How To Make "3d Scale Plugs"

[Geppa®]

Hi everyone!

In one of my last thread, someone asked me about the way I paint what I call "3d scale"; considering that I've learned much from this forum and that I like to give back as much as I can, here comes the explanation of that style of paint.

I hope that this "how to" will be helpful; I've been thinking about the way to get a kind of tridimensional scales for a couple of night (yeah, I can't sleep until I've done what I have in mind: I think I'm going mad...) and finally I got it, or at least I think I did, so here it is. I'd like to give back some info, considering that I've read a lot of things that you all shared on this forum, and these will be my "two cents".

The first step is to paint the lure black;

This will be the color that will give the "depth" in the painting of the plug.

The next thing to do is to use a net like I did in this picture;

and once done it, to spray a gold or a metallic gold from the tail to the head of the plug. I spray it in this direction because it will allow me to get a kind of "color drop" in the point where the net makes the cross, and this will be very helpful for the next step...

...that is the one where we have to tear some strip of adhesive paper tape, to copy the vertical stripes of perch pattern,

...And then, spray a light green with a strong angulation "head->tail", because this will give us this effect;

Now, the only thing to do is to spray some transparent green on the top and on the side of the lure, then to finish it as you prefer.

These are a pair of plugs painted with this technique:

Ok, this is all that I have to say about it, and I just hope to have been useful to you. 

If I have not been clear with my english or if you need to know something more, just ask me.

Thank you for having read this thread.

Francesco "Geppa"

[diemai]

@ Geppa

Thank you very much for providing this little tutorial , your step-by-step pictures turned out very well making it clear to understand the entire process !

Thanks a lot , .........greetz , diemai

[Peterjay]

Thanks for posting Geppa; very nice work.

[Mcleod]

Thanks for the post, enjoyed it and very useful. Thankyou

Angus

[hazmail]

Thanks Geppa, very well explained and a great effect, I will be trying something like this in 'Pearls', should look even better. Pete

[VermontPhisher]

Very straight forward presentation . The paint job looks excellent. I can't wait to try it out.

[BobP]

Geppa, very nice scale effect! Kudos.

[JBlaze]

Geppa, thanks for sharing that. I like the use of the masking tape very much that was a great idea. Thanks again..

John

[.dsaavedra.]

the scales look pretty cool, they remind me of a snake. and a great clear tutorial. thanks!

[6_feet_deep]

VERY nice!

[lockjaw]

Thanks for sharing. It turned out great.

[Geppa®]

Thank you, I'm just glad to know that this thread turned out useful for someone.

the scales look pretty cool, they remind me of a snake.  and a great clear tutorial. thanks!

In fact, this technique can be used to paint a snake pattern:  

Thank you!

Edited March 7, 2010 by Geppa®

[.dsaavedra.]

i'm going to try this, but i'm going to spray my darker color from the tail to the head so the lighter "highlight" is on the rear of the scale. i think this would make it look more like fish scales than snake scales.

that snake pattern looks cool as hell! if the body was very dark brown and it had black mottling on it, it would look just like the northern snakeheads we have in our rivers here. the head shape is perfect. it just needs a different tail fin

[Geppa®]

i'm going to try this, but i'm going to spray my darker color from the tail to the head so the lighter "highlight" is on the rear of the scale. i think this would make it look more like fish scales than snake scales.

I'm looking forward to see how your idea will turn out, I'm just curious!

that snake pattern looks cool as hell! if the body was very dark brown and it had black mottling on it, it would look just like the northern snakeheads we have in our rivers here. the head shape is perfect. it just needs a different tail fin

I'll try to do one just like this and see what happens, even if here in Italy there are no snakeheads

[.dsaavedra.]

I'll try to do one just like this and see what happens, even if here in Italy there are no snakeheads

cool!!! i'd love to see how it turns out. here is a picture of what a northern snakehead looks like, though sometimes they are darker in the river:

Edited March 8, 2010 by DSV

[Geppa®]

cool!!! i'd love to see how it turns out. here is a picture of what a northern snakehead looks like, though sometimes they are darker in the river:

this fish is fantastic! I've seen some in japanese videos, but this one is quite far the most beautiful of all!

I'll try, I'll surely try!!!

It's got some black in border of the spots, probably a second airbrush will be necessary, but I'll try to do my best, I love this pattern.

Thank you for the hint!

[.dsaavedra.]

can't wait to see how it turns out!

[CatchemCaro]

Thanks Geppa, great information. Are you letting the paint completely dry with the netting on it? I have had some issues if I leave the netting on until the paint dries. It pulls up some of the paint layed down after the netting was applied. So I now do a light coat of paint and then remove the netting ammedietly. This seems to have solve my issues. I like the tip of starting at the tail and spraying forward for the shadowing you get. Great affect. I would love to see a step by step on how you do your wrap scale process. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks again for the good finishing tips.

Rich

[Geppa®]

Thanks Geppa, great information. Are you letting the paint completely dry with the netting on it? I have had some issues if I leave the netting on until the paint dries. It pulls up some of the paint layed down after the netting was applied. So I now do a light coat of paint and then remove the netting ammedietly. This seems to have solve my issues. I like the tip of starting at the tail and spraying forward for the shadowing you get. Great affect. I would love to see a step by step on how you do your wrap scale process. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks again for the good finishing tips.

Rich

Yes Rich, I let the paint drywith the net on, then I take it away and spray some transparent green or pearl. This is all that I do. 

What do you mean with "wrap scale process"? I'm sorry, I didn't understand. 

[Big Bass Man]

Thanks,

Very well explained ! What kind of netting is that you are using?

[BassinMaumee]

Thanks,

Very well explained ! What kind of netting is that you are using?

+1 whats the netting material called?

[Geppa®]

Thanks,

Very well explained ! What kind of netting is that you are using?

+1 whats the netting material called?

Thank you!

It's a plastic net that here in Italy is generally found as the envelope for onions or chips. 

Geppa.

[Big Bass Man]

Thank you!

It's a plastic net that here in Italy is generally found as the envelope for onions or chips.

Geppa.

Thanks !