Hey playerz,
i searched around the forum but couldnt quite find what im looking for.
Recently, an artist friend of mine asked if they could design and make me a strat (and by make i mean paint).
So i said hell yeah (who wouldnt?).
So she came to me today with this kickass design (which i love), but she's never painted a guitar before. She mostly does paper and canvas.
Now she's a really talented artist, but im wondering if its very different to paint onto a guitar?
If it is really hard, is there anyway that anyone knows of me being able to send her design to someone and they'll paint it on??
Also, since im supplying the body (i want it to be the base of my custom guitar), is it better to get an unfinished one?
cheers all

Hi, and welcome to the forums! Enjoy your stay!

First of all: This is a very interested (and interesting!) forum when it comes to build- and re-finish projects, and I have to warn you: We are militant photo-lookers, so supply plenty of them, if you please!

If I recall correctly, there is no reason why you couldn't paint a guitar, all you need to do is get the right kind of paint. I am sure the more experienced members will pitch in once they see the topic.
For inspiration on technical and creative aspects there's always the build thread listing which also contains many many re-finishes and paint jobs, so maybe have a browse. You will very quickly see what a great community this is and will detect the guys to speak to about these kind of things!

Enjoy your stay, and let us know how you get on! And remember: WE WANT PICCIES!!

Cheers

Nutter

I wouldn't begin to advise on a painting project such as this, as I'm not too experienced painting Guitars either.But Yes, we all will need to see some Pics of this when it is done. I would Suggest, some type of Base Coat along with Wood Sealer before starting the Art. I wouldn't start painting the bare wood.

Hi musicmadness. Several ways to go with this.

If your friend is to paint directly onto a guitar body then it partly depends on what media she is comfortable working in. If she likes using artist's acrylics then that's ideal and what you do is this...

You buy an aftermarket unfinished body, prep it, seal it, do your build coats and then do a couple of coats of white paint. Throughout you use automotive waterbased acrylic paint/lacquer available in aerosols from any car paint shop. When dry you can give that white layer a light sand over with P600 wet-and-dry paper to create a "tooth" for the next stage.

Then your friend paints onto it with artist's acrylics exactly as if she was painting onto a primed canvas or wood support. The tricky bit is she needs to keep her paint as thin as possible so as not to create "impasto" - thick brush strokes. So you need to suggest to her to use her acrylic well thinned down, almost as if it was watercolor or gouache. She’ll understand what I’m getting at with that.

The reason for this is that then you will spray eight or ten thin coats of clear lacquer over the top, also automotive acrylic from an aerosol. You will leave that for a few days or better a few weeks to fully cure and then wet-sand it with wet-and-dry paper moving from P1000 to P1500 to P2000, exactly as with any other guitar clearcoat. Finally you polish up with metal polish or automotive swirl remover or similar to bring it to a high glass smooth gloss. And the reason your friend's brush marks need to be as thin and flat as possible is so that lumpy strokes don't protrude through the clearcoat, spoiling the whole job. Flatness is the key to all stages of this thing.

Alternatively.

In the UK where I live we have one of the world's premier specialist guitar finishing companies, Sims Custom. Amongst the many techniques they do is to turn a picture into a large photo transfer and apply it to the front of guitar bodies - like this:

http://www.simscustom.com/html/00sprayshop_decal.htm

I expect there are people doing that kind of work in North American too, though I don't know of them, and people do come from all over the planet to Martin Sims - check out some of the famous clients' names on that site.

So what you'd do is turn your friend's artwork into a JPEG and then have Sims or someone similar apply it to a guitar and clearcoat over the top. It will look great and it will cost a lot.

Alternatively.

You asked if you could send your friend's design to someone else and have them paint it onto a guitar? Absolutely, and depending what the design is like there are different options. You could just find a local hotrod car paint shop and see if someone there can copy the image onto a body for you. Or if it is a more "arty" type image you may want to go to a more specialised guitar finisher.

Above I mentioned Martin Sims in the UK. By truly amazing coincidence there is also a gentleman named Patrick Sims in the US doing similar work, though he seems to specialise mainly in airbrush painting. The two Sims are completely unrelated, it's just a weird happenstance that two guys with the same surname are in the same field either side of the Atlantic. Here is Patrick Sims' website:

http://www.simscustomshop.com/

That fella did this amazing guitar for Mr ORCRiST on this very Forum:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=45710

Pretty neat, huh?

So there you go. Some different options.

Good luck - C

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I knew Mr Ceri would show up for this thread

Tons of great info there! Have fun! (AND POST PICS!!!)



Nutter

The paints used by modellers (planes, etc.) are either enamel or acrylic, which can be paint brushed and airbrushed.

These would be suitable for painting your guitar. Search 'Humbrol' to see what colours you can get.

These paints would require a clear sealer coat to help resist abrasion and the corrosive effects of skin oils.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

You'll find this sealer on the same shelf as the paint in yourhobby store though.


Ceri's advice is, once again, spot on.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Humbrol's Clear-Cote or Modelmaster's Clear Gloss Enamel or Acrylic wouldn't be my first choice on a guitar -- I'd look for a more durable urethane-based automotive product.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Fair enough, if this is a player, rather than a wall hanger.

Something like Duplicolor Clear should be compatible with those paints though.

Personally I really like Auto-Air Colors, which are water based, though i have only used 'em with an airbrush.

_________________
I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

+1

What type of airbrush do you use -- single-action or double?

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

I have a couple of each, and I guess it all depends on how much control is needed for the project at hand, and how much fiddling I am prepared to do.

I haven't done any serious airbrushing for a while, so I need to get into the woodshed.

I have an idea for a project, but i already have enough trouble completing the 3 or 4 I already have on the go. (But this one would go to an area no one here has ventured as yet, so it might be worth it just for that reason.)

_________________
I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

+1!

Same here......been a while since I've had my compressor plugged in. I use a S-A Paasche but I've never had occasion to employ it on a guitar project -- strictly plastic model planes for me.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

OOHH "Nerd Alert!!!!"

J/K The last thing i did a serious paint job with air brushes (rather than the auto guns I use for guitar projects,) was a friends remote control helicopter. this was a long time ago, before any of my fold joined the digital camera world, and he crashed it long ago. I wonder if he has any photos kicking around. It never occurred to me to save a photo or two back then.

_________________
I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

So I'm a nerd.



Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY