thedrifter
10-19-02, 09:53 AM
http://www.signweb.com/installation/images/bond1.jpg
Bob Bond paints a patriotic Humvee
By Bob Bond
A few years ago, after I relocated my family and business to the Midwest, I was looking for work. When a local car buff told me about The World of Wheels, a car show in Kansas City, I contacted the promoter and arranged to have a display booth in the show so I could show potential clients what I do.
During the show, many people stopped by my booth and looked through my portfolio. One memorable group was the 9th Marine Corps District from Kansas City, MO. Their Humvee was decorated with year-old, large-format, digitally printed logo graphics that had cracked and were already peeling around the seams, rivets and doorjambs.
The Marine Corps uses "Hummers" as recruiting tools. They asked if I would handpaint the Humvee, to make it look unique among Marine vehicles.
I agreed, not realizing the work would involve painting large, 3-D swords, logos and lettering on door handles, seams, hinges and windows, none of which offer a flat surface.
Later they called with two concerns: how long the paint will last, and whether the entire vehicle should be clearcoated. I explained that when I paint vehicle graphics, I guarantee my work for the lifetime of the basecoat. However, for a superior paint job, clearcoating the artwork would produce a high-quality result.
Here's how you can replicate steps I took to make the Marines' Hummer graphics stand at attention.
The foundation
After removing the vinyl, repaint the Hummer red. Next, sand the entire vehicle with 1,000-grit wet/dry sandpaper so that the clearcoat will adhere to the base paint.
Now add the design work. Draw a sword onto paper, then use an opaque projector to project the design onto a large piece of paper. I used a sword the Marines loaned me. Pounce the pattern and chalk it onto the vehicle.
For the lettering, cut the paint-mask stencils and with masking tape. Then, mask the area to receive the sword and apply the lettering stencils.
To letter on flat surfaces, use a small, inexpensive foam roller and 1Shot lettering enamel, catalyzed with 1Shot #4007 headliner.
For grooves and seams where you can't use a roller, handpaint the color with a large lettering quill. For sword's painted and airbrushed background, use a cream color for the hilt, metallic gold for the brass handle and metallic silver for the blade.
To paint the Marine Corps' emblems, draw a paper pattern and pounce it onto application tape already in place. Next, hand-cut the areas to be painted. I painted the chrome areas silver and the brass areas gold, airbrushing them with highlighting colors.
Live by the sword
Add detail to the sword's blade. Holding the sword in one hand, draw the scrollwork using a Stabilo drawing pencil. I chose this method because the other side of the sword and the vehicle contain different details.
Painting the large Marine logo on the rear deck lid is no easy task. I stood on a ladder and leaned far to paint and airbrushed details. For finishing touches, pinstripe around each color for clean, crisp edges. For the last step, airbrush a shadow of the sword, making it stand out from the surface.
Project 2: An eye-popping trailer
Since the Marines wanted their Humvee to "make a statement" when they arrived at an event, they asked me to paint an eye-catching lightning background on the trailer.
To create this effect, begin by scrubbing the trailer with soap and water, then degrease the surface with wax-and-grease remover.
http://www.signweb.com/installation/images/bond2.jpg
Mask off the edges, door handles, hardware and anything else not painted. Get the whole family involved like I did, sanding the sides with a Scotch-Brite sanding pad.
Apply a 3/4-in outline to the trailer when placing the mask. The outline needs to be pre-cut, but not weeded.
Spray magenta 1Shot, fading from the top down. Contrast this effect by spraying black 1Shot from the bottom in a fade-up pattern. Use a touchup spray gun for the lightning bolts. After the paint cures, cut and apply lettering masks. Paint the white background with a roller and airbrush the yellow streaks.
After that dries, mask off the horizon line and airbrush the brown highlights into place. Handpaint the light sides of the outline and airbrushed highlights with white. Paint the darker side of the outline and airbrush with darker highlights.
When the mask is removed, add a few "twinkle" highlights and paint the Marine emblem, using the same process as on the vehicle. The trailer is now ready for clearcoating.
The Marines loved the job, saying that they gathered many comments and new recruits from their efforts. Marine Corps units from as far away as Louisiana and Pennsylvania have brought me their Hummers to receive the same treatment. Going to that car show a few years ago has really paid off!
Sempers,
Roger
Bob Bond paints a patriotic Humvee
By Bob Bond
A few years ago, after I relocated my family and business to the Midwest, I was looking for work. When a local car buff told me about The World of Wheels, a car show in Kansas City, I contacted the promoter and arranged to have a display booth in the show so I could show potential clients what I do.
During the show, many people stopped by my booth and looked through my portfolio. One memorable group was the 9th Marine Corps District from Kansas City, MO. Their Humvee was decorated with year-old, large-format, digitally printed logo graphics that had cracked and were already peeling around the seams, rivets and doorjambs.
The Marine Corps uses "Hummers" as recruiting tools. They asked if I would handpaint the Humvee, to make it look unique among Marine vehicles.
I agreed, not realizing the work would involve painting large, 3-D swords, logos and lettering on door handles, seams, hinges and windows, none of which offer a flat surface.
Later they called with two concerns: how long the paint will last, and whether the entire vehicle should be clearcoated. I explained that when I paint vehicle graphics, I guarantee my work for the lifetime of the basecoat. However, for a superior paint job, clearcoating the artwork would produce a high-quality result.
Here's how you can replicate steps I took to make the Marines' Hummer graphics stand at attention.
The foundation
After removing the vinyl, repaint the Hummer red. Next, sand the entire vehicle with 1,000-grit wet/dry sandpaper so that the clearcoat will adhere to the base paint.
Now add the design work. Draw a sword onto paper, then use an opaque projector to project the design onto a large piece of paper. I used a sword the Marines loaned me. Pounce the pattern and chalk it onto the vehicle.
For the lettering, cut the paint-mask stencils and with masking tape. Then, mask the area to receive the sword and apply the lettering stencils.
To letter on flat surfaces, use a small, inexpensive foam roller and 1Shot lettering enamel, catalyzed with 1Shot #4007 headliner.
For grooves and seams where you can't use a roller, handpaint the color with a large lettering quill. For sword's painted and airbrushed background, use a cream color for the hilt, metallic gold for the brass handle and metallic silver for the blade.
To paint the Marine Corps' emblems, draw a paper pattern and pounce it onto application tape already in place. Next, hand-cut the areas to be painted. I painted the chrome areas silver and the brass areas gold, airbrushing them with highlighting colors.
Live by the sword
Add detail to the sword's blade. Holding the sword in one hand, draw the scrollwork using a Stabilo drawing pencil. I chose this method because the other side of the sword and the vehicle contain different details.
Painting the large Marine logo on the rear deck lid is no easy task. I stood on a ladder and leaned far to paint and airbrushed details. For finishing touches, pinstripe around each color for clean, crisp edges. For the last step, airbrush a shadow of the sword, making it stand out from the surface.
Project 2: An eye-popping trailer
Since the Marines wanted their Humvee to "make a statement" when they arrived at an event, they asked me to paint an eye-catching lightning background on the trailer.
To create this effect, begin by scrubbing the trailer with soap and water, then degrease the surface with wax-and-grease remover.
http://www.signweb.com/installation/images/bond2.jpg
Mask off the edges, door handles, hardware and anything else not painted. Get the whole family involved like I did, sanding the sides with a Scotch-Brite sanding pad.
Apply a 3/4-in outline to the trailer when placing the mask. The outline needs to be pre-cut, but not weeded.
Spray magenta 1Shot, fading from the top down. Contrast this effect by spraying black 1Shot from the bottom in a fade-up pattern. Use a touchup spray gun for the lightning bolts. After the paint cures, cut and apply lettering masks. Paint the white background with a roller and airbrush the yellow streaks.
After that dries, mask off the horizon line and airbrush the brown highlights into place. Handpaint the light sides of the outline and airbrushed highlights with white. Paint the darker side of the outline and airbrush with darker highlights.
When the mask is removed, add a few "twinkle" highlights and paint the Marine emblem, using the same process as on the vehicle. The trailer is now ready for clearcoating.
The Marines loved the job, saying that they gathered many comments and new recruits from their efforts. Marine Corps units from as far away as Louisiana and Pennsylvania have brought me their Hummers to receive the same treatment. Going to that car show a few years ago has really paid off!
Sempers,
Roger