So, my friend is building a guitar, and I'm going to be painting/finishing the body for him. He is getting the body from Warmoth. I have experience as an artist painting with acrylic paints, and intend to paint a particular design on the guitar on a white background. I'm comfortable with that part, but I am inexperienced in finishing, and am trying to figure out what to do both before and after the art. I've been doing as much research as I can, but some personal feedback would be helpful, too.
First of all, will I need to sand the unfinished Warmoth body before doing anything? They look pretty smooth in the pictures, but what do I know Do I need to worry about raising the grain?
Next, ... well, I'm not sure about what to use next for a sealer/primer/etc. I will need a white background to work with, one that is smooth and that the (water-based) artist paints will stick to. I assume it should be water based? I do not have airbrush equipment; would a spray can primer of some sort work? Or would it be better to get stuff I brush on? I'm hesitant to invest in airbrush equipment since I don't have any planned uses for it outside of this project, but I'll consider it if I'm not likely to get a good result from other methods.
After painting... I know the two typical choices are either nitro lacquer or polyurethane. I understand that layers of lacquer dissolve into each other which makes it easier to fix mistakes, but also that the fumes are toxic/explosive, that it's hard to work with, and that it yellows in time. (This would be undesirable on a white background.) I also wonder if the solvent would be likely to mess up the acrylic paints? Polyurethane I've heard is easier to use, but needs more sanding in between coats, and tends to be less preferred aesthetically. I know it will work on top of acrylics because I used it (at least, the Minwax spraycan stuff) after painting a friend's computer case.... but we were not going for a shiny buff finish, just a couple layers to keep the paint from rubbing off. This project is different.
My biggest question is, given my inexperience, what am I likely to have more success with? I also am limited with ventilation options. (I've got an organic vapor mask and a garage -- I'm willing to get things like fans if needed, but I'm hoping to avoid a complicated setup. Also, I suspect that outside temperatures will be in the 50s at the time I do the finishing.) Should I brush on or use a spray can? (I would assume brushing would be less likely to spread vapors.) (Or, is airbrush necessary to make this successful?)
Anyway, hopefully you can give some feedback. Thanks!
-Jennifer
