how to do a camo finish?

[micha]

hey folks!
I'm about to do some spray painting again. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
got some furniture I want to train on for my guitars, and I thought a camo-finish would be fun.

but I'm not really sure on how to do a half way serious stencil for this pattern...
I got some cans already, want to do a pink-camo patter, so far I got two shades of pink (pretty nasty), grounded everything in white and want to add some black in the end.
I think it is best to start with the lighter shades and go darker step by step then, but what would you recommend for a stencil?

I thought about using tape for this, anyone got different ideas?

just thought it would be worth to ask, since I know some guys here in the forum do pretty good paintjobs and maybe have experiences with camo finishes too.

would be great if you got some hints for me! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
best regards///micha

[DonP]

Re: how to do a camo finish?

For my Lynch tiger stripe, I did ripped masking take to give it a ragged edge.

For camo, first do your research to get an idea of what scheme you want to do. Then, lay down one coat. Cut out the pattern for the next coat, and to get the fuzzy edges (if that is what you want), stick the pattern on with thick double sided tape so that the pattern is up above the surface of the guitar. Paint straight on, you don't want to get underneath your pattern.

[micha]

Re: how to do a camo finish?

thanks for your input donp!
I think I will give it a try. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
if it works out ok, I'll post some pics in here later, could take a while though... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
thx///

[veliyasin]

Re: how to do a camo finish?

Wait! Did I get that right? You are gonna your furniture Camo to practice for guitars?!! That IS METAL! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Sunbane]

Re: how to do a camo finish?

[ QUOTE ]
Wait! Did I get that right? You are gonna your furniture Camo to practice for guitars?!! That IS METAL! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I must concur. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
But be prepared that your friends will start to crack jokes about you losing track of the furniture in the garden when you've taken them out for spring cleaning. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

I've never done camo graphics on guitars, but I've done plenty on paintball masks. I didn't use spray cans/guns though - I used acrylic paint for tin soldiers and a brush.

I would agree that the best route would be to start with the light colors and progress to the darker ones. Dark patches have a tendency to "shine through" lighter shade paints.

If you want a hard edge camo pattern (like the US woodland camo for instance), you can use tape to mask the guitar off. I would recommend a masking tape that is only mildly adhesive, because otherwise (if you're unlucky) it may take the underlying coats with it when you take it off. When I've masked things off, I've used tape for the outlines, and covered the rest with paper that I cut to shape and taped on on top of the "outline tape".

And I would recommend using references pictures - even for something as vague and random as a camo pattern. It's hard make camo look "right" without looking at the real thing.

[micha]

Re: how to do a camo finish?

[ QUOTE ]
Wait! Did I get that right? You are gonna your furniture Camo to practice for guitars?!! That IS METAL! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

hey, you can't expect me to ruin a fine guitar with my crappy painting skills... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]


you guys are really fun... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
thx for your hints!!

I really was afraid of taking the finish off together with the tape, when I use it to cover, I will take care of which tape to get now.

I will get back with pics.
I'm already curious about how this will look like. projects like these are always that much fun... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[thurston]

Re: how to do a camo finish?

Here's how I would make your stencil(s)
At your local office supply store (Office Max/Staples/Office Depot in the states) buy the following items
1) A clear clipboard. (Clear is the most important part)
2) Blank overhead transparencies (there might be another name)
3) X-Acto knife or similar.

Find a picture of the camo print you like. Try to separate out a few of the different shapes using photoshop etc.
Print out the shapes on standard white paper.

Tape the printout to the back side of the clipboard
Place a blank transparency in the clip on the clipboard.
Trace the shape onto the tranparency, then cut it out using the x-acto knife.

This will leave you with a nice thin clear plastic stencil in the shapes you want. You can tape this down very tight to the guitar body, and if you take your time, you should be able to get pretty sharp lines.
You an also use that tranparancy sheet as a template to cut your stencil into wood or something a bit less flimsy.