Shading flames

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badjujucustoms

New member
Little help,
painting for a long time, not great with an airbrush but can get by. I need to know how to shade my flames once everything else is done. Is the overspray on the flame going to show once it's cleared etc.? If so, how do I protect the flames from the overspray, any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
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martin3294

New member
Do you mean shadowing your flames? rather than shading? If it is a drop shadow on your flames, you simply put an intercoat of clear over your flames so that any over spray can be wiped out with wet & dry, also dont spray direct to the line of the flames, rather aim for just underneath them and move in closer with your airbrush. The farther away you hold your brush the more overspray you will create. You are aiming for a bit of overspray anyway to soften the shadow, so if you are aiming under the flame the overspray will soften the line up to the flame.
 
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badjujucustoms

New member
overspray

Thanks for the feedback, I guess in the grand scheme of things I was more worried about the drop shadow and not the direction that I was spraying, I was going towards the flame and not away from it. This is my first pearl white bike job with dark flames so the shadow has to be pretty good and I'm not all that proficient with the airbrush.
I was also considering putting the clear mask over the flames and cutting out the flame so that I would not get any overspray. When I have tried to wipe off the overspray I alway get a crappy edge and end up doing the shading over again anyways.
If you are interested to see some of my stuff, (purely a side gig) go to badjujucustoms.com
Thanks again!
 
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martin3294

New member
Just had a look at your site., you have done some nice work, you certainly arn't struggling with your paintwork. Practice and practice is the only way with an airbrush. Be interested to know what airbrush your using? You shouldnt be really exeriencing so much a problem with overspray from the airbrush. Might be more the airbrush or compressor or both the settings that is causing your problems rather than your technique. Also just for the record, drop shadows don't simply have to be black like a lot seem to think, you should really just mix a slightly darker shade of your base paint whatever the colour may be. This will also help in giving a nice 3D effect to the flames. If you put an intercoat of SG100 over your flames and rub it down before airbrushing you will cut out a hell of a lot of overspray problems anyway.
 
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badjujucustoms

New member
equip list

Airbrushes: Badger 150, 155 both appx. 40lbs. PSI of the tank, I don't have a regulator at the airbrush so I figure the drop in pressure from the tank ends up being appx. 35PSI
Compressor: 5hp, 30 gal tank
Guns: Optima 500, general work and clear
Devilbiss GTI: Larger bikes like baggers
Sata Minijet: For graphics

I used thinned out black pearl for the drop shadow. My issue is that I'm not used to light color bikes so everything that you do with the airbrush shows. I have not put the hours into practicing with the airbrush like I should, so that is one problem, the other is that neither of my brushes are consistant with their output, I will sart the line and the material will deviate with the amount that comes out and I have to keep going back over the same area and eventually I end up doing it over until I'm satisfied.
What color would you have shaded the flames with in this case, pearl white bike with oriental blue flames? If you would darken the pearl white would you just add black etc.?
I will post the completed paint on the website in the next week or so and try to incorporate some detail shots for your critique.
Thanks
 
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martin3294

New member
Here is what I would do in the case of your bike. First of all you need to pick where your light source is going to come from that you are trying to replicate.
Then put the light source in that position and hold your hand in front of the light source, cast a shadow onto your tank and replicate that colour. You will also notice the shadow will have darker areas and lighter shades of grey. this is where mastering the airbrush comes in, you need to go heavier and lighter with the paint mixture in these areas so that you don't end up with just a line following your flames with just one shade of colour. Where it is darker go over this area again and again each time feathering out the edge to a softer shade. It takes practice but once mastered will improve your flames 100%.
As suspected you have an airbrush and air problem showing up in your overspray onto your flames. You need more air pressure and if you are to become serious with painting and airbrush use you need to consider getting rid of those airbrushes and swap to a better airbrush, For auto custom work and using solvent based paints which are much thicker than acrylic paints you need a needle of .03mm and a higher air pressure of around 50 to 60 psi.
 
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martin3294

New member
Absolutely it is personal taste with an airbrush, I have friends who use in my opinion crap airbrushes, but they are talented and the difference is they are artists. With yourself you need to get good with an industry standard airbrush, then once competent then use anything you like. I won't use anything other than Iwata, but then I make my living from them so I use the best. My choice of airbrushes for custom auto work is : My mainstay is the Iwata HP-CS I use this on say 70% of my custom work, I then use a HP-BC plus for the other 20% of work then my custom micron which completes 10% of my work. If you are happy with your badger airbrush that's fine. But you won't find many artists with one in their arsenal especially custom auto work.
There is an old addage over here in the UK and it basically goes like this. " I would hate for somone to lend me a badger airbrush then someone see me and think it is mine" But like I say if you like it and can get on with it thats cool. But go with an Iwata and youl never use another. You mentioned your airbrushes are not consistent, well I am not surprised. An Iwata is a good investment and looked after will last you a lifetime. Its a professional choice and I am merely giving you my opinion, as an airbrush artist I know my stuff and what works, take my advice and try one I am sure your airbrushing will improve.
 
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badjujucustoms

New member
Thanks again for the help, I will start doing some pricing on the HP-CS. You said that you do this for a living, any web address that I can check out?
Later
 
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martin3294

New member
Yes I will post it on here if it is ok with the admin. We have just moved into a new purpose built unit which my wife and I run. It is called Pams Kustom Werks. Both of us run it although Pam is the main artist. You were mentioning about web advertising in an earlier post, I know this site does really well from that, we contract our services localy and have just completed our web site which we will be trying for a wider audience,, so will be watching the replys you get with interest on this subject. We are well known in our location for our airbrush custom work but now with our new premises can take more work on as we have a new spraybooth installed. We worked from our home studio for years and now have outgrown it. So I wish you well in your endevours and if there is any info we can pass on to you we will do, likewise we come on here for info, it is a 2 way street.
 
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badjujucustoms

New member
Did not get a photo as far as I can tell, and I hope I'm not causing any issues with the admin. either, I'm not trying to drum up business through this forum. Look forward to seeing your site.
 
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martin3294

New member
No problem with you asking about internet advertising, it's just they get a bit funny on here for putting on links to sites from what I gather, I will send you the link for my site through a private message then I am not advertising the site.
 
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martin3294

New member
Trying to attach latest airbrush work on a harley tank and fenders, havnt a clue how to attach files on here but here goes again. I am pressing an upload button so if it isnt here this time I havnt a clue how to do it.
 
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badjujucustoms

New member
Still don't see anything, please send them to my web address @ dlynch731@yahoo.com, might be easier, and I'm going to photograph the bike I was talking about so you can see how it came out. I can do it via regular e-mail, not sure how on the forum.
Might be easier off line so as not to offend anyone.
Thanks,
Dave
 
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SalvadorDali

New member
I have to agree with the previous post....Im an artist, sign shop, auto graphics painter and ...honestly, you should start buying your IWATA airbrushes as soon as you can....Your work will improve and your going to end up buying them eventually....The HP-BC is a no brainer....The HP-C with a crown cap is also neccesary...Im still on the fence about the micron...Im experimenting with a fine Thayer Chandler,modified Wold master m, Paasche turbo and a Badger 150 that ive modified the nozzles on....The micron is a fine airbrush, however other cheaper alternatives are out there if you have some imagination.....Goodluck my friend.....​
 
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martin3294

New member
I agree with you about the price on the micron airbrush, it is really expensive and yes there are cheaper alternatives out there. But for the amount of times I actually use it I think I can relate to looking for the cheaper options, only thing in the defence of the price is the airbrush is outstanding in reliability and use. Definately not for the amature painter but if you make your living the micron series are hard to beat. The BC plus has now taken over the CH which I use also and when we where replacing the CH the BC plus is the alternative, once again a fantastic brush, not sure about your no brainer comments though? It is still the same technique needed to use it as all airbrushes. It's a great brush to use for auto custom painting and one I would fully reccommend along with the HP-CS as your two main brushes. Buy these two and you will have all you need to produce great custom work. On compressors I only ever use an Iwata compressor. 100% pure clean and STEADY air flow, I arnt a lover of running airbrushes from a regular large compressor, too much messing around changing fittings and regulating pressures. Then altering when it comes to normal usage.
 
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martin3294

New member
Sent the link to our web site to your email address badjujucustoms, would really be interested in hearing your feedback good or bad. We want to get this site right so any feedback is most welcome.
Cheers
Martin
 
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