Pinstriping and Lettering: The Lost Art, Continued from page 51 all my work when I’m finished with the project. This is not uncommon, as most of the time you’ll see a signature of some kind on handpainted art. The reason is because artists are proud of their work, and that includes me. I started striping in 2006. I was at a friend’s tattoo shop, and I noticed on the back of an airbrush magazine he was reading a how-to step-by-step pinstriping panel. I told my buddy that I wanted to try that, and he said, “Yeah, right! It takes guys years to master that art form!” Practice Makes Perfect I went to the bookstore the very next day and purchased a selection called How to Pinstripe by Alan Johnson, a well-known New Jersey pinstriping and graphic artist. The first page read that if you have the will and desire to pinstripe, buy a gallon of paint and a brush and when you get to the bottom of the can, you’ll know how to stripe. I know that’s a lot of paint, but I followed his advice and started practicing for hours on end, day after day. I would go to bed, get up at 4:00 a.m. and start practicing again just to 52 SEMA <strong>Show</strong> <strong>Daily</strong> stay sharp. It’s like anything else: if you don’t use it, you lose it. Six months later, I got good enough that my friend had enough confidence in me to stripe his truck. The practice isn’t all there is to it. There’s also the research it takes to become familiar with the products that are available and figuring out what to do and what not to do. Experience plays a big part in it, but, ultimately, you have to remember that it’s paint and you will mess up, and that’s the name of the game. But so what? You wipe it off and go on. Products Let’s talk a little about products, pricing and overhead. Whether I pinstripe a car, bike or some kind of panel art, I use a good wax and grease remover to clean the surface and follow that up with Windex. It’s critical to have a clean surface because that will make or break you. As for paint, hardener and reducers, I use 1 Shot products. A lot of people will tell you that you can use regular thinner to thin your paint, and that may be your preference, but 1 Shot makes a reducer that works great with their paint. As added insurance, never use the thinner or reducer when you clean your brushes because it could have oils in it and leave you with fisheyes in your work. The end result is you wiping off your work and starting over. In time, you’ll learn that, as with anything, practice is the key to quality pinstriping. Pricing and Brushes As for pricing and overhead, you would be surprised at the reasonable cost of these products. As for what you charge, it’s up to you. Everyone isn’t doing this art form, but everyone wants it, so do the math. Brushes are something else to consider. When I started, I had to have one of everything out there. And believe me, everyone has their own brush. I prefer a Mack 00 Series 20 automotive touch-up brush, but it’s up to the individual artist. Again, practicing and experimentation are key. The 20 Series will cost you about $9 a piece. Some guys like the 10 Series, which are made with different hair and cost twice as much. Do your research and try some different ones out there. Brush care is easy; just clean your brush with mineral spirits and make sure you oil them. As for lettering brushes, do your research and try what’s out there. Hand lettering is not for everyone, so I would advise to stick to pinstriping because that will keep you busy enough. The people I try to target as potential customers are hot rodders, bikers and tractor trailer drivers. Some people will do a lot of panel art and garage art and sell it on eBay. There is money to be made, but again, research is key. Canvas your local and outof-town car shows; the best way to get your work out there is through word-of-mouth. Step by Step Let’s go through a project step-bystep to give you an idea of how to perform this art form. First, let’s look at the products I will use: ��Paint thinner (for cleaning brushes only) ��1-Shot reducer ��1-Shot hardener ��1-Shot lettering enamel, white-bright red ��Wax and grease remover (but none for this project because the panel is clean enough) ��Windex ��Mack 00 20 Series pinstriping brush ��Small lettering quill Continued on page 54
#SEMA<strong>Show</strong> | SEMA <strong>Show</strong> <strong>Daily</strong> 53