Lycking Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Hey there! To start somewhere, am i working on a guitar build, which will be a hardtail strat. Thing is, that my Gf (art student) has agreed to do some custom paint on the backside. The wood is some bright european ash, and I'm planning to clear lacquer it with clear satin. We were talking about doing some flames building up from the bottom, following the sides up the guitar, some barbed wire wrapped around roses in a half circle around the bottom working up alongside the flames, rose flowers on the top of them, and finally a burning skull in the middle (that, or a bon jovi logo, hehe). Thing is, I'm not really sure how we can do this.. I've seen people do it with sharpies, but that isn't really what we're after, and we haven't got access to an airbrush.. Also, I'm not sure wether we should do it on the wood itself, or on a coat of lacquer. Im thinking about giving it one or two layers, sand one of them down, and then do it on there.. Also heard about it being drawn on transparent paper, but i guess thats kinda hard to sit pretty on the round edges of a strat.. But that could make the inner stuff at least, if the paper isn't visible.. Open to ANY suggestions about materials/tools/ways to do it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Prime/seal the wood in white (or black or grey - whatever color is best suited to have as a base) and do the artwork over that. Then, you can clear it. Personally, I would use paint to do the work. Make sure that you artwork paint is compatible with your sealer/primer coat as well as your clear top coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycking Posted February 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Thanks for the reply, but as i understand, will the primer's color still stay, and i'm quite after the wooden look :/ Anyhow ill check some different ways on some scrap woods the coming week.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 Well, if you want to see the wood behind the art, just use a clear sanding sealer. I use shellac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 I'd give completely different advice to above. I'd grain fill, then sanding seal, then spray your first session of final clear on the guitar. I'd then rub that back flat, apply the gfx in paint then spray the last layers of clear coat to finish before a cut and polish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reamer Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Given refinishing and custom painting guitars is what I do - I agree with this statement. Even if you were painting your guitar a color - I would put the base on it, few layers of clear, sand it, and then do custom art. This way if you screw the art up - it can be removed easily without messing with the base color. I'd give completely different advice to above. I'd grain fill, then sanding seal, then spray your first session of final clear on the guitar. I'd then rub that back flat, apply the gfx in paint then spray the last layers of clear coat to finish before a cut and polish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycking Posted February 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Makes sense for me now, i'll go with this then! Just need some stuff to get in stock and arrive before i can get any further :-) Thanks for it all 3! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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