After freezing my posterior off plowing the driveway this morning(on my lawn mower with plow attached)I took the Safari out in the snow and went down to get my wife the paper so she can do the crossword puzzles when she gets up. Pulled the car back in the garage so I could move about properly and decided to finish up this tech. This isn't really too tech as far as lettering is concerned but only how I do some small jobs.The lettering is far from perfect and the total time to paint it will probably be less than it takes for me to type this out and post it.Start to finish was about 20 minutes not including photo time. As the grid backdrop will not be used again(at least I don't think it will)I layed out the H A M B letters right on the backdrop and quick sketched in the Tech Jam over it. Layed a couple pieces of 5/8" masking tape for upper and lower parameters and selected my brushes. I'm using a #8(I think;the marks are worn off)one stroke chisel edge quill and a #2 Swirly-Q for the detail work.This brush is one I use for all small lettering jobs and teardrop designs and is well broken in. The great part about using the tape is you can run off the lower part without fear of messing it up.Same applies to the top.Some people use cellophane tape but if you don't get it off immediately,on the cheaper varieties the adhesive will be softened by the thinners and remain on the surface making for unnecessary cleanup.It's also harder to see for these old eyes.When using the masking tape make sure you press it down well or the paint will creep under the tape(see pics). When this happens take a DRY paper towel and hook it firmly over your index finger and carefully run along the area with your fingernail.Make a couple of passes if necessary and work up to the line.If yopu remove too much ,just go back with the brush. The main lettering is done so now I switch to the Swirly-Q and do the script letters.This brush is excellent for doing this type of letter. That done you wait for it all to dry so you can apply the second color(I'm not waiting and this is not a good idea because red will bleed into the white very readily but I'm trying to finish this). Using the Swirly-Q again I outline the Roman letters(actually Gothic with serifs)with a 1/8th outline and shadow the script.I like to do this because it further separates the two lines of copy. As I'm left-handed,it's easier for me to have the light source at 10 o'clock and the shadow at 4 o'clock. With everything done the only thing remaining is to add your signature to the bottom right. Hope you enjoyed this.I know there is a lot more to lettering and there are tons of people out there who are so much better at it but I had fun. Ray el Vago Smith aka safariknut Pinhead # 664
Cool to see, My Dad is a pinhead and letterman from way back. When he did block lettering like the HAMB section you did he used plain old Scotch tape instead of masking tape. It is cheaper than modern plastic tapes and thiner too. He would fold one end over on itself before he laid it down to make it easier to peel off. looks good!
[ QUOTE ] Cool to see, My Dad is a pinhead and letterman from way back. When he did block lettering like the HAMB section you did he used plain old Scotch tape instead of masking tape. It is cheaper than modern plastic tapes and thiner too. He would fold one end over on itself before he laid it down to make it easier to peel off. looks good! [/ QUOTE ] Thanks a lot.I normally use Scotch(brand)tape because it does leave a nice clean edge and as long as you don't leave it on too long the solvents won't attack the adhesive.In doing this post,the only Scotch tape I had left was 2-sided tape which doesn't work very well. My friend Bob used to use it over day-old 1-Shot by taking a piece and sticking it to his pant leg(as long as you don't get hairs on it it's OK)to take some of the tack from it and it wouldn't pull the lettering.He was using it to do the shades.He would also make airbrush masks and use cheapo hairspray as an adhesive;worked great! We used to jam on a lot of lettering jobs.He'd make the patterns(his Electro-Pounce)and I'd do one side and he'd do the other and split the job 50/50.Used to turn out a ton of work like that.Then one day I went to the shop and he said he was closing it down.Had more work than he could handle but wanted a job with medical benefits.One of the saddest days of my life to see one of the best airbrush artists around just walk away.
Dad did some of the same tricks. instead of the pant leg trick he would get Drafting tape. Before he started lettering with 1Shot he was a draftsman for Honeywell. He worked on the layout and design of printed circut boards in the seventies. He brought with him some of the experience he learned there.
[ QUOTE ] Dad did some of the same tricks. instead of the pant leg trick he would get Drafting tape. Before he started lettering with 1Shot he was a draftsman for Honeywell. He worked on the layout and design of printed circut boards in the seventies. He brought with him some of the experience he learned there. [/ QUOTE ] I kind of kicked myself for not following up on drafting.It was the only thing I excelled at in high school(except for multiple lunch)although I guess if I had I probably wouldn't have kept with my striping and lettering and missed out on what has been so far a pretty interesting life.I guess I can say this because as my wife pointed out to me,this is the absolutely last day I will ever be 59 so I better enjoy it while I can! Ray
good one Safari. Can be sad when work colleagues and people you respect take their lives in another direction. On my brushes so I don't foregt what size they may be when the factory printed markings wear off, I generally just file in very small notches on the handle. I.E if it is a ooo I will file 3 small notches, hey it works for me!
The Jalopy Journal
