RiverMan Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 I'm curious if anyone on the board has ever figured out how to paint perfect vertical bars like those on the freestyle bait I pasted as an example below. I seem to get the best results if I free hand them but it's hard to be consistent from one lure to the next. Does anyone have suggestions on how to get them to look like they do in this freestyle? These look perfect! thx. Jed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawjacker Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I'm curious if anyone on the board has ever figured out how to paint perfect vertical bars like those on the freestyle bait I pasted as an example below. I seem to get the best results if I free hand them but it's hard to be consistent from one lure to the next. Does anyone have suggestions on how to get them to look like they do in this freestyle? These look perfect! thx. Jed riverman certain combs make good stencils for vertical bars and they come in various widths rob cochran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePaintsBaits Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Hey River , you want lines like on the bait I posted here? I either use tape to to mask a "V" on my netting and/or use (2) small paint mixing sticks to form a "V". If your looking for straight lines , I use different size combs , if you want wider lines , take out every other tooth on the comb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted December 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I like them rounded at the bottom like those on the bait I posted a picture of. I haven't tried a comb before............maybe I will try it. RM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piscivorous Pike Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 (edited) Here is my first try at it, how I did it. Take a picture or find one of the lure. With either an editor or printer setup print a life size image. Several images to a page and then draw in your bars; choose your best one. I had three sizes of the same lure. I just changed the priner set up to get the three images from the original. Put this picture under glass. On top put overhead projector acetate or something like it, tape it down. Use an exacto knife and cut out the bars. With a marker make index marks so you can line up on a lure. You may want to draw the lure outline for this. You will use this template for right and left, or put it on another sheet and use the cut out and make another. I use createx and clean mine with windex. Put the lure on a cushion, (plastic bag filled with paper sheds) back towards you. Hold the template above and off the lure, use the index marks. You can do this by hand or use a "helping hands" or two. http://www.harborfre...?Itemnumber=319 I have done both. The farther off the lure the softer the edge of the bar is. Notice on many baits the back strap color blends to the top of the bars but the middle of the bar is crisp and the bottom soft in the edges. This is because of the lure contour, bottom is further away when it was shot. Turn your air brush down to almost nothing to start with. You will find your sweet spot. click to enlarge: Edited December 13, 2009 by Piscivorous Pike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 River, I use different combs. If I want to create different widths I will put tape across the whole comb and then w/ an x-acto knife cut out the tape between the teeth I want to use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piscivorous Pike Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 You can also use a tiler's edge guage or contour guage. It looks like a comb with sliding teeth that are used by flooring craftsmen to duplicate an edge like a door frame. You can set the teeth in it to different patterns. pictures here http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=countour+gauges&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted December 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Some good ideas..............I will experiment with each of them. Thanks guys. RM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philB Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 You can also use a tiler's edge guage or contour guage. It looks like a comb with sliding teeth that are used by flooring craftsmen to duplicate an edge like a door frame. You can set the teeth in it to different patterns. pictures here http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=countour+gauges&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi= This is why I subscribe to the TU. Every now and then an absolute gem of an idea pops into the public domain and I think this is one of them. Like Kris & Jawjacker I use combs but as sure as grass is green I am going to buy a contour gauge. Combs are OK but they are not versatile enough. Thanks for the idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piscivorous Pike Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 This is why I subscribe to the TU. Every now and then an absolute gem of an idea pops into the public domain and I think this is one of them. Like Kris & Jawjacker I use combs but as sure as grass is green I am going to buy a contour gauge. Combs are OK but they are not versatile enough. Thanks for the idea You are very welcome. But as you say is why I joined TU... Somewhere in the archives is the suggestion to use a contour guage. That is where I learned about it when I decided to paint lures! My claim to fame is that I can "search" very well. That is the only draw back to this forum, difficult to find things in it. I had the time at work sitting at a computer. I spent hours searching and researching lure painting before I started. A lot of knowledge on TU, real gold. You gotta be a gold miner and dig to find it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikeman Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 (edited) why don't you use a rounded stencil ? and at the edges use less paint to do the fading effect, it will require some precision because you don't want to see the edges of the stencil on the lure. Another way is to do a 4, 5, 6 small triangles on the stencil to cover the lenght of the lure than paint them gently (just as a fine shade), after that use the hand tehnique to round the corner and cover the sides Edited December 13, 2009 by pikeman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21xdc Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I go to the dollar store and buy combs and hair pics, they work great.. Many different ones to chose from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mangeboy79 Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I'm curious if anyone on the board has ever figured out how to paint perfect vertical bars like those on the freestyle bait I pasted as an example below. I seem to get the best results if I free hand them but it's hard to be consistent from one lure to the next. Does anyone have suggestions on how to get them to look like they do in this freestyle? These look perfect! thx. Jed freehand the bars , transparent black and low spraying pressure and you will be spraying those bars and better ! best regards magnus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 (edited) Jed I free hand mine , but you can make a molded stencil that contours your bait and they fit perfect and are easily made.Rayburnguy had some success with this style of stencils. Free hand is just alot easier and quicker for me, but I dont sell anymore(no extra time for that anymore)so if im off abit its just for myself and a few friends baits. Edited December 14, 2009 by jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piscivorous Pike Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Jed I free hand mine , but you can make a molded stencil that contours your bait and they fit perfect and are easily made.Rayburnguy had some success with this style of stencils. Free hand is just alot easier and quicker for me, but I dont sell anymore(no extra time for that anymore)so if im off abit its just for myself and a few friends baits. I have seen how to make these on TU, but the ones I have seen, from milk jugs, fit closely to the lure. Is there a way to make them where they stand off to soften the edge line when sprayed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoopa Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Jed I free hand mine , but you can make a molded stencil that contours your bait and they fit perfect and are easily made.Rayburnguy had some success with this style of stencils. Free hand is just alot easier and quicker for me, but I dont sell anymore(no extra time for that anymore)so if im off abit its just for myself and a few friends baits. If the lure is big free handing the stripes would great and IMO the free hand stripes look much more natural than using a stencil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 I have seen how to make these on TU, but the ones I have seen, from milk jugs, fit closely to the lure. Is there a way to make them where they stand off to soften the edge line when sprayed? you could always put a spacer between the two halves and shoot down into th e stencil. the spacer would pull the stencil out from the body and give you a softer edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
