Flame painting

[HotRodaSaurus]

Ok, nice and easy question for a not so easy subject.

I want to lay some flames on the side of an AMT 49 Ford, I have never painted flames succesfully before and there are so many different styles also.

Has anyone written a 'how to' on this subject and can direct me to the feature?

I know like most trends the styles change so what I am after is late 50s early 60s style.

I had a go many years back and noticed that this is indeed an art, getting the form and patten correct. You may be great at applying the paint but the finished thing doesn't look right it probably isn't right(does that make sense.??)

Thanks, John

Edited December 29, 2008 by HotRodaSaurus

[Peter Lombardo]

Well, I am far from an expert “flamerâ€, but I have done it a few times and have used four different methods to get four different styles.

1. Cut masking tape (some use Bare Metal Foil for this instead of tape, but the technique is basically the same except the BMF goes directly on the car, not on the glass)…..I place a piece of 2 1/2 inch wide tape on an old piece of glass (I use a tempered piece that used to be a sliding rear window on a small Dodge pickup truck. I draw out the flames as I want them and then cut them out with a #11 blade. You can use either the “Male†or the “Female†piece depending upon how you want. If you want to spray the flames onto a freshly painted car, use the “Female†piece. ( If the tape is too sticky, use some water to loosen the tape bond on the glass, when you install on the car, the water will dry so the tape will stick) Lay the tape on and then paint the flames, which works best with an air brush. As soon as it is safe to touch, but not yet fully dry, remove the tape. If you feel adventurous, use a very fine brush and outline the flame. Usually done in light blue, but the choice is yours.

2. Liquid masking…..You need to practice this method as it is done “liveâ€. Purchase the liquid masking agent at the hobby shop. You may need to “thin†it down a little with water so that it can be sprayed through your air brush, but then spray it onto the area that you want to “Flameâ€. Once dry, use a fine tip marker to draw on the flames and very carefully with a brand new #11 blade, cut the flames out. Remove either the male of female side, depending upon your plan and then paint on the flames. Remove the masking, again, as soon as possible and then outline if you want. This takes a ton of practice to get the method to work out for you. Brian Nerring (sorry if I butchered the name) is an absolute expert at this style of flame technique, look up his work, you will be impressed I am sure.

3. Computer cut masks….This is my personal favorite method. I make my own, but only because my brother is a graphic artist and sign maker so he has the necessary tool for this, a computer controlled vinyl cutter. If you can’t find a guy with a vinyl cutter (check out your local sign shop, they may have one), there are guys that make and sell the masks….search it out on the internet. This is very simple to do, get the mask, apply it to the vehicle and mask off the other exposed areas and paint away. As a note, I have created masks that are 2 sizes for one flame…that means I have a slightly bigger mask which I apply and then spray first, as this forms the “outside†or outline of the flame, say in light blue, when dry, I apply the slightly smaller mask over the painted flame and begin the flame coloring, which for the traditional “fire†flame is yellow at the front, then orange and then red, but the colors and direction is your choice. By using the two masks, I get the outline looking perfect. (take a look at my 34 Ford in the Under glass section, these are computer cut flame masks, only one layer because I was going over the louvers on the hood and did not want to overdo it there)

4. And lastly, the most difficult method is the “True Fire†flames. There are books and DVD’s that explain this method in complete detail. I have played with it and can tell you it looks easier then it is to do. You need a few things for this….an air brush, miniature flame “shapes†painting templates and properly thinned out paint and then lots of practice, but when done right, it is nothing short of spectacular. If this is where you want to go, get the equipment and a good DVD of the method and have fun with it. Again, Brian is quickly becoming and expert on this method as well. He just sold a Nova on EBay that is done in this style, so check out his work, it will inspire you I am sure.

I hope this helps and remember then is no right or wrong method, they all produce a different effect, the only constant here is that it takes a lot of practice, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t hit it out of the park on the first at bat…..practice, practice….practice, the three most important components to great flames.

[lonewolf01]

try this web page it has a lot of videos on making flames

http://www.instructables.com/id/True-Fire-...rush-true-fire/

[Harry P.]

Also... if painting by hand seems a little intimidating (after all, you're working on a body with the finish coat of paint on it!), there's always decals.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-24-SCALE-FLAMES-DECA...5QQcmdZViewItem

[CB]

Hey HotRod, I think one of the biggest mistakes peeps make when painting flames on model or real cars is that they 'forget' what the background color, the color of the car is. Not that they 'forget'--it's just that with the color of the car covered up by the masking while the flames are being sprayed on, it's kind of hard to visualize how the colors and/or transparency of the flame relates to the car color. I've gotten so into the blending of the colors and just kept going coz it was such a cool experience, then when I pulled the tape off-- ! looked like bad words . I've seen cars at cruises that obviously the owners did their own flame jobs, and it showed, mostly because of what I've already said. They simply over-did the painting of the flames, and the contrast between the flames and the car color was just too harsh, and if the layout, the shape of the flames aint just so, that bad paint job just magnifies all those imperfections.

What I've done is have a color card, or another part of the car with the color that the flames are going to show against, and while painting the flames, hold that color card (or piece) next to the masked flamed area so the difference can be seen clearly. Like Peter L. said, "practise, practise, practise..." and I add "light coats, light coats, light coats". Easy to make it more opaque or intense---really hard to do the opposite.

[HotRodaSaurus]

Hi all, I asked this question a while back and dammit, forgot to reply.

Thanks to all for giving me some advice on this, I'm going to try some of the methods out soon on my 49.

I will post the pics when finished(together with 101 others ) but this might take priority.

Thanks, John

Sorry, this should have originally gone in the 'Tips tricks and How to section' There are some really neat ideas here so could someone alter the post to the correct topic heading? Thanks,

John

Edited March 3, 2009 by HotRodaSaurus