Let me start by saying that I did this a while back, and it was posted at another site, so if you've seen it already sorry to waste your time. I hope this will help you non artist types give this a try, if I can do it, you can. Lay out your design, I use 1/8 fine line tape . I prefer the greenish tan stuff over the blue plastic tape. I usually do one side of whatever I happen to be painting first, then try to duplicate it on the other side. Some people make a pattern, but I think flames are art, so I don't make patterns. Next I go over this design with 1/4 green tape, it helps seal it down, and gives you something to cut against, so you don't ruin your basecoat. At this point, you have to mask the whole thing. I got ahold of some 18" wide mask from a local sign painter, and it is the greatest stuff for doing this....cover your entire design, then with an exacto knife, cut lightly through the mask, and remove from the area you want to paint. NOW..... go completely over your mask, making sure that it is really what you want, you haven't missed a spot, and that it is not lifting in tight corners ............ Scuff the base, I use a grey scotch pad, clean your base, Then paint away I don't know about you, but I want to see the results right away....... Try to be a little patient. Let the paint flash dry, I don't like to leave it to dry completely, before removeing the mask. If you do it while it's still a little wet, the edges seal down better, I think. Pull up and back away from the painted design, to help keep the edge from lifting.
Thanks for posting the tech. I would like to add this. Using a pattern is no less art than freeehand. Michaelangelo used patterns on the Sistine Chapel, and it is certainly art. Using a pattern (pounce) the sides can match exact, not just fairly well. It does take a little more time. Very few starting out can get the flames to match.
Thanks Hotrod1940 In my opinion, while the visual coverage needs to be the same, there is no need for the flames to match exactly. You can't see both sides of the car at once anyway. Yes I want the same number of licks, and I want them to end in the same place on the fender or the door, but, TO ME, a pattern seems to be cheating. I don't think I have ever seen someone pinstripe one side of a design, stop, make a pattern, and then do the otherside. I think flames are as much art as pinstriping, although most pinstripers have much more talented hands... I guess that that's the beauty of art, be it automotive or other, " the eye of the beholder"
Abomb, in the long run either technique works, just two different ways to approach the work. In actual fact, I haven't used either method since the nineties. I do all my work now on the computer and cut the masking out of vinyl, Peel, stick and spray. You still get to control the design using vectors on the computer and it takes about an half hour to completely mask a car without any back taping. I only do it ocassionally now that I am retired. I used to say that you couldn't see both sides anyhow, but one anal retentive customer opened up both his doors, stood in front of the car and said, "I see both sides now, and they ain't even!
I like to do them freehand as well, but I had to try the pounce patern thing once. Here's a Plymouth I did and had some helpers with the tape off. We had 40 hours into this big bastard, Ouch!
Nice, thank you for the tech. Please help me understand the first and second steps. Is the first tape "masking tape" or something else? Second, why do you cover it with tape, and is it "masking tape"?
Has anyone ever used a projector to project the flame outline onto the car and then mask from there? I am the suck when it comes to taping out flames and I'm worse at drawing them. I had a friend draw some flames and I transferred them onto a projector sheet. This way I always have the same layout and I can't F it up. Its definitely cheating, but I'm all about gettin the job done the right way, any way you can.
The first tape is 1/8 inch fine line tape, it is a masking tape that gives a crisp clean edge. I go over that with a 1/4 inch green masking tape, leaving just the edge of the fine line showing. I do this for two reasons, first to add some contrast under the sign painter's mask, it makes it easier to see for cutting it out, the second reason is just to add a double layer, so it's harder to cut all the way through to the base coat, which you definately don't want to do. Thank you all for your comments, I hope that this will "give a little back", for all the help I've found here.
My sister does the projector projecting thing when she needs to add graphics or design when she letters trucks. Thanks for the flame tech post. I'm still debating if I want to do it or not.
When I flamed my 47 Plymouth, (in 1974,) I intentionally made one of the licks on each side turn a different direction, No one ever complained or commented.
I've done it with a projector before. You can get a projector at the craft store by me. It works pretty bitchin. I took a piece of clear plastic,traced the flames I liked off a picture of a car I liked with a Sharpee. Then you put it under the projector and shine it onto the side of your car or truck. You need to make some marks on the sheet for alignment,like fenderwells or doorjambs,etc. After your done with one side you flip it over, shine it on the other side,align the marks and trace the flames on the car. It worked pretty good. You still have to tape it all off the same way though.
In honor of tech week, I thought I would bump my only contribution to the top.....This is about all I know how to do.....well enough that I feel comfortable passing along, anyway..... This process can be used for scallops, panel painting, or any other technique that requires a little complicated masking. My Buick, done using the exact same masking procedure, with flaked paint....
About to be painting my car white with flake blue flames. What be the correct way to paint it all? base color, clear, sand(800 grit whole car) mask flames, and paint 3 to 4 coats of clear with flake un tape clear whole car and flames(3x) sand again(800) stripe car reclear final times(2-3) Novice painter just do not know the correct steps. Is this the right steps or do I not need to clear the base before I tape of flames?
A-bone 1930 , take a minute a count all the coats of paint you want to apply . That paint job is going to be pretty thick , even with the color sanding.
You can tape flames right on top of a good base coat - within the top-coat window. You usually have 24 hours, but it depends on the paint manufacturer. I've done it both ways - Method 1 - base, clear, sand, tape, paint flames, peel tape, clear. This works good when you're running out of time and the you won't be able to do all the steps before Monday morning, etc. It also gives you a place to back up to if something screws up. Method 2 - Lay base, tape flames, spray, pull tape, clear. I prefer this method (fewer steps), but prepare to not sleep for a couple of days to get it all done!
Great idea for tech btw. When laying the fine line, pull the roll with one hand and press/guide it with the other. I usually have 12-18" of tape coming off the roll. It allows you to run a curve easier without flat spots. Some pics of the Merc flame process...obviously the same as the '48 Ford from Abomb
One more option, (if you're using a solid base color) to cut down the number of coats is to use a single stage for the base color. Sand it all, and apply flames, flake and clear. Sand it all again, apply final clear, then cut and polish. If I understand you right, you just want blue flake over the white, not a blue base and flake ? It'll probably look like blue pepper on a white paper plate, I'd try a test panel before you commit yourself to that. To get good flake coverage without a similar color base, you will need a lot more than 3 coats. I would suggest a base color a couple shades darker than your flake, it makes the flake pop, and helps give good visual coverage without overdoing the number of coats. BTW, I'm no pro...I just do this myself in my garage for two reasons....I really enjoy it, and I'm really cheap. I'd rather have a not quite perfect product that I did myself, than pay someone else for a little better work. Good Luck
I am doing a white car with flake blue flames. Just trying to fiqure out which are the proper steps for painting. I have all my material ordered. white base coat metallic blue base coat for flames, roll cage and dash inset .004 flake and 2 gallons of clear If I tape over the base and and spray the base and 3 or 4 coats of metal flake, pull tape of flames,will be most llikely be one day. How long can I wait before spray clear over raw base. Anybody with the proper steps for what I am wanting to do? Would be very helpful.
If I tape over the base and and spray the base and 3 or 4 coats of metal flake, pull tape of flames,will be most llikely be one day. How long can I wait before spray clear over raw base. Anybody with the proper steps for what I am wanting to do? Would be very helpful.[/QUOTE] It depends on the product you are using, but usually no more than 24 hours allowed before you top coat. The tech sheet for the product you are using should give a recommendations.
It depends on the product you are using, but usually no more than 24 hours allowed before you top coat. The tech sheet for the product you are using should give a recommendations.[/QUOTE] What would happen if I let it set longer?
You could end up with de-lamination of the clear coat. The "window" is the period of time that the paint is still chemically "soft" so the clear will adhere without a physical "tooth". If you go past the window, you'll have to scuff the entire car (scotch brite works best) before clearing. While not a big deal, you have a greater chance of adding contaminates to the surface.
That little "reverse flame" deal you did next to the headlights,just ruins those flames! That's a Streetrod/Musclecar/Sport Truck thing. Looks wrong on an Old School car. My opinion,of course...
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