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Ok... someone give up the secret... I have the tools, i have the desire, I have the jobs...I just need someone to tell me what I am doing wrong or give me some exercise tips.....I can pinstripe but really don't think I'm that good..allthought everyone else seems to think it looks good... i see the little wiggles and stop and start points. I need help on brush trimming and hand position.... Or is there any websites that have pictures or instructions to help me perfect this skill...... Someone else has struggled with this in the past and I am searching for you to help give me that one piece of info that helped you.... thanks everyone, I know there will be tons of response.. chuck If anyone wants to see some of my work. My site is www.couplandsigns.com Its just a brag site... thanks
-------------------- Chuck Coupland Coupland Signs 426 N. 11th Laporte, Tx. 77571 copesigns@aol.com Posts: 36 | From: LaPorte, Tx. USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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I highly recommend attending a letterhead meet in the near future, there is a tonm of information and many people willing to lend you a hand in learning the craft. Look under "Future Live Meets" on the BB for a meet near you.
-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go." Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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Chuck, e-mail me with your specific questions. I've been at it 20 years or so, I might be able to help. Better yet, I'm putting on a Panel Jam for charity in Eugene, Oregon June 7th. Come on up and join us. Guaranteed to get alot of questions answered there - and you'll have fun too!
-------------------- Kurt Silva Bend,Oregon ksilva@bendbroadband.com Posts: 46 | From: Bend, Oregon | Registered: Nov 1998
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Chuck, I can feel for you. When I first started out I was a pure pinhead...all spray and no brushes in my box. I had tried a few things with Mack sword brushes, but got frustrated quickly and stopped pinstriping altogether. At the recent meet in Massachusetts, I picked up so much help on how to swing a nice line that I love doing it again and have gained a lot of confidence. Be sure to hit a meet. After, you'll be pinstriping for the love of it.
Be of good cheer....people are still complimenting you!
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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give john hannukane's book a try (go to www.pinstriper.com or www.autoartmagazine.com to order) also either of these sites are good info sources and have a tips board for questions...there's almost too much info to give with e-mail...the basics are fairly simple but the key is practice..
-------------------- George Williams Pinstriping By George Lascassas, TN Posts: 40 | From: lascassas, tn. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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We are having a meet in two weeks here in Arlington and will have pinstripers there.and as an added bonus, we will be having a pinstriper contest....but I can't disclose the details...you'll just have to be here to see it...
Come on up!
oh...and Lazerlines will be here to supply all your needs too!!!!....They will be the sponsors of the contest!!!!
-------------------- Robert Beverly Arlington, Texas Posts: 1033 | From: Arlington, Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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Chuck, You're already doing some great work...Your intention to improve your striping means you are already on the path to reaching your goal. GO TO A LIVE MEET...you will learn more in 5 minutes than you will from any book.
Bruce Deveau
-------------------- Bruce Deveau 331 Main St. Amesbury, Ma USA 01913 Posts: 139 | From: Amesbury, MA USA | Registered: Jul 2000
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The work on your site shows real quality. You are very near the Lazerline folks in Pasadena. Their brushes require little or no trimming. Have you spoken with them or other local stripers?
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Go to a meet, Practice.Go to a meet, Practice.Go to a meet, Practice.Go to a meet, Practice.Go to a meet, Practice.Go to a meet, Practice.Go to a meet, Practice.
The peaple you meet will help you as long as you show respect for the craft and practice on your own. I have meet so many great artist that I consider my friends from going to letterhead and pinhead meets. If I didnt do this for a living I would do it for fun.Your work looks very nice. If you need any help drop me a line.
Paint fumes for life.
-------------------- Ryan Young Indocil Art & Design indocil@comporium.net 803-980-6765
I highjacked Letterville!! Winter Muster 2004 Posts: 904 | From: Rock Hill, SC | Registered: Sep 2001
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I'm not sure if this helps at all but here are a couple things I do. When I trim my brushes(I use Macks) I clip the very tips to remove any long hairs. I know some people cut the belly off a brush or two for scroll work. I haven't tried that yet but I'm sure I will sooner or later. The idea anyways is that the small hairs are less prone to feather out and leave marks on the inside of your turns. Someone else on this site( I remember the face but forget the name) told me once in a previous post to pull from my shoulder and thats exactly what I do. There is a certain connectivity I try to experience with the brush that seems to help as well. I just try concentrate as much as I can on the amount of preasure I put on the brush and it's contact with the surface and that seems to work for me. I myself am a relatively new striper and I'm still working the bugs out as well. My biggest challenge these days seems to be the surfaces I'm working on more than anything. "You want me to put it where?" Sometimes I feel like Gumby. There are times when I have to break the rules to pull a line and the concentration/awareness seems to be the ticket for me. Leave it to a life long student of the martial arts to try and turn striping into a Zen thing,lol. Anyways I hope that helps.
-------------------- Shane Mussche Sin Custom Graphics Hamilton Ontario Posts: 52 | From: Hamilton, Ontario | Registered: Jun 2002
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Your site has some great work! Yes, pinstriping would be a good addition to what you have there. The reason we do so many vehicles is due, in large part to the fact that we offer pinstriping. We do ALOT of semis and it is a rare occasion that they want JUST lettering. They usually want to have some type of graphics or striping and since not many shops can offer BOTH in our area, we win! We do the lettering in vinyl so that if they sell the truck, they can remove it and we do the graphics and striping in House of Color urethane lettering and striping enamel. This paint is holding up very well considering all the harsh duty that a semi can dish out! It has a bit of a learning curve to using it, but it is well worth the trouble in the long run. We also agree with the other comments made above about PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE and attending a meet. There are GREAT stripers out there and we will have two of the best at our meet www.letterrip.org in July, Jack Lindenberger and James Mitchell. You can learn so much from every striper that you are in contact with so get to a meet in your area or come up to Illinois!
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2115 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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Call Robert (my husband!) he would be more than happy to give you a little hands on help, especially with you being only 10 minutes down the road! 281-991-9712
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Chuck, Presently today, there are tons of people that you can hook up with at letterhead meets and especially pinhead panel jams. Everyone is willing to show and tell how they started and what works for them. When I started over 25 years ago it was about as secret as it gets, no one would show how or even where you could get the right supplies to get started. Believe me I was very frustrated but the more car shows I attended and sign supply stores I would run across I finally had all the tools make it happen. When I started playing around (pinstriping) I striped on a large sheet of glass, actuall it was an old storm window from my folks house....I striped on it then the next day I used a scraper, scraped it off and started all over again and again. Took a long time (not going to tell how long) but I enjoyed it so much I couldn't give up. Still doing much striping every day....usually booked for many weeks in advance.
Feel free to call and discuss any time, that goes for anyone interested.
Hetz
-------------------- Jim & Chris Hetzler JC Hetz Studio 513 W 3rd St. Muscatine, IA 52761 563-263-2803 jhetzler@machlink.com www.jchetzstudio.com
"We are the one that makes you look good!" Posts: 137 | From: Muscatine,Iowa,USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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