Flame/Pinstripe help

[JT]

Hello again, I've been reading the posts on pinstriping but I still have a few questions because I'm so new to this.

I have someone else spraying my basecoat (black) then I am going to get the pieces and lay out and mask off my flames. Then they are going to spray on my flames (dark metallic gray pearl). I would really like to outline these flames in a lighter silver or maybe even white.

My flame pattern is pretty intricate and I won't have the time to do the double stripe trick.

What I want to know is, how many people actually freehand pinstripes without masking them off? I have a pretty steady hand and I am an artist. I think I could probably pull it off, but if I screw up just a little bit, then I'm in serious trouble right? Or could I clean the wet paint off pretty quick?

Is this even possible for me to do? This will of course be my first attempt!

Also arent' there stick on pinstripes I could use? How would that work out for me? And where could I get these from?

Thanks,
J.T.

 

[TAZ]

If you are afraid of messing it up while doing the hand painted pinstripes, my suggestion would be to paint the flames, remove all the tape, clearcoat the job (one or two coats), then re-wetsand so their is a minimal edge on the flame line. Now you are ready to pinstripe. If you make a mistake, simply wipe it back down with reducer. Once you are done striping, add a couple more coats of clear.

If you pinstripe directly over the base, and make a mistake, then try wiping off, you will mess up the job.

 

[JT]

Okay then sounds great

That will work out for me pretty well then. Once the work is cleared if I like the look, then I'm done.

If I'm still not satisfied, then I can pinstripe over the clear and then take it back to have more clear sprayed!

Thanks for the help (again)
J.T.

 

[Nate Hansen]

I wouldnt recommend trying to pinstripe it yourself if you have no experience pinstriping. I've been practicing for nearly two years and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it. A steady hand and artistic abilities arent all it takes, you gotta get to feel the brush, and know how to load the paint, thats a big thing, especially if the flames are as intricate as you say they are. It takes years of practice to learn to pistripe, you cant just pick up a brush and do it. I would recommend you find a pro pinstriper and have them do it, you'll get much much better results than if you do it yourself, especially if this is show vehicle.

 

[JT]

Allrighty then. Well I'm sort of torn. This isn't a show vehicle. It's my bike that I generally ride every day of the week when the weather is warm.

I have it in pieces right now doing lots of mods and while it's apart I'm painting all the pieces

The paint actually might come out looking good enough without the pinstripe, but of course I'd like to have one.

I guess I'll see how it looks first before I start pinstriping.

Looks like the basecoat will be sprayed Friday and then I'll lay out the flames and mask it on Friday night, then have them spray the flames on Saturday.

Does anyone know if there's something I can use to safely "draw" my design on the basecoat before I put down the fineline tape? That would sure make it a lot easier.

Thanks,
J.T.