"
you need a "stabilo pencil" to draw with on the surface before striping.
try striping on glass or plex to practice on. best place for free plexglas is the trash can of any plastic shop.
practice, practice, practice
good luck

[Zlicious]

I've never watched anybody pull lines, so I have a question too...I'm running into problems when I have to bring a line down to a curve and then back up. Trying to roll the brush I always end up kicking the hair out and my lines get fat. Also, do you ever have to turn the brush backwards (think passin' a fattie) to go up with a line, kinda like backhand welds? I usually, in all my practice, work from top to bottom with each line, whether it is the actual top of the piece or not. But I was wondering about the backhand motion.

[Unkl Ian]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, do you ever have to turn the brush backwards

[/ QUOTE ] Forwards,backwards,upside down. Do whatever is necessary to create the art you want. [ QUOTE ]
Trying to roll the brush I always end up kicking the hair out and my lines get fat.

[/ QUOTE ] Stand the brush up and twist it in the direction you want to go.Twist it more than you think you need,and keep twisting as you turn.