Newbie Needs Painting Advice

[bri2k]

Hello everyone,

Newbie here so I apologize if this topic has been addressed somewhere else. I am looking to give a birthday present to someone in a band. What I want to do is have a picture of him painted on an acoustic/electric bass with the band's name on it. I want it to look like the work of this man: http://www.godfreytownsendmusic.com/Lou%20...uitar%20Art.htm. I have a hi-res picture, but I don't know how this should be done. Any advice on whether or not I should be focusing on stripping the finish, painting it on, and re-finishing it. Or can it be painted right on over the finish without coming off at some point? Any advice on what kind of finish and/or paints should be used and where I can get these? I am not interested in playability after painting as he would just have it as a collector's piece.

If anyone can offer me any advice, I would be most appreciative. I have thought about contacting a car/motorcycle artist to do the painting, but not sure if they would have the know how on a guitar.

Thanks in advance,

Brian

[kpcrash]

Just me, but there are two immediate thoughts that come to mind, especially after looking at that page.

1. If this isn't going to be played, stripping the finish and making sure that the paint isn't too thick, affects the tone, etc. probably isn't an issue. Otherwise, it's time to take off the finish on the whole part of the guitar to be painted. Sometimes clearing a little area works - if you know what they originally used as a clear coat or don't care that the painted area may have a different gloss (by using shellac or something that is relatively 'finish-safe').

2. Kinko's Printing service. Print the hi-res image out large enough to cover the front of the guitar, then finish based on the fabric finish tutorials on this site. Note that you'll want to cover the unaffected areas of the guitar thoroughly to prevent any finish bleed through which could cause cracking, popping and other exciting things that will make the finish look weird

HTH

[bri2k]

Hi,

Thanks for the response. Pardon my ignorance though, I am not familiar with what Kinko's does. Am I just printing a paper copy of the image or is it on some type of fabric (you mentioned a fabric tutorial)? Also, for your first suggestion, if I strip the entire finish, paint the image and then just paint the rest of the body say black, would it make a difference what kind of finish I put on since it would be on the entire body and hopefully all look the same? Finally, is there any specific type of paint and finish I should use so that the colors stay vibrant after it gets finished (I don't want it to look nice without a finish and then finish it and it gets darker or changes the colors)?

regards,

Brian

Just me, but there are two immediate thoughts that come to mind, especially after looking at that page.

1. If this isn't going to be played, stripping the finish and making sure that the paint isn't too thick, affects the tone, etc. probably isn't an issue. Otherwise, it's time to take off the finish on the whole part of the guitar to be painted. Sometimes clearing a little area works - if you know what they originally used as a clear coat or don't care that the painted area may have a different gloss (by using shellac or something that is relatively 'finish-safe').

2. Kinko's Printing service. Print the hi-res image out large enough to cover the front of the guitar, then finish based on the fabric finish tutorials on this site. Note that you'll want to cover the unaffected areas of the guitar thoroughly to prevent any finish bleed through which could cause cracking, popping and other exciting things that will make the finish look weird

HTH

[Tim37]

if its just gonna be a wall hanging your might try a sign shop get them to print it on to some vinyl and just stick it to the top. then you dont have to worry about stripping the finish or clearing or any of that other bs.