silverdoctor Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 Dear Experts; making some progress> Currently frustrated adding details,e.g., like thin lines. Is it common to use masking techniques or free hand with air brush? I'm probably in trouble with free hand. Thanks, ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 Try this: Go buy a quality compass...the thingy that draws circles. Buy the kind that holds a piece of lead, not an actual pencil. Remove the lead from the compass and place the stylus from an ink pen in its place. Now what I'm talking about is the pointy metal thing on the end of the type of ink pen that you dip into an ink well. Take the compass with the stylus attached and dip it into the slightly-thinned paint in the color that you desire to use for the gills. Place the compass on the lure and put the anchor point into a piece of masking tape so as not to deface the paint or cleared finish. Sweep the compass in an arc. Repeat the same thing on the other side of the lure being careful to get the same precise anchor point. If you get it wrong simply wipe it off and try again...but wiping it off only works if the area where the gill is being placed is under clear. Later, when I get time, I'll post pictures of the tool (compass with stylus) and the finished gills that you can make. Of course you can also make a stencil too. Both ways provide uniformity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy maker Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 I have used stencils before, but lately have tried something else. I cut my gills from red electrical tape and stick them on. Once the bait is epoxied it blends right in. The nice part about this method is being able to slide them a little for precise placement. Also works great with black for shad dots. mossy maker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincoya Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Mossy Maker is right. Electrical tape blends right in under the epoxy clearcoat. Do yourself a favor and go to your local sign maker and order up several hundred vinyl dots in assorted colors and sizes. These make excellent shad dots and lure eyes. You can also have gill plates made, too. You'll be surprised how little these actually cost. Gene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 I like fatfingers idea...cool! I generally just spray a red line on the bait but a stencil might be good too.....just keep the stencil back away from the bait a little ways so the line has a soft edge to it. jed v. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 I'm with you on fine detail with an airbrush - just ain't gonna happen. I tried friskets for details and fjound I just don't have the patience or skill to make them properly except for large scale features like bars or speckles. I use fine and ultrafine Sharpie pens to draw small details like gills, etc. As long as the clearcoat you use doesn't contain solvent, the Sharpie will do fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael merrill Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 Here's what I do... 1.) Make or purchase a picture frame that will surround your lure, making sure the frame is about 1 inch larger top to bottom;In other words, your lure will fit inside the frame with some room to spare. 2.) Get some thin plastic (clear works best) and cut it to the same size as the outside dimensions of the frame.I use about 1/32 inch acrylic, but any thin, clear plastic should work. 3.) Put small pieces of two-sided tape on all four corners of your frame, and temporarily attach your plastic. 4.) With your lure laying on it's side and on a table or flat surface in front of you,heat the plastic on the frame with a pencil torch or cigarette lighter,making sure to move the heat source across the plastic to ensure even heat.Do not overheat, it doesn't take long. 5.) Holding the frame by the outside, center over your lure and push straight down until your frame lies flat on the table,with the lure pushing up through the plastic.Let cool for a minute or two. 6.) Now, you can remove the lure from the plastic mask,remove the mask from it's frame,and draw the pattern you desire on that lure with a sharpie or what have you. 7.) Place the lure back on the table, place the mask back on top and transfer the parts of the pattern you want to remove with the sharpie. 8.) Remove the necessary plastic to create the mask needed with a Dremel, being sure to knock down any melted edges after.I use a set of small drill bits and such. 9.) You have now created a mask that will fit that lure perfectly, and can be reused as many times as you like,with cleaning from time to time. If your only making one, this would not be the way to go,but if you were making a large volume of the same lure, well...that's a different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 I put netting over my entire bait and use clothes pegs on the belly to keep it in place. I have some paper cut outs I tape where I wish the gill plate to be. I then paint my scale pattern, remove the netting and then paint the gill plate. I find it gives enough contrast. You would also then have a line you could paint in detail if you wish. A dual action gun would be best as you can apply the paint thin and build it up if you are a little shaky. Practice will get you to where you want to be. It really won't matter to the fish anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 Beautiful lures Brett, wow! jed v. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 Ditto what River Man said. Beautiful, Brett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieb8 Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 bretts kinda modest guys. he does a mean bait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 Thanks guys, I did better work this last season. Have really nailed down consistancy. Just having trouble finding the time. My work got me invited on a trip,,,,,,, check it out if you have the time... http://www.fishinfo.com/fishingreports/ForumID9/806.html[/url] a few other pics from the season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 I like fatfingers idea...cool! I generally just spray a red line on the bait but a stencil might be good too.....just keep the stencil back away from the bait a little ways so the line has a soft edge to it. Jed, actually I got the idea from my brother who is an airbrush artist by profession. He started teaching me to use the airbrush last summer and has since showed me a variety of materials and techniques which may lend themselves to lure building. I am unable to paint at the present time because its cold out and I did not get around to building a paint booth for painting indoors during the cold weather here in Ohio. (So I'm taking out my frustrations by cranking out blanks and trying the foiling stuff). He's got a particular type of compass that he uses when he's doing pinstriping that allows him to draw perfect circles with paint. Now I haven't been able to locate that particular type of compass yet, but when I do, I'll purchase it and post a picture of it. Its the slickest thing I ever saw, but of course he makes it look easy because he's been an artist for decades. The particular type of compass that he uses is different in that it has a "fork" type thing that holds the lead. He removes the lead, of course, and the fork seems to leach the paint onto the surface much more smoothly than the ink stylus, but the ink stylus does an okay job too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 Brett, between the lures you make and the muskies you catch, you're my new hero! That's amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 That's funny dude, was just looking at your foiling and am very impressed with your work. I made one photo finish and man did it look crazy in the water. Have been renovating my house, time constraints are killing me, but I'm in for the long haul and will get at it soon... Cheers to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 Ps,,,,, going to make a point of fishing in woodieb8's back yard with my kids this summer, will stop by his shop,,,,,,,,,, will look for some new secrets, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieb8 Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 aagh god let me know when brett i need a week to clean up the shop.. as for the fish there waiting. any species and lots of them. your baits would getem here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maypo1979 Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 Fatfingers, Are you referring to the old style Drafting Compass with an Inking Nib?. The were used back when inked drawings were common. You put ink into the oped cavity between the forks of the nib, and line weight (thickness) was controlled by adjustment of the thumb screw. I have attached a photo of mine from many years ago. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 That's it, Maypo1979. Do you know where they can be purchased? I tried the art supply stores and two offices supply stores and couldn't find one so I had to MacGyver my own with the other type and an ink pen stylus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maypo1979 Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Fatfingers, I have not done any drafting with these in 25 years, and I am not sure if any of the new compass sets include them. I know you can still get the ink holder in a pen. The drafting companies will call it a ruling pen. These are intended for straight lines only. If I were you, I would look on E-Bay for an old vintage Drafting Compass Set, and try to get one that was made in Germany or Switzerland. My old set was made in Switzerland and had a lot of use and is still like new. I think it is a much better set than anything you can buy new anyway. I have seen them sell for $10-20. You may want to E-mail the Seller just to make sure it includes the Ink Nib, however all of the old one I have seen have them. Good Luck, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Thanks, Steve. I may try that. My brother told me that he's had his for so long he doesn't remember where he got it. I've watched him scribe circles with the paint with that thing and man is it slick...perfect circles and arcs. Its interesting how smoothly and evenly the paint flow from those two fork things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
