Art & Inspiration Beginner Pinstriper Needs Help

Hello everyone!


I have been wanting to get into pinstriping and lettering for a few years now and finally bought some of the supplies I need. So far I have two colors of 1shot, brushes, mineral spirits, and glass I got out of cheap picture frames. I did a mailbox for my husband that turned out OK. I lettered it after spraying it white. The paint ran in two spots, which was disappointing, but a good learning experience.

I have seen numerous striping designs I would love to do I just don't even know where to start. I’ve been practicing on glass now for a few weeks, and I have only really managed to do one simple design that I came up with. My husband is getting me some painted damaged fenders from a body shop he used to work at for practice. He can fix the damage himself so I think it will work out well. So to summarize my questions:

Is there somewhere I can go to get simple designs to start with, and work my way up from there?

I am having a hard time keeping whatever I’m doing centered on the glass (or mailbox). The letters were shifted too far to the right. What can I do to center my work better?

Do you have any tips about how to keep my work symmetrical? How do you know which brush to use?

Thank you all so much for your help!

 

There are many Pinstripers here that will chime in and help steer you in the right direction...just be patient.for the replies to come around...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/old-school-pinstriping-tips-n-tricks.1086645/

below is a search on pinstriping the above thread came from...

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...triping&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=5

 

There is a good magazine that I used to get at Barnes & Noble called "Air Brush Action", which you may find interesting. Although air brushing may be a bit beyond your present aspirations, it does show a lot of pin-striping, which I'm sure you'll find inspirational. If B&N isn't convenient to you, I think they offer through their website, subscription service to hundreds of obscure magazines; or I'd be happy to dig out magazine contact info for you. Good luck with your progress!

 

Welcome, Brittany. There is nothing like hands on experience, practice, practice, practice. If you're lucky, someone in your area ( you did fill that in in your profile page(?) might be willing to mentor you. Good Luck, Carp.

 

Look online for lettering brushes. & striping supplies.Bob Bond had a quarterly magazine devoted to striping, air brush & lettering, don't know if it's still available. There is a magazine called SignCraft, they have lettering books for beginners. The Letterhead web site has nice examples of hand done alphabets. The sign industry is digital now so the hand lettering is more of a niche area or hobby. One of the most important things in lettering & striping is to get the paint thinned properly so it flows out of the brush, you can't use it straight out of the can. A product called Penetrol helps, should be able to get it from a paint supplier, add a few drops to the paint. Try making a pattern on paper the size you wish the finished piece to be, tape it on the underside of the practice glass, centered, and use it as a guide. This is just a simple quick way to do it and have some level of success. As has been stated practice is the most important, decent striping & lettering brushes too. Good luck, don't get discouraged it takes awhile to getpast the awkward stage, we were all there once.

 

Getting your mojo aligned works the same way as getting to Carnagie Hall. Practice...

Snarky response aside, there was once a DVD from Wizard (I think) and had tutorials about what lines to practice so you develop muscle memory. Brush control is helped along by pulling long straight lines, control meaning how much paint to leave in for each application without having too much or too little. Symetry is over rated. While you don't want huge differences a little bit separates the artist from the stickers in Auto Zone. Scrolling also helps with brush control. Last but not least, some stripers like a long handled brush. I've seen a few do really good things with those vs the standard Mack, but the Mack is a standard for a reason. Experiment, develop a style all your own, study fonts for lettering, forward 'C', reverse 'C', forward 'S', reverse 'S', pull those lines hundreds of times. Not letters, lines. Make em big, small, medium, but make em one after the other and the control will become routine. Good luck, but practice-practice-practice.

 

maybe try putting graph paper behind your glass to better mirror image your stripes

 

To get a good symmetrical pattern, go to a good art supply store and get a pounce wheel. This is a stick type instrument with a little spur wheel on the end. Make a paper pattern of one side of your design and run the pounce wheel over it. Flip this over to the other side. Make a little cloth bag filled with corn starch and rub it over the paper. Symmetrical pattern done.

 

LOL, lose the nickname 'Shakey Jake'!

Seriously, good luck in your quest to be proficient in that beautiful art form!

 

Bought this ages ago from Eastwood along with a book on Freehand Lettering by the same author.

 

Amazon shows a batch of how to pinstripe books including the one Goldmountain showed. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=how+to+pinstripe+books&crid=1AROOQSMXDI2O&sprefix=How+to+pinstripe,aps,782&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_16
Some of those books you can buy for a couple of bucks used plus about 4 bucks shipping and not have to pay sticker price.

 

There is an interview of Von Dutch by Ed Roth on youtube that has some interesting things discussed in it.

 

Just don't stop. In the 60-70's I wanted to learn and watched when I could. I had a job as an electrician and when I worked swing I started bring my supplies to work. It was an old power plant and soon anything with a straight side got stripped: vending machines, tool boxes, lockers etc I drove people nuts. Our welders, machinists (millwrights) and boiler mechanics had roll around large tool boxes and soon all the one wanted had the names done by me. I never did a car and soon other things got in the way. I even bought a Burgler and played with it. The one thing I kept was a cloth pith helmet which I painted with scallops and stripped the back for Bonneville. It's now35 yrs old. Sometimes I wished I would have continued.

 

Try a stabillo pencil to mark the center. They come in colors, water soluble and paintable .
The mineral spirits is now too oily and will prevent good adhesion and drying time but maybe this is just in California. I switched to 1K kerosene as a thinner and add a few drops of linseed oil for good flow. 1K is clean and evaporates like the old mineral spirits did and is very affordable. Also 1 Shot reducer and their flow enhancer is excellent but kinda pricy.
Practice , practice , practice is key to consistent quality . Ideas to be inspired by are on Instagram by the score.
Forget about squeeze bottles or screws in the lid on 1Shot because it will still skin over and must always be stirred well before using. After it’s about 2”down in the can it will skin over even with the lid on but this is not a problem. Just poke thru the skin , stir well and strain out a small amount into a 3 oz Dixi cup and start creating!
. After Three or four skin layers just take a sharp pocket knife and simply cut out and remove the skins. Some colors always skin over and some don’t and I could never figure out why. Also Don’t over thin. Heavy is better but not so thick that it will not flow. This is where practice in palleting and feel comes in time.
These days the internet is packed with tutorials so it’s way easier to learn than it was back in the old days when I learned by doing.
Any other questions feel free to ask. I’m on Instagram too at quicksilverart46.


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I have always been interested in gold leaf, but have never found anyone willing to show or teach.

 

By the way @Brittany1977 welcome to the Hamb...

Here is a link to a search of the Friday Art shows here...Do visit some of them as there are several Pinstripers who showcase Art Pieces weekly...while it would not give you hands on it will introduce you to some of the Membership that do pinstripe.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search/176065980/?q=Friday&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=5

 

@Brittany1977 .....I have been playing with learning pinstriping too recently. I have found I am better at certain styles than others. I suck at scrolling. Steve Kafka sells a plastic grid sheet that allows you to use a stabilo pen to make a graph pattern. I have not used it but have drawn graphs on my glass. For me it got too busy and did not help that much but it may for you. I have found that by trying and practicing with different brushes there are several that have become my "go to's" including one that I modified. There are artists who hold their brushes differently too. Check some out and try their "grip" to see if one works better for you. Try doing the same design over and over again. Its like learning cursive when you were a kid. Teacher had you write the letter "A" a hundred times then "B" and so on. The glass practice is the best but you also need to try on a non flat surfaces because this changes everything. Bottles, pans, tools boxes, old car parts anything that lends itself to taking paint is good to try. Symmetry will get better with practice. I am trying to get good enough to do my own car. I don't think I'll ever have the balls to tackle someone else's nicely painted ride and attempt to make both sides of the design symmetrical and then duplicate the same design on the other fender in multiple colors while others watch at a car show in the hot sun while drinking beer. Those guys are the artists. Have fun with it. Show us some of your work!

 

Look up an old timer, Don Rooney from my area of upstate New York often takes young people under his wing.

In Don's word's "I an not going to be here forever. I don't want this to become a lost art."

 

There are tons of how to videos on YouTube. Just type in "pinstripeing",

 

Facebook has a page on pinstriping. We had a good one in the Atlanta area and a little alcohol seemed to help him !

 

What area are you located?

 

Use the white pencil to light draw in the design. I forget the name maybe stabillo pencil

Also get a couple French Liner shape brushes in 1/8 and 3/16 inch. Not all lines have to be be done with a sword brush.

As far as symmetry that is what the lightly drawing the design out first is for with the white pencil.
All those guys that claim to free hand. That takes years of practice.

 

Went to Art School/College when I was younger and did some striping and cartoons on dashes and deck lids etc. Here's a pic of the only thing I have left. The trick is how to load the brush and finding a hold that you are comfortable with and practice, practice. I used the thumb and first finger and little finger for support. Saw a quote once from Dutch where he said when ever he made a slip up on one side he just did the same thing on the other side. A true Master. Mantuajohn

 

Far be it for me to advise on the art of pinstriping or lettering, but I have had some signs painted for me by our towns sign painter. Priced decals to put my business name on the side of my box truck and almost fainted! On a whim I called our local sign painter, figuring he must be way higher than decals..... but.. he was way, way cheaper and could do it tomorrow!
He came out drew outlines of what he was supposed to paint, grabbed his brush, started painting and didn’t even come close to the lines he drew, his letters, if you actually looked at them,weren’t very symmetric, he was done way before I thought he should be. I paid him.... looked at his work and said “ Man,, that looks great!
There’s some messages in there somewhere!




Bones

 

I practiced daily in '54 and '55. Talked to Kenny Howard ('Von Dutch') in '55, then spent 2 days on-and-off with Dean Jeffries whilst he striped the real 'Black Widow' '24 T roadster of Wally Olsen.
Bought my 3 sword-style brushes w/ wooden handles at the Red Barn, (sort of an 'Aaron Bros' Art Store', 1954 variety)
There were a few guys doing it then, but my bud Ramsay's cousin Marge was GREAT!
She striped and did pictures on many San Jose cars, and I helped her flame her black '56 Chevy! (in 1957)
Marge Toro was an Artiste'!

 

40 miles west of Dothan

 

Lettering and pinstriping are two completely different art forms using similar techniques. When I first started I focused on the lettering side. I found a sign class at a local jr college and signed up. T.hey taught me letter style , spacing , how to hold a brush and the right paint consistency. They also emphasized repetitive motion and consistency, in other words, a lot of practice . This class was a five day a week four hours a day, lots of practice. There are several threads on this site regarding pinstriping that should help you and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The advice that Quicksilver 46 gave was absolutely correct, I know him and he knows what he’s talking about. Good luck and don’t get to frustrated, it takes a while to get comfortable with the brush.

 

Have been sign painting since I was 13, now 77. A tip for getting a symmetrical design is to fold a piece of tracing paper in half. Draw one side of the design starting at the fold which will be the center point then refold the paper flip the paper over and trace what you have drawn. Open the paper and you have a design that is symmetrical. You can use a pounce wheel or tracing paper to transfer the design. My favorite is to rub chalk on back which will act like tracing paper.

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Thank you all for the responses. I really appreciate the advice, and will be taking all of it! I am determined to improve I just needed some direction. I uploaded a picture of something I painted today. I live in Chimacum, WA. It is a rural area so I am not sure if there is any pinstripers around here. I am somewhat close to a Seattle ferry.

Thank you Stogy for the links to previous threads. I was able to find some additional information without creating more threads. I will keep on my eye on the art shows. Lots of talented folks!
Desmodromic do you airbrush as well? I will look for that next time I'm in Barnes and Noble.
Great idea Carp. It would be a huge help to get the opportunity to work with someone hands on.
Echo Ed I looked at Bob Bond's website...the Rat Fink 32 Ford is awesome! Do you use Penetrol in addition to a thinner? I seem to struggle the most with lowercase e's, and a's.
theHighlander it took a little digging but I did find the DVD on Steve Chaszeyka's website. I've been practicing a bit pulling forward/reverse C/S, along with straight lines. My current challenge is how to start a line out thick and pull it thin without it looking like a messy blob.
mr. Chevrolet that's a good idea!
goldmountain that is a great idea. I will definitely be trying this. I found the book online but no one seems to have a copy for sale.
Cosmo49 thank you! I will need all the luck I can get.
Mr48Chev I ordered the Alan Jackson pinstriping book. I was able to get it used!
s55Mecury66 I've got it in my playlist thank you!
jimmy six love the helmet! That's beautiful pinstriping. So symmetrical! Why not pick up where you left off? I don't intend to stop I am just getting started!
quicksilverart46 will a stabillo pen work better than chalk? I am in WA state. I found you on Instagram!
Strait8 how did you modify your brush? How much of a challenge was it to transition from a flat to curved surface?
Robert J. Palmer is Don Rooney a member of this forum? How would I look him up?
CA. 280 Yes I have gotten pretty sucked into Youtube!
elba I requested to join one and never heard back. Do you know the name of the group?
abe lugo do you prefer french liner brushes to sword brushes? So you can paint right over the pencil?
Mantuajohn that is very unique I like it! That's good advice. I wouldn't have thought to make the other side match to blend a mistake.
Boneyard 51 those decals are quite expensive!
Atwater Mike wow what an experience that must have been!
philly the greek I love that pinstriping! do you think it would make sense for me to separate pinstriping from lettering practice sessions? Quicksilverart46 gave great advice that I am definitely taking.
Von Brush that's great advice!
On an exciting note I am going to have a car to pinstripe! We are bringing home a 1950 Plymouth for a yard art car. My husband said the car is beyond restoration so it will make good yard art. There are some good parts that my husband is going to swap out on his 1951 Plymouth.

 

Full disclosure, I've always wanted to stripe but never dedicated the time or exercised the discipline required to make something of it. My artistic talents are varied and I do understand what it would take. Sometimes I think "...never too old..." and sometimes "...are you f'kin kidding?" Still, I applaud and support anyone willing to maintain the truly artistic skills involved in this car life.

Ok, just a long winded version of "GO FOR IT!" Rootin for ya...