gunnie3035

The thing is you can usually find real DT's for about $4-$4.50 each if you buy 20 or more. These come with good hooks, rings, and packaging. If your looking at selling your baits spend the extra $2 and your price will increase 3-4 times over a copy. It takes the same amount of work to paint the real thing as it does a copy. And the real thing won't split on you when your heat setting the paint....

What Bob is saying is opaques are solid non-see through colors. Transparents are just that you can see through them somewhat. Sort of like a thinned down version of the opaque but better to use for fading. About the only opaque colors I use are white & black.

A good reference is the Wasco fish taxidermy manual. Painting a fish and a bait that catches fish are very similar. I don't think you need every single color used in taxidermy, but it will give you a good idea where to start. But the biggest cheat sheet of all is to look at a lot of other peoples work. 99% of what you see was copied from another painter. Some may copy color for color and some may add their own little variation. And ALWAYS cheat when you can, ie; use tape, stencils, combs, bottle caps, lufas, panty hose, hair nets, or whatever to make it easier.

Looks similar to the Bandit rootbeer color. I tell you what that shade of green is harder to duplicate than one would think...

I generally don't thin anything, but when I do I use 4011 or just plain ol tap water.

I haven't purchased a wood one for several years, but there were using 2-ton. Thus the reason why they peel after getting damaged. I have used 2-ton on the little punkers, but I don't believe in thinning. So I don't dare try a big punker. I spray them and any jointed bait with an auto clear.

Wasco Shimmer blue...

I found 5 needles and 4 nozzles for this airbrush in my parts box. All are brand new if anyone needs them.

While some colors seem to be a matter of mixing a few drop to this or that many times it is one color painted over another. For instance if I was trying to paint the Rayburn color Ben posted I would start with a white bait and transparent orange, then I would fade some flouro orange from the bottom 1/3 to the top, then fade some red transparent over the orange, then touch up the back with transparent violet. Maybe dust with some gold shimmer before adding the red, maybe paint some black stripes before the red to give it some depth. I might even paint the belly yellow, blue, or chartreuse. A lot of extra steps but its what separates us from Walmart.....LOL

I was wondering the same thing??

I think TC Global sells a brush that is the same thing but called a different name.

I guess I will go against the grain here [as usual], but unless your going to claim the income/expenses on your personal taxes I see no reason to license as a business. It isn't worth the headache if your just trying to recoup expenses to buy more supplies. The truth is if you can clear enough money per season to buy a quality hunting rifle then it was a good year.