So I have a '53 Chevy, It's a light yellow, almost like a ****er cream. I'm having it pinstriped this weekend and can't decide on any colors. I'm going to do 2 colors...any suggestions?
Pinheadlounge.com is a site that has tons of pictures of pinstriping. You should be able to find several cars and objects that are yellow and have been pinstriped.
Pin stripers are artists. Artists usually have an excellent sense for form and color. Tell the striper how much money you are willing to spend. Tell him (or her) to treat like they own it. Walk away and say no more. If you don't like it at first (you probably will), don't complain just wait for it to grow on you.
Quick read on color theory-- http://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory After that, do what 48 Chubby says.
48 Chubby is correct. Your pinstriper SHOULD be able to recommend colors that compliment your car....that's why I was wondering about the interior/wheel colors. Favorite colors can also work into the design. Not knowing your car, my first thoughts for a "traditional" car drifted to earth greens and tans/light browns. IF you have gray interior, subs***ute gray for brown and maybe a slate blue. 1Shot blue-green lightened and lemon yellow (or imitation gold) would be another subtle combo. If you're into wild stuff, the sky (and your imagination) is the limit. The options are endless. Magentas, bright blues, sublime green, orange, 2-tone reds......
Yup - I've found most of my customers either know EXACTLY what they want or have no idea. I don't mind either way but I think the guys that say " do whatever YOU want " tend to be happier with the end result. (all except the money part - you tell me how much striping you want, I'LL tell you how much it's gonna cost) Just ask your striper for some input, most of the stripers I know have a good eye for color and are happy to help out - they want it to look good too.
I"ve had 15 cars or trucks striped and never went wrong just telling the striper to be creative and do his thing. Most have at least photos of their work so if you find one you like just turn him loose.
I'll add this...if your striper can't suggest or show you a pleasing color combo, run. Color theory should be a skill he is proficient in.....if not, he may not be very proficient at striping either.
Agree with the above, let your striper pick colors and if you dig them roll with it. Your car sounds like a blank canvas for anything from mild to wild. Ivory and tan would be very subtle, greens, blues, reds would show much more.
Remember that the boldest color combination is black on yellow, so any dark striping will really pop out. If you want two colors make your first color just a shade or two darker than the yellow. then the top color your prominent color, I usually let the first color totally dry and then you can stripe over it without messing it up.
This!!! I'm an artist myself (not pinstripe) and when it comes time to stripe my car this is exactly what I'm doing. Find an artist who's work appeals to you then let him/her go for it. It took me MONTHS to find a tattoo artist that captured the feeling I wanted and I let him do his thing. All my friends asked why I didn't do the art myself and I told them that would be like a client giving me a paint-by-numbers and asking me to do that. Let the artist shine. ~ Carl
At first, I was thinking about how strongly I disagree with this theory....but I decided it was because I have an artistic background. I would never let anyone do anything to my cars, or my body without my input. Most of the tattoos I have are my original art, the one time I paid someone to pinstripe for me, I was not terribly happy, I gave him my idea's of what I wanted, but he couldn't pull it off I guess. If you are not artistic, and / or you don't really know what you want, then this is probably sound advice....but I would definately look at his or her previous work to make sure it was for the most part at least, the style I am interested in. Some stuff in almost anyone's portfolio will not be what you're after, your job at that point is to determine if this piece was an artist's or customer's choice. You are paying for the work, though, so if you are not happy with it, don't wait to see if it'll grow on you. It is much easier to remove it while it's wet and get what you're really after. If you are wanting something cl***y and subtle, I would suggest a chamois (a little darker than ivory) and white. If you're looking for something a little more bold, I'd choose an accent color pulled from your interior, motor, wheels, whatever you've chosen to stand out, and then a complimentary color to that.
I find it odd that anyone would let someone else just pinstripe however they felt like it on thier car.
VonDutch said that the car tells him what it needs. Ask your striper if he signs his work - if he doesn't walk away - I never want the striping to take over the car - you want the whole car to grab you, not any one item - the only exception would be the engine.
Bold or subtle tell the striper which you prefer. He'll help you select complimentary colors, with your input. You'll like the results!
Several of my customers just give me a general idea what they want and let me have at it. Some will bring their car to my place and leave until I call and say its done. They I think get the best looking jobs, and many are repeat customers and or my best adverti*****t.
If I didn't know his work and trust him then he would not ever touch my car. If you can't let go and allow the artist free rein, then either you have personal issues, take your car way to seriously, or you are dealing with the wrong striper.
The only choice you really have is to look at previous work and then it's up to the striper. There is no way to describe a pinstripe design. Think about it. Put a line here, then one over there, no wait, one over here, no wipe that off.
yeah,,, that's what it is. I guess it couldn't be that I want my car built and detailed the way I think looks best. I have no interest in what someone else thinks I should have done to my car.
Consider this. You're probably looking at the hood, trunk, under the door handles, around the antenna, give or take a spot inside or out. Any prinstriper worth his salt will scketch the general designs on a piece of paper which usually is duplicated on the opposite side of the car. Maybe a 15 minute process if they are original concepts. But then again some pinstripers reguritate the same design(s) on every car they do. At the end you should like the design before it goes on -kinda like a tattoo???
I usually ask the person if they want bold or clean lines.....I personally like to do subtle stripes...I like for a person to see more the closer they get to it.....if it p***es by on the street and you see the stripes, then all your going to see when it pulls up to you is the stripes closer to you....if it p***es by and you don't see the stripes and you start walking up to it and all of a sudden you say...man, look at the Kool Stripes....just my opinion.....but I really don't like pinstripes on cars...I never stripe my cars and I've been a Pinstriper for 40 years.......I also ask their favorite colors and just grab the brush and pull a couple designs on the trunk, then go to the trunk with a couple different colors and back off......they'll usually like one or the other pretty quick...........just something I do to make the customer feel like he's a part of the stripe job, but I also have those that say do it like it was mine.........In 40 years, I've only washed off stripes on one car....the guys wife wanted it striped the color of her outfit....I washed it off and told him he didn't owe me anything...it was already a now win situation with his wife jumping in anyway........on yellow, I like white or cream and black...sometimes with a little red.......OPINIONS????...everyone has one..hehehe
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