I spent the first 16 years of professional life in graphics, design, and illustration but left that field a while ago. I pinstriped my '39 back then and it turned out fine. I still design the shirt for my club's rod run every year. Now though I want to get back into 'striping more seriously. What I'm hoping to find from some HAMBers is a PDF of an overview or a link to a good article, more as a reminder than a tutorial. I hope I don't need an expensive "Starter Kit" or videotape how-to. Just some reminders and encouragement. Thanks. Gordon
Here is a decent website. It's got some cool stuff and some pratice stuff if you're interested..... http://www.rockyburris.com/
I was also a graphic artist, illustrator for 20+ years. Have been on a computer for the past 15 years now doing boring as hell building plans etc. But it has been a good steady income. Loved pintriping since I first saw the Rod & Custom article on VonDutch. I got a couple of brushes at $1.50 each and some enamel paint(one shot wasn't around then, at least not in my area) and started striping and lettering on junkyard cars and my car. I copied VonDutch's "Harvey Shaken By Crossbreeding" rabbit design on my 50 Ford's trunk and got several jobs from that. Saturday night at the local drive-in I would do some little something on a car and make enough to buy a burger & coke. Now there are so many magazines, books, DVD's etc. on "How To Pinstripe" you can have unlimited access to equipment and techniques, it can get confusing what to do and how to do it! My opinion...buy a couple of good brushes and a couple cans of One Shot and start striping on anything and everything from cars to toys to bowling pins (maybe thats where they got Pin Stiping from )and "They Will Come" . Everything in the attached photo has some striping or lettering on it.
Go to autoartmagazine.com or signcraft.com and look for back issues with pinstriping articles for beginers. There have been several good ones in both of these magazines by some of the top stripers.
Thanks to all for the links, advice, and inspiration. I think I'll practice on the coupe first with a Mack 00 in one hand and a rag soaked in thinner in the other. Gordon ----------- You can't always get what you want but if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need. M. Jagger (1969)
I'm a graphic designer too. I've just started to learn how to pinstripe. I got a kit from speedway, the brush that came with it is pretty crappy. I'm going to get a mack brush one of these days.
I would suggest a chico brush. IMHO they are 100 times better. You can find him on Ebay, he sells them in a set but if you will call him he will sell you whatever you want. For a starter kit just buy yourself a quart of white or black and practice on glass or plexi. Pratice making a straight line until the width is consistent. Then practice making curves, lazy S, half moon, etc. Once that first quart is all used up get another and do it again. Once you start fooling with designs don't leave loose ends. Make sure all your lines are closed so to speak. You can also try a kafka brush, I find myself using them also depending on the situation. Most importantly have fun!
Inspiration starts at www.pinheadlounge.com beyond that, hook up withy a few Washington area stripers, this is the best refresher you can take! I have a company office in Pacific Washington that I plan on making a trip to in the spring, I'd love to hook up and plan a night of pinstriping out there if possible! PM me if you're at all interested, I have a few friends in the area.... Chris. http://www.pinheadlounge.com/Curse
That's one thing I have not found is someone willing to teach the art. While I know several people do and are willing to teach they seem far and few between around here.
There's a lot of good advice in the various pinstriping threads on this site . Good luck in your new endeavor .
Continually draw designs and practice striping! Your head commands your hand what to do anyways? Turn on some music and relax and stripe. Do NOT wipe off what you've striped in practice! Create a design and date and number it,continue to practice and after 6 months or 1,000 designs,pull out the original and stripe the same design again and measure your growth with that! You must make mistakes in order to learn! If nothing else,you're still having fun? As the last few fellas have said PinheadLounge is a great place to look and learn. Best of luck and have fun with it!
Try this link as well.Join up and check out our data base and photo section.Plenty of sites listed in the links section as well. http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/pinstriperspage/
The Jalopy Journal
