Flaming Headache
 

A continuation of my airbrush thread. Not going so well, but I'm committed now! I'll try to post a couple PICs on this thread, but a flame gallery has been started if I can't pull it off.

Here's the first step, the "Yellow Cab" look. :eek: Doesn't work for me at all. The yeller just dominates the truck.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=58836&.jpg

Close up, I can't draw, but I knew that before I started. The randomness of the flames is intentional. They would be wider if I did it over so I could shade them more.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=58837&.jpg

Operation kill the yellow is in progress.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=58838&.jpg

I like the basic color scheme, but having trouble transitioning from white-yellow-tangerine. Softer shades would have been easier perhaps. I am going to expand the orange towards the front today, but I still expect trouble with the blending.

My wife informed me she isn't going to help, because she might get yellow car paint on her hands. :-roll

BTW, the grill is white now too.

Your advice is welcome. Only rules are I can't start over until spring. And the front has to stay white because I personally don't like the look of chrome headlight rings and grill teeth against yellow background.

Fenders, yer gettin' there! Blending is tricky; even the pros will tell you that. A wide flat fan tip on a gun (not an airbrush) with the paint real thin is the trick. I use to practice on an old fridge to get my technique fresh: angle, distance, sweeps, thinness of paint, whether dark went over light or vice versa, etc. You'll get it figured out, though, and you know it's right when you like it.
Norb

Fenders... your color choices are great. The distribution just needs some tweeking. Widen your flame tips. The randomness of flames is not a problem.

The blend you seek may have to be done with your touchup gun. I would practice on a panel "fogging" yellow over white then orange over the yellow. I would try closing your tip down and drop your air pressure to find the smallest atomized particle that will still spray at low pressures then move your gun 'way back to 'drop' a fog of paint on the theoretical edge. Move your gun closer to increase the density of paint as you move aft.

The edge of the "fogging" will not be a solid layer of paint but just atomized specks that get denser as they go away from the transition of color. This creates an illusion of blending something like Pointillism. Pointillism is like 4 color printing... putting dots of color together in varying densities and mixes to create a wider palette in color printing.

The trick is in how your touchup gun delivers the paint... you may have to thin more, and dink with the settings of your spray pattern, distance from the surface and air pressure. It works. best. himmelberg

Thanks for the replies. I will try the touch-up gun. I just fixed a few spots where the yellow was thin. The airbrush works for me for certain things, but I just can't master shading over large areas. Later perhaps. I feel more comfortable with my touchup gun anyway. I wish this was base-clear so I could more easily put some final gloss on it. If I get too much dryness, I'll have to stop and buff, then put some more shading on top.

I would like to widen the flame tips, but that's a project for later. It's not wrecking the look like the front half is. I have to get the large part done now. Getting a bit chilly in Iowa and my days off are VERY few for at least a few more weeks. Timne for bed by the time I get the metal warmed up evenly.

I'll post a PIC later today after I stretch the tangerine a little farther forward. That needs done for sure.

By the way, I also have all of these colors in base clear PPG Omni if anyone wants a good deal. I had to pay the price for not being more specific when I asked for paint. I also have Viper red in addition to the colors shown.

Touch-up gun was the ticket. Lot's more better IMO. I think it's getting close to right.

[IMG]https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=58862&.jpg[/IMG]

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=58863&.jpg

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=58864&.jpg

These PICs are pretty accurate, but the tangerine does not have the mottling that appears in the PIC. Flourescents are horrible for PICs.

I have a bit of stray shading I can fix with the 1500 grit. I did screw up and try to use the triple thinned shading paint to fill some areas I was expanding. Bad idea, tool cool for that stunt, it ran instantly. I can fix it easy enough, which means there will be one more opportunity to alter the design. Any thoughts on the color distribution I currently have? I think it's getting close, but the yellow area on the front looks a little squared off to me. How specifically could I change that? But I am overly critical sometimes. You guys let me know when this shading is done. Or I'll keep going until I find a way to ruin it.

Nothing like a little conservative persistance to get you where you want to be. Nice work. Color distribution is better.

To rid yourself of that squared off look see pic:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=58888&.jpg

The lines are not necessarily parallel indicating where the yellow and white might go. Adding the orange to larger, more prominent licks will give you the right balance.

liberally. himmelberg

Peter

So you're saying I inadvertantly laid out conservative flames, when I actually have a deep seated desire for liberal flames. Note I started with a 'red" truck as opposed to a "blue" one. I knew there was something wrong, I just couldn't put my finger on it. Perhaps Niolon will check in and we can find something middle of the road between you too. :-X21

And back to the subject. Are you suggesting I move the entire flame back on the fenders? (If not, please clarify) While I agree, in hindsight, that would have worked better, removing paint edge lines may be more work than I can manage with my work schedule and limited painting season left. And I notice you want me to re-do some of my better flames. Darn!!! I have a few on the hood I don't like much.

I'll lay a little striping tape on the fenders and see if moving it back is feasible. I do want to stay off the doors. The drivers door will be removed this winter for a little tweaking and I don't want flame licks interfering with proper adjustment.

And thanks for taking the time to add the graphic lines. They are very helpful in discussing this.

And please lock your doors Tuesday. A Midland, Texas DEM has got to be a lonely guy on election night. :-X21

Been fun watching the progress. I can't offer any help though as I can't paint a lick.
It's improving and lookin' better with every photo, keep it rollin'.

Fenders....
My inclination would be to move the flame licks back to put a more liberal coating of orange on the profile view of the truck... it is mostly white and yellow now. More orange balances it in profile... or, move the orange forward (which tends to square things up). See why we art boys command the big bucks?

The lonely part of my Tuesday will be at my post keeping pollsters and politickers back fifty feet from the front door of the school where we are voting in our neighborhood. The district is having certain school personnel on this task to quell disenfranchisement.

only left handed, himmelberg

Lefty

I agree some more orange might be helpful. It's a little lean on the sides. I think I might try that the easy way though and bring it forward, I can always move the flames later when I have more time. I do agree that's where they should have been in the first place.

And your polling task is a noble endeavor. It looks like a little security might be prudent this time. Let us know if you get to thump any attorneys. :-X21

just like them liberals.... let a good guy get a good profitable Chic-Fillet franchisement... and they want to do that disenfranchisement thing to him... just cause he wanted a job with Sundays off :-fire it just makes me hoppin mad ...uh ??? isn't that what you mean ?????

fenders... in a couple of adjustments you have the blend perfect.... really nice job for a army boy... considering all the flames you see are either out of a muzzle or 30 miles away when the shell hits... :-D it's gonna look really neat when you get it right... :-X22 :-X22

I'm going with ghost flames eventually... maybe a pearl gray over the yellow.... so you can see them when the light hits them just right..

later..

J :-X06

I'm going with ghost flames eventually... maybe a pearl gray over the yellow.... so you can see them when the light hits them just right..

John

Ghost flames are cool. Some of the chameleon stuff is neat too. You'll be at an advantage with the flip clip. Body gaps complicate life because chips can happen when you adjust stuff.

I wanted something kinda simple because I know full well I will probably be painting the whole truck within a few years. I have too many different brands/mixes of red on the truck now. It's not going to fade evenly. I see early signs of that already. The worst reds match was the fenders to hood. Guess I solved that anyway.

I think the truck is looking pretty sharp. You can come practice on mine! Actually, the best solution I can suggest, and several friends went this way, was to search the internet for various sites that have hot rods or flame jobs. They you can get a good visual idea of what you like and what looks good. You have a good idea what you want, you just need some visuals to put it together. I thought the yellow wasn't to bad, the red grill clashed with the yellow, perhaps if the grill was yellow or chrome? Good luck, keep us posted. I think your doing a great job.

Once again, Dewayne is setting the bar higher. Nice work and a very good thread. John :-X22

Hey Fatfenders - I'm awed that you would even contemplate doing the flame job yourself. I am not that brave. I think it looks pretty great just like it is, but beauty is the eye...(blah, blah).
I figure I'm 6 months away from a paint job, then another year or two before the flames.
I once asked a fella who flamed his 56 why he did it. He said it was a cheaper way to cover the pits in the paint than painting the whole truck. I thought that was pretty inventive.