Painting tips...share your secrets

[JP]

I thought I would try this out, maybe learn a few things myself and teach others some pointers. So lets hear them! Here's mine:

Use as little amount of masking as you can and organized in one direction if possible, it will be easier to keep track of and easier to cut (if you cut designs on your body).

Spray dark colors to light so the darker color doesnt shine through on the lighter colors. ESPECIALLY on fading jobs.

Use good, expensive masking tape, the cheap stuff from Target will stay stuck if left on too long.

Draw your design on the outside of the body to get an idea with a permanant marker, to erase, use rubbing alcohol to remove.

Spray a very light coat of paint first before your regular coats, it will make a seal between the tape and paint for the heavier coats so the paint wont bleed through

What are your tips?

[violator757]

you can always draw out you color scheme on paper to see where each color should go then mark on your body where they look best and like JP said "NEVER USE CHEAP TAPE" :D
it can be a pain in the butt to remove :mad:

[BadRacer]

I got one thing to say. Orion Decals make a body look like a pro paint job within less of the time to think and design......just lay on the paint and your done.

Oh yeah..wash the inside of the body and scuff the inside a little bit to get the paint to stick well.

BadRacer :cool:

[Artur]

Bad Racer is right... since these decals came out, painting a body is not a problem for most racers now... I still like to make my own designs though... If you looking for cool ideas look through HotROD magazines etc. :cool:

[R/C Homie]

hey take a look through lowrider mags too MANY!!!! cool ideas there and also u can pick up flames at ur lhc for about $5 they look sweeeeeeet thanx i learned some good tips cya

[Nitro Burner]

I have a tip for putting on decals.

Spray the area that you plan on placing a decal with soapy water first. Then you can put on the decal and still be able to move it around ever so slightly so that it is in exactly the right spot. Then take a heat gun or a hairdryer and dry the area, at the same time pushing out any air bubbles that may have formed. But BE CAREFULL not to get it to hot otherwise you may ruin the decal. This is an excellent tip especially for putting on those delicate window trimmings.

[StephenB]

Tip for making designs:

First liquid mask the inside of the body. Let it dry.

Next, use a sharpie or any dark permanent/non-permanent (it doesn't matter!) marker to draw the designs you want on the outside of the lexan. Then cut the masking using the marker as a guide w/a new X-Acto blade.

Making changes or total redesigns is easy...just use denatured alcohol to take the marker completely off the outside of the body. Denatured will even remove "permanent" Sharpie markers, etc. This gives you total freedom to actually SEE what the design will look like on your car without having to imagine it on paper. :D

[JP]

I recommend more of a Windex for applying decals.

And be sure not to get denatured alcohol on the inside of the body, or it'll reck havoc; which is why I use Rubbing alcohol for that purpose.

[JP]

I know there are more tips out there...let's hear them!

Going up :rolleyes:

[yf22k]

what is denatured alcohol? how is it different from rubbing alcohol? can i use r/c airplane fuel to remove paint?