Pinstripe Stencils???

I purchased some really cool stencils from Kustom Shop called stripe easy
plenty of designs by real pinstripers cool concept for DIY'ers

 

When it comes to pinstriping, Unkl Ian is Canada's best kept secret.

I used to do a lot of 'repair' work for a couple local body shops. That's where I'd go in and handstripe the side that got smashed and repaired. The manager knew that if the car/truck had pretty simple straight lines, I'd throw a normal price at him and be done and gone in no time. If there was any amount of 'custom' work done to be done to match the unsmashed side, the price would go up and I'd be there a while. Matching someone else's style is tough. It's harder then matching someone else's handwriting.

I'd be more willing to help you learn to stripe then let you talk me into replicating someone else's work. It's a lot like copywritten work. And that's the biggest, ugliest hardest to clean up can of worms one can EVER open.

Vance

 

I once had a guy tell me that pinstriping is alot like playing a guitar.... anyone can pick it up, but it takes years of practice and dedication to get any GOOD at it.... He had been doing both for 40 years......

good luck

 

That's funny. I've played guitar for about 15 years and still ****, but I can stripe pretty good and been doing it for less time. Either you got it, or not. That goes for both striping and gitfiddlin...

Vance

 

it might be worth your time if you want to do it your self just know like ever one said it takes years to get any good at striping but if you decide to learn to do it you have to love doing it or you will never get that good at it no matter how long you work at it

 

I've been reading the replies to the original question here and I think some of you missed the point of his query.The way I intepret it,he isn't looking to start into business pinstriping,but rather would like to get some ideas to sort through to attempt to lay down on his personal vehicles.

Awhile back I had entertained the idea of doing a striping seminar around my neck of the woods as I had received a couple of requests to do just that.I still haven't solidified the details but I still have several people ask me when this is going to happen. Most of these people are in the automotive business(several own their own shops)and their reason for wanting to learn basics is not to be compe***ive with me or any other striper around,but rather to be able to do striping on their own projects;which I believe was the poster's original intent.

I too find it difficult to duplicate another's work only in the sense that usually the work I am replicating was done by a right handed striper.On side stripes,most right handers will do the BOTTOM line first for some reason and then do the top with the result that the top line overlaps the bottom. Replicating a design is usually easier when you study the piece and determine first off what type of brush was used.A Swirly-Q or a Kafka quill does a LOT different work than a Mack 00. I usually do charge a bit more as it requires a bit more work to duplicate another's style and I DO NOT put my signature on such work for obvious reasons.

I also find that working from a pattern is difficult for me as I can't get a real FEEL for the job(stripers will know what I mean);it kind of restricts my creativity. The only time I would use a pattern(and even then I usually don't)is if I had multiple copies of a particular design to paint such as corners on a gold leaf job on a vintage fire engine or something similar.I also have trouble drawing out a stripe design;it's easier to paint.

Here's a hint for drawing out a symmetrical stripe design:
Take a sheet of paper and place on it face down a similar sized sheet of carbon paper.Fold it in half so the carbon paper is on the inside and the transfer side is against the paper.On the outside,start drawing HALF a design with the center line being the fold.When you have a workable design,unfold the paper and the FULL design will be on the inside of the paper.This will also give you a good lesson in bringing joining lines together at a narrow angle.You can't reposition the paper so it is kind of a,"1-Shot" deal(pun intended).If you don't like your creation,throw it away and try again until you get one you like.

If you are working on a light colored surface,you might even be able to transfer the pattern to the base by positioning it where you want it with the transferred side down and rubbing across it with a burnishing tool.A small wooden dowel rounded to a ball shaped end will work. If not you can make a,"pounce" pattern by tracing over the design (use a hard wood surface that you don't care about such as an old sheet of plywood)with either a real pounce wheel(available at most good art stores)or go to a fabric supply store and get a pounce wheel for marking patterns.Don't do it on a metal surface(it won't puncture the paper)or on cardboard(it is too soft and the teeth will cut through the surface and rip your pattern)The only drawback with these is they have larger diameter wheels and don't make sharp turns well.But they are cheap.

After doing that position the pattern on the work and using an old cotton sock filled with baby powder,tap lightly over the design and the powder will come through the holes and show you where to lay the lines.You may have to sand the back of the pattern lightly to open up the holes.

Doing it this way you can proudly say that you definitely did it all.As was stated before there are several message boards that have links to many how to's on striping. Good luck!

Ray