I got a couple mack brushes when I was in highschool but havnt used them till now. well Ive been using the brushes to the best of my knowledge and what little I know about regular art brushes, and after checking out the mack site just now it appears Im doing it wrong. So now im looking for some tips as far as how to trim the brush, load it (i cant seem to run a line longer than a foot on a good surface), also how to care for it. On the site it suggested oiling the brush??? Ive never heard of this. Any tricks you guys can suggest would be greatly appreciated. Ill post my first attempt when I get home. Thanks, -Webb
Find a pinstriping book. I have several...one by Alan Johnson, and one by Herb Martinez. Both address your questions far better than I could ever attempt. Other resources are pinstriping forums (kustomkulturelounge.com, sketchkult.com, pinheadlounge.com.....). Find an email address and ask them the same questions. I'm in the same boat, learning and teaching myself. I have had great success catching artists at car shows. Pinstripers are eager to share their knowledge just to keep the artform alive. PM me if any of this doesn't make sense and I'll share the small tidbits I've learned, some as recently as last Wednesday!
Airbrush Action Getaways. The next is in Orlando in May. Well worth the money. Its where I learned and now I assist in the pinstripe class. You can even write off the cost on taxes for education expenses. Styles is teaching the class..... First off, trim your brushes. Dip a new brush in laquer thinner and lay out on a flat surface. See those few hairs that are a little long? Get a new razor blade and in a guillotine motion cut them off even with the other hairs....maybe 1/16". This will make your starts more even. Thin with mineral spirits for long lines, laquer thinner for short designs. Min. Sp. makes it a little slicker and flows, laquer flashes a little faster and dries quicker. If you open a brand new can of 1 shot and pallet immediately, that is the feel you want, and it will never be that way again, which is why you have to thin it. Pour a little of the color in a cup...unwaxed paper bathroom cups or Mr. J's art kups. Pour a little thinner in a cup. Dip out the color, then pallet. Dip little thinner and pallet until it has the consistency you need. Hold the brush about a 45 degree angle, the more pressure you put on it, the thicker the line. When turning, pull the angle up a little and slightly spin the brush into the turn to get the "belly" hairs out of the way. Practice. Don't limit yourself to panels, cars and bikes are a whole different animal. Buy books for ideas. I haven't found one yet I don't care for. Register for the getawy....come on down, we'll have a blast. We start at the beginning, go over prep, basic lines, design...dagger and scroll, lettering, murals/ characters, effects, panel jams, how to work a show, pricing, what you need to carry with you, etc. www.airbrush action.com Later, Russ
Brett, hate I missed you at Ron's party, I couldn't make it. Let me know when you are around Charlotte, we'll get up.
If you have a couple of years to spare,find a pinstriper who is willing to mentor you and pay him well.Take the advice in post #2 and for the most part ignore post # 3.The best info in that is to enroll in a course if you have the money and can absorb a lot of information in a short period of time. A couple of good web sites: The Pinhead Lounge for ideas. Sketchkult for information. The Pinstriper's Page for a lot of information. The Hand Lettering Forum for really good info on lettering. Auto Art Magazine forum for more info. There are a bunch of web sites out there;you just have to look.
good for basics... http://www.rockyburris.com/Pinstriping_Lessons/lesson_1_learninghowtolearn.aspx concentrate on just pulling lines until you dont have to think about it anymore....then practice more
As with most things, you are never as good the first time at it as you are the 100th time. In other words it's a practice thing. That said a few pointers from books and stripers will help you to get the basics. Ray, aka safarinut, knows his stuff, listen to him. Good luck with it, and beware, it's addicting.
I will add an other idea. Watch for a stripers gathering close to you. Several Car shows host a group of stripers. Several of the major autoramas have them as well as the Billetproof shows. They are a good way to meet a group in one location and are usually very welcoming of newbies... Keep the brush wet Tim
Most of the younger guys are more willing to share the love than the older stripers. Lots of the old guard want to protect their craft from interlopers and won't share any but the basic knowlege. If you meet one of them, don't worry if they won't help you. Observe what different people are doing and try it on your own. Find what works for YOU. Lots of this stuff was developed by people who didn't know they couldn't do it that way. Before I was comfortable using a brush, I got a Beugler. I did multicolor flames down a rail dragster. I showed Gary Jensen, who is one of the most profecient Beugler users around, he said he didn't know you could do all that with a beugler, I said I didn't know you couldn't. Practice, try different ways and use what works for you. And come on down to Orlando, we'll set you a few years ahead vs. re inventing the wheel on your own. Russ
Follow the legend's styles ...Practice is the best teacher Only If you're attemping to emulate the best .Keep doing it til ya get it right ...then its second nature.
Thanks for the help so far guys, I found a beginners guide on sketchkult.com and Ive been dying to get home and try some stuff. Still havent had a chance to snap a pic of my first attempt, I was told straight lines are the hardest so I just went to outlining the edges of the sign. I still havent found how the pros seem to lay one constant line down the entire length of a car...
Lots of videos for rent on smartflix.com...Kafka, Wizard, and others. Personally I get more out of seeing someone work than reading a book.
i use neatsfoot oil for my brushes. the oil keeps the brushes from getting dry. the pinstriping books give you a lot of info. nothing like learning from the pinstripers that are local. i did that a little bit. have fun with it bud.
I got a couple of books from motorbooks, my wife also got me a video and starter kit from Kaftka. I also bought a book from hot rod surf but I definitely would not reccomend that one. My stripes looked smoother after a week of practice than what was in that book.
If you actually look closely at the guys who pull the whole side, by the end of the line there is little paint left. This is just done for exhibition. Most people pull a panel at a time. Lots use the 3m pinstripe mask, or tearouts to run long straight lines. Most of the rest use a tape guide layed down the side of the car to use as a guide. Very few can just lay straight lines freehand, unless it is on a car with a very defined body line to follow. Feel free to ignore this post also.
Safari nut and I are cool, just differing opinions on newbie advice. The plain truth is doing is the only way to get good. I showed a guy who had contacted me on Ol Skool Rodz forum how to stripe at the Goodguys show. I gave him the rundown on the basics and layed down a 1 color design on his car for him. I then asked what other color he would like, opened the color, and handed him the brush. He did the second color himself, and not too badly. We are now good friends. Having someone show you the finer points will save you the frustration of figuring it out on your own......why re invent the wheel? I had a brush for 2 years, couldn't make it do what I wanted, put it away. Took the classes, been doing it since 2004. Same deal with the airbrush. Got a nice one(for the 80s) in high school. Knew the techniques, but not how to get them out of the airbrush. Took the classes with Airbrush action, now I can function with it. Not to be a fricken billboard, but the courses are worth it. Check with your local paint supplier, they sometimes have seminars on custom paint, airbrushing, pinstriping, etc. You can ignore this one too, if you want. Russ
http://www.rockyburris.com/Pinstriping_Lessons/lesson_1_learninghowtolearn.aspx He shows what I ws saying about trimming the brush, and holding the brush, and spinning the brush into a turn, though I don't tend to cut brushes, because I am a cheap bastard and ain't cutting a $20 brush. but ignore this also. russ
Russ that post about the lines only really lasting one panel were very helpful. Im also thinking the reason I cant make mine last that long are probably the palleting techniques Ive yet to try. *Post NOT ignored
I don't think a newbie to striping needs to start hacking (cutting) away at the hairs of a brush.... I'm a "self-taught" painter who can pinstripe (I'm not a "pinstriper" per say), but find alot of advice here is good...even ol' chevy..haha... Finding an old timer willing to help a younger fella? Uhhhh, yeah...good luck with that. Many just don't wanna help too much, just give a tip or two...and alot are just plain assholes...haha....in my experience that is.... Just get a few basic colors and a 00 Mack and start striping EVERYTHING......for long lines, a piece of tape for your finger to glide on works well, for me anyway, especially on new/fresh paint..... I use cheap ass mineral spirits for thinning, Summit catalogs for pallets, and 30wt. non-detergent for storing my brushes.
I still often have to stop in the middle of a panel, so don't feel bad. I'm not a long liner yet anyway, so I use the mask for those. Just rip the tape off as soon as possible so the paint can lay down and prevent sharp edges. or don't, whatever. Russ
I use 20w50 for my brushes, simply because I have about 8 quarts of it. See, I went to change the oil in my Hemi Ram, which likes 5w20. After pouring the 8th qt into the engine, I realized that my sporadic dyslexia had kicked in.....After redraining the engine, I have an abundance of oil...... Some use atf, I have used neatsfoot oil, Mr. J's brush oil, I have heard of cooking oil.....basically anything that will prevent any paint you have not cleaned out from drying out. Ahh, whatever.
I have been striping for 50 years and I will answer any question of someone starting out and tell them the truth. What I won't do, is try and talk them out of bad advice that they already have.
OK. Sinister uses 30wt non detergent. What else can be used for storage and for how long before needing reapplying? I know Linseed Oil, but what else. I've heard vitamin E but that doesn't seem right. Ol Chevy, any advise you'd be willing to share I'd be willing to ignore........or not. Great thread. All good stuff. I'd love to find a class or something near to help me. EDIT: Ol Chevy beat me on typing!
I am far from knowing it all, there are many who have been doing it since before I was born. I am, however an artist and a teacher, and remember lots of the things that helped me when starting out that some more experienced stripers forget to tell or take for granted that everyone should know. I try to pass on the knowledge as it has been handed to me, and I have figured out in time. Try everything, see what works for you. One thing I tell everyone.....You are your own worst critic. Unless you just royally screw the pooch, most will appreciate the piece and keep walking. Just us pinstriper assholes who like to pick apart each other's work. Like Doug Dorr's sign says....If you want perfect, get a sticker. Don't knock yourself out of the game with self doubt. I am far from the best, not the worst, and try to improve with each design I do. You know the drill......
I use ATF for brush oil. Thats just what I was taught to use and I have 5 or 6 year old brushes that still work great. Any one interested in a how to video? I just noticed there wasn't any real how to videos around (at least not on youtube) just a lot of videos of guys giving a few pointers while striping a car or bike.
The Jalopy Journal
