Hey all.

I'm painting my car and I'd really like to run a stripe down with side of it. Does anyone know exactly how it's done?

My present theory is that you make a stencil out of light-stock cardboard and after the basecoats are applied, you put the stencil at a set of reference locations. You then tape the stencil up with masking/painter's tape and spray the stripes in extremely lightly to prevent running. Wet-sand, switch sides, rinse, repeat. Apply the clear-coat over top of the stripes and the basecoat.

Is that more or less right, or do I have the order backwards (ie, lay the pin-stripe down and then make the stripes by not painting where I want the stripes to go?)

 

You may have your terminology wrong. Do you want a skinny little 1/8" wide stripe? That's a pin-stripe. It's most properly done with a pin-striping brush but nowadays they make pin-stripe tape which is generally what you see today when you are looking at a pin-stripe.

Most painted-on wider striping, like a "racing stripe" is done by masking off the area you don't want to paint (everything but the car.) Yes you do this before the clear coat step. If you don't want to paint you can also pay someone to design it in the computer and cut it out on a vinyl cutter.

 

Ok so I brush it on. I'll have to look for these things. I'm thinking a signle pinstripe down the ridge and around the wing on the back.

Thanks for the info.

 

Doing pinstriping with a brush is a finely-honed craft. I think you'd be better off looking for pinstriping tape.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOaEh...elated&search=

 

Gotcha.

Probably gonna switch colors too so as to avoid the black highlights every mistake problem.

 

http://www.beugler.com/how2.html

We've got one of these kits where i work. It seems to do a pretty good job once you get the hang of it. Pretty simple setup. Place the flexible magnet strip in the location you want it and follow it with the pen tool. Some of the guys still prefer the hand/brush method but this is an easy way to start...

 

most production cars with pin stripes are like a sticker....and they are stuck on real good! and if u get bored of it and decide to take it off with an air wheel thing.....dont hold it at eye level....the rubber from the wheel and the tape hurts ALOT in your eyes... :-)

 

You got that right.
Check around at local car dealerships.
Many of them have deals with pinstripers who come in lay designs on cars at the customer's request.
Lots of oldschool sign painters used to earn extra cash doing this...they could stripe a car in about a half hour.

If you strike out at dealerships, ask around at sign shops- it's a dying art but there are still practitioners around if you look.