Foggy

Dave, just came across your project and read with some interest your 'plan of attack' (so to speak). First off there is nothing more satisfying than doing your own artwork on your own guitar - so already you are on to a winner. As to how you go about it.......well there are loads of different approaches depending largely upon the kit, time and skill levels you have available. The first thing to consider when your guitar arrives is how to prepare it for your artwork. This very much depends on finish it arrives with and how battered it is. Stripping back to the wood, sealing, priming and painting is certainly one method, but, I quite often find that simply rubbing down the guitar body with 600 grade wet and dry (obviously filling any cracks and dents as you go), then priming and rubbing down with 1000 wet and dry until you get a smooth surface - works every bit as well.............and saves time. Once your guitar is primed it's a fairly easy job transferring your design onto it, then it's simply a case of working out your painting process. If you are thinking of doing more than just this one guitar?...........I would suggest seriously considering investing in an inexpensive airbrush and some frisk masking film (both probably available at your local art shop). With masking film all you need to do is lay it over the section of your design you want to mask, and cut lightly around the object/part of your design you want to mask off with a scalpel and then remove the excess. Masking film is clear, so it is easy to see your design through it and cut your masks in-situ. When painting I usually start with the background colour (look closely at the night sky - it isn't totally black - more a very, very dark blue), then work my way forward through the design. As to paints...........well, if your going to use a gloss lacquer to seal your paintwork in you don't need to use a gloss paint as well. If you chose to use cellulose paints (car paints) you could use car touch up aerosoles (yes that was aerosloes!) which come in a huge variety of colours. Obviously these don't have the control of an airbrush but they can be used as long as really fine freehand work isn't required. If you wanted to paint in some of the finer detail of your design with a paintbrush, the little touch up sticks are an invaluable source of small amounts of paint - again in a huge variety of colours and metallic finishes (these will need lacquering though). The trick is to experiment. Lacquring wise........again I use 2k automotive lacquer which requires a bit more equipment than you probably have available to you at this stage, but, if you have an automotive sprayshop somewhere nearby I'm sure they would spray a finish lacquer coat on your 'beastie' when it's done. As to the lacquering on 'Luna'.......I was actually lacquering 'Luna' between paint coats mainly to seal in the underlying paint to prevent it lifting under further maskings. Even after leaving 'virgin' paint for several days in the past, I have still experienced paint lifting under masking film if not sealed under a lacquer coat - so I just tend to lacquer regularly now and remove the risk. Besides, all those lacquer coats make for a really lustrous finish! Hope this has been of some use to you and your project works out well. Jim

Your method seems pretty thorough to me. Regarding your lacquer coats - if you have access to a sunbed, stick your violin on it after lacquering - I harden all my laquer coats off this way and it's way, way quicker. Also have you considered using a dye in your lacquer coat for applying colour? - may not bring out the grain in the wood quite so well but cuts out a lot of your stages.

'I know we have heaps of words in Swedish that you can't translate into english...' Sounds like Swedish is kinda like 'Glaswegian'..................almost impossible to translate into English!

Complete newbie here......dropped onto this forum by chance and the first thing I saw was LGM's explanation of airbrushes........great stuff! Will be busily scouring the forum for more gems now!! Jim