Transferring Drawing Onto Body

[ANIM4L]

I have a drawing i made that I would like to transfer onto the body. The image will be white and the guitar will be dark metallic blue. So i will be painting with grey primer, then a coat fo white, then i want to lay down this image in a tape form, so i can pull it up later, then paint over it with the blue. Then i should be able to lift the tape off and have my image. I dont know how to transfer this image onto the guitar tho. If there something else i could use? I cant cut the image out on the guitar cuz that will leave little indentations. I will be using reranch spray cans to do this job. Thank you

[DougK]

Is the image on your computer? You could try a local sign shop, have them plot it and make a "decal" of sorts out of it for you.

[zyonsdream]

Cover the guitar with low adhesive blue tape and then stencil the picture onto the blue tape. Once you have that done, use a sharp exacto or razor blade and cut out the parts that you need to. Then paint.

I suggest buying the EBook “how to paint your own guitar.” Get the bullseye one because it deals a lot with masking a design.

[gosh]

Here's what I would do.

As a graphic designer by profession, this is an easy one. You can use exactly the same method as any artist uses to transfer a reference picture on to a canvas or other surface to be painted.

If you have a local art supplies shop nearby, visit them and get yourself a small artists projector. I have one and it was very low cost. I mean a few pounds. they are not sophisticated. It's just a glass bed with a mirror reflecting the image out of the lens. I guess you could even make one.

Pop your image underneath, and you see it projected on to your guitar. Then simply copy what you see with a pencil (or whatever) or even straight to tape.

That's the one i bought recently. It was peanuts.

[ANIM4L]

I would need some way of leaving a cover over the white undercoat to leave that image there as i paint the main guitar body color, so when i pull up whatever i put there, it will be white underneath. I cant do tape because i have no way of cutting it on the body, because having little etch marks all over would make me have to start all over again

[jaycee]

If I have read this correctly you basically want a blue guitar with the white image left on it?, the white being the undercoat?

Could you make a stencil and use low tack masking tape stuck back to back with double sided sticky tape ( so effectivly the masking tape becomes the double sided sticky tape ) and use that to stick the image on the white, then when you paint the blue, the image will peel right off. If you use the masking tape on the edges you will have clean lines with no blue seeping onto the image.

[ihocky2]

I would need some way of leaving a cover over the white undercoat to leave that image there as i paint the main guitar body color, so when i pull up whatever i put there, it will be white underneath. I cant do tape because i have no way of cutting it on the body, because having little etch marks all over would make me have to start all over again

Well you are going to have some sort of line there either way. By having a template there blocking an area, you are going to get a paint build up line. If you use a brand new blade in an exacto knife it will very little pressure to cut through the tape, and you can avoid leaving any lines cut into the base color. Plus, once you start adding clear coats, it will fill in those lines, and you'll never know they were there.

[ANIM4L]

I watched a video on Google of someone laying tape on the guitar, carefully cutting away to make the design, then painting, then removing the tape, but he then started over because he saw the lines in the guitar, i didnt think you would see them either but aparently you do. I can just cut the shape then place it on the guitar that way, but it seems likea lot of work. That paint build up does make sense, i didnt even think of that.

So then would using the knife leave lines you can see or not? I can either do it where there is a white undercoat and i paint over a "stencil" of some sort, or i can paint the guitar the metallic blue then make a stencil and do light coats of white... which would be better?

[syxxstring]

You could use seral paper, like they do for pinstriping to lay it out.

How are you planing on painting the image? If you paint it with the correct paint you could do it before clearing, then clear over it and make it smooth.

[RGman]

Is the image on your computer? You could try a local sign shop, have them plot it and make a "decal" of sorts out of it for you.

That's the easiest method i know of, any sign writer should have a printer that prints on vinyl sticker/decal sheet or similar (same stuff used on work vans and other work vehicles)

They just take your image from a disk and size it up for you.

[ANIM4L]

Well i have the design drawn out by hand, its kinda complex, but i dont know how to exactly transfer it. I am painting it on, so not decals, but i didnt know if there is something to use as a stencil or if someone could tell me how to go about this

[ANIM4L]

anyone have an idea or answer?

[syxxstring]

Tracing it with seral paper like i suggested above is a good option.

[RGman]

Well i have the design drawn out by hand, its kinda complex, but i dont know how to exactly transfer it. I am painting it on, so not decals, but i didnt know if there is something to use as a stencil or if someone could tell me how to go about this

My answer still applies, using vinyl decal for stencil work.

[ANIM4L]

I cant find where to find Seral Paper, i googed it too I may do that tho. I am painting the guitar with primer, then base coat, then laying the stencil and painting the white for the image, then clearing.

Now if i layed down tape and used an x-acto knife to cut it out, and it left little lines, would those lines idsappear witht he clear coats? i heard they would and wouldnt, so i would liek mroe opinions on that please

[ANIM4L]

PS Syxxxstrings, i live in vegas too, so where would you go to get the stuff i need to make a stencil?

[ANIM4L]

bump

[ASSMAN]

I know I'm a newbie but you can get a thick glossed sheet of A2 card - avaliable from any where which sells big sheets of paper.

Then all you have to do is trace your drawing onto it then cut out the card and there is your template!

If you need more help - Email me at jim_curry@hotmail.com

[syxxstring]

I got mine from Aaron brothers art and framing. I bet desert Art Supply has it too.

If I get your finish plan let me make a suggestion:

You want to strip back to sealer.

Then Prime.

Paint color.

Paint image in white.

Clear.

Cut buff and polish.

I would go this way depending on the complexity of your image:

Sand back to sealer

Prime in a white primer. I've been liking Auto Air Direct to Metal primer. Good adhesion, safer(note the r) to spray, and reasonably priced.

Mask your image. Either have it cut in vinyl or using fine line tape, or Automask.(Really wide masking paper available from Coast Airbrush)

Spray your base color. Again Autoair is a good choice, I think you've mentioned a blue color. Thier sparklescent blue is fantastic.

Carefully unmask.

Clear with any eurethane clear. I've even used Minwax brush on poly.

Cut buff and polish.

All this can be bought locally or through Coast Airbrush.

Edited November 24, 2007 by syxxstring

[westhemann]

Tatto artists use copies (from a printer) to copy the image(in reverse I think)then transfer it to your body with deoderant(I know,seems wierd)

I notice that when I copy an image onto clear paper(transfer paper,I think it is called),the ink does not dry right away...takes a few seconds to cool.I wonder if you might copy the image in reverse onto the clear paper,then press it to the guitar while it is still warm?

Might be tricky though.A better way might be just to let the ink dry,then glue the clear paper down and clear over it like you would a headstock decal...I think that has been mentioned already,so forgive me if I am repeating someone else.

[syxxstring]

The other way to do it might be to make a photo copy and then perferate the lines with a pounce wheel and then use pouncing chalk to outline it. From there you could paint over the lines and wipe off the excess pounce chalk when your done.

This is common way of moving, copying and matching images from side to side on a large scale design like a car or truck.

[ANIM4L]

Well i all ready ordered my paint 2 weeks ago from ReRanch, so im using thier paint. Question about going down to sealer, how do i know whats sealer and whats wood? i sanded using 60 grit, waiting for reranch delivery to get to 120 grit, and i see parts that are light brown, its a mahogony body, so how do i know whats sealer and whats bare wood?

[syxxstring]

Shiny hard stuff thats sealer. Flat dull woody surface is wood. If in doubt Its going to be best to reseal at least the areas you think are sanded through. 120 and 60 are kind of agressive. 320 or 400 is where I like to be before priming.

[sirenguitars05]

i have heard of people using flash paper that tattoo artists use. i have talked to a couple of artists and they say laying the flash on the guitar would be easier than doing it on skin. other than that i would agree that using seral paper that automotive painters use would be a good choice. You can get rolls of it at eastwood.com. its an automotive paint supply company. I believe the stuff is called sticky mickeys. good luck.