Lowrider "mural" paint job......need help!

Have you thought about making your own decals? I've seen blank decal paper available, though I've never tried it.

You could make your designs in a graphics editing program, print them onto the decal paper, and then apply.

The only problem I can see is a real limit to using whites (used in airbrush highlighting); no consumer printer I know of uses white ink, while using the white paper will somewhat limit your options... I guess you could paint the area white, and then apply a decal printed on clear paper.

Hope this helps

Thanks but I really wanted it to litterally look like it was airbrushed onto the car..... but that is an option I have a print your own decal program at home, and so you know, they do make white, and clear decal paper!

Hello Glen!!!
I understand what you are saying!! There is only one time I came across someone painting mural type images on a model and that was to do it with an AB!! I can tell you he used masking paper!! He AB'd a huge bat with it's mouth open and fangs showing on the hood of the model!! Then there was a crescent moon with a face and a night time effect with stars and such (that you can really only achieve through AB'ing) in the back ground!! I explains it step by step and give techniques on highlights!!! It's amazing work!!
I have the AB'ing book that the article is in!! If you email me your address!! I'll copy the how-to and mail it to you!!! I hope to hear from you!!! Good Luck & Cheers!!!!
Kelley

Well, by airbrushed on, I'm assuming you're looking for feathered edges.

I don't know what kind of software you have, so I'll give you a couple of approaches:

1. If you have MS office, install Photo Editor. There's some tools in there to smudge or sharpen an image; you can probably use the smudge option to lighten up those edges.

2. (preferred) If you have some photo-editing software, there is often an option to start with a blank image in there, and then draw whatever you want... usually there is a drawing style that resembles a spray pattern. (even MS paint has this pattern, though it's not that good)

For example, look at this link: http://www.signweb.com/fabrication/cont/deuceswild.html

I believe the second image on the page was done in Photoshop, and it certainly looks airbrushed to me. I'm pretty sure Photoshop Elements can do the same, and wouldn't be surprised if other image editing programs were also capable of this.

Also keep in mind that inkjets (I assume that's what kind of printer you have) don't always do a particularly good job on edges anyway... if you tinker with the image resolution and quality settings, you may be able to tweak the image enough to give you those feathered edges without actually having to go through the trouble of working with the graphics software.

I DID THE GHOST FLAMES AND IT CAME OUT VERY NICE.I ENDED UP SELLING IT IN A SWAP MEET FOR 100.00.IT TOOK ME 4 BODIES AND A MONTH TO DO IT.I AIR BRUSHED IT WITH THE SMALLEST NEEDLE.I USE AUTO AIR COLOR.ITS WATER BORN AND THEY MAKE EVERY COLOR .I WILL SEND YOU SOME PICS OF MY MODEL AS SOON AS I GET MY CAMERA FIXED.I DID A 64' AND IT TOOK ME 8 MONTHS TO DO IT.

Thanks guys, but you're a little off track... I really actually want it to look like it's airbrushd..... becase want oairrusit!!! only have one body and a basic airbrush! Any tips like stencils, tape, ect???DEcals are not an option, only a dead last resort!

The need for an airbrush with the capability to produce a very fine spray pattern is essential for this type of job.
With that said, I'll give you two ideas for painting a mural. The first way involves using Frisket masking paper to make your patterns/stencils. Place your artwork under a piece of glass, such as a shelf, and lay the Frisket on top so that you can trace the image and cut it out. You'll want to cut out what you will be spraying with one color at a time, then replace that mask and go on to the next color, and so on. You can either cut a new mask each time, or lay the cut out piece back on the paint when it dries to mask it from the next color.

The other way would be to draw the mural on the Frisket, place the Frisket on the model and cut the patterns out on the model. Then, just replace the cut out piece and go to the next color.

As you can see, doing this on a 1/24 scale model is going to take lots of time and a good amount of talent. Be sure to practice this before you try it on your model.
Good luck!

Hello again Glenn,
You do not seem to understand what I am saying!! To get a mural AirBrush type job is to do it with an AirBrush & frisket paper!! I have a great article with pics and a step by step!!! It's from a How-To AirBrush book that I have!! So if you read my post from above it explains the detail this guy achieves doing his own murals with an AB on plastic models!!!! Just email me your address and I'll send you a copy!! It's about 6 pages long!! I know this is what you need!! I was wondering why I hadn't heard from you yet!! This has nothing to do with Decals!! The article shows you how to paint murals with frisket paper and an AirBrush!! It's amazing Stuff!!
Cheers!!
Kelley