Swirling Is An Art (Tutorial) - Page 5

coopertron · #61 08-12-2009, 07:29 AM

ok then I think I've read all the posts in this thread but I still cant figure out what im doing wrong. I havent attempted to do my guitar yet, I'm still on test pieces of plastic. with the plastic I'm just spraying it white and dipping it when its still slightly sticky

I have tried oil paints in tubes and thining them down with white spirit but that doesnt seem to work as they sort curdle.
Then I found some marbling paints which I thought was another name for swirling, these seemed to spread out over the surface of the water alot but didnt stick to the test pieces when they were dipped.
I then found an old can of red spray paint. so I sprayed it into the lid and poured that but it seemed to dry instantly and I couldnt swirl it round to how I wanted it.

I think thats everything I'm doing during my attempts so if anybody sees anything obviously wrong with my method please let me know.

also I've looked at the HOK website and they have quite alot of ranges of paints. which ones are you talking about VBK-Shredder?
http://www.houseofkolor.co.uk/products_new.htm

empire0895 · #62 02-28-2010, 12:27 AM

what type of paint did you use for the first light blue one?

Waluy · #63 03-12-2010, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coopertron

Then I found some marbling paints which I thought was another name for swirling, these seemed to spread out over the surface of the water alot but didnt stick to the test pieces when they were dipped.

I think if you use marbling paints you need to make sure and prep the guitar with alum or some other form of mordant.

emidan · #64 06-17-2010, 05:48 PM

do i need to spray the guitar before deeping ?

emidan · #65 06-17-2010, 05:49 PM

Hey RG462 ...

Just Finished reading your Tutorial !
Thank you so much u answered all of my Questions ...!

BTW . When you put the white spray how do you know you can deep the guitar in the water .... 20 min an then deep or whan i see the spray starts to dry .. ?

Thank you again nice tutorial if you can post a video of the swirl process it self that will be amazing !

Thanks Emidan

emidan · #66 06-17-2010, 05:51 PM

Hey RG462

Just Finished reading your Tutorial !
Thank you so much u answered all of my Questions ...!

BTW . When you put the white spray how do you know you can deep the guitar in the water .... 20 min an then deep or whan i see the spray starts to dry .. ?

Thank you again nice tutorial if you can post a video of the swirl process it self that will be amazing !

Thanks Emidan

lostadventures · #67 07-05-2010, 04:40 AM

Does anyone accept payment for a swirl of a blank body?

rob777vdy · #68 07-06-2010, 08:57 AM

theres some fantastic swirlers out there to many to mention.alan from out of this swirled is my fav swirler

ApplePie · #69 07-07-2010, 02:10 PM

Hi everyone. In next few messages I would like to share my expirience in painting and swirling guitars

so tutorial should be a place for that

Excuse my english but I think you will understend me ....

Step 1: SEALING WOOD

I am using Zinsser alcohol based shellac primer on bare wood. It is good sealer from my experience, specialy good for instruments if you need to preserve tonal quality of wood. Use shellac only on bare wood because tiny pores of wood soak this sealer like a sponge. You only need three or four light coat with brush, sponge or even a cloth, just to save time and avoid cleaning spray gun. I put a drop of shellac primer in every screw hole, but only one small drop! Suitable for all wood but for mohagony you will need some filler, and for alder, primer or base coat should be harder. Only if you want, you can sand off some exceed with 320 grit sandpaper. With this process I never get cracks in wood. It's also good for back of neck or gluing frets. The point is that you get sealed wood, with good tonal characthristic but only if you sanded body to the bare wood. If not, you can skip this step.

rob777vdy · #70 07-07-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6fingers

man that first one is really THE BEAST !!!
AWESOME !
To me this is the most beautiful swirl ever including pups color etc =

who swirled that ???.stunning

ApplePie · #71 07-07-2010, 03:15 PM

Step 2: Covering small scratches and leveling surface

For this step I am using HAPPY COLOR STUCCO spray. It's sticky to almost all surfaces, and it's white. You can use similar products but I prefer this because of his PURE WHITE colour. Only one, but thick coat. (ok, not very thick) When drying, polymer stick to the body and pigments in it goes to surface so one thick coat should do the job. Wait al least 24 hours to dry and then sand with 240 grit sandpaper. Now you can leveling surface of body or shaping screw holes for switch. Easy for sanding, but if you sanded through, just aply new coat on that spot. Perfect for shaping edges or small curves around tremolo. It has to be smooth but not shine for next step

ApplePie · #72 07-07-2010, 04:02 PM

Step 3: Applying WHITE BASE coat

Apply on clean surface, wipe the body with cloth with small amount of nitro solvent. In one or two light coat, as you prefere. No matter which brand, it MUST be acrylic MAT spray. There is big diference betwen mat & glossy, mat has more pigment and different covering ability. Acrylic does not fade and will not change the colour. This is important if you using bright or neon colours. With acrylics make thin coat and WAIT at least 48 hours to dry. It's very important to wait for cure. If that coat is not as thin maybe you experienced the tiny cracks in that coat only as aclylics shrinks when drying, but with time. It is dry to touch in 20 minutes but it's not cure, just wait for polymer to settle and resins to evaporate. After 48 hours give a very light sanding with 400 grit sandpaper and you will be ready for fun of swirling

SpaceMusic · #73 07-07-2010, 05:23 PM

that blue, black and white swirl on the first page is amazing

ApplePie · #74 07-07-2010, 06:09 PM

Step 4: Preparing bucket and water for swirling

There are many theories about using borax to decrease surface tension of water. First, why this is important ? You can spread colour to surface no matter how fluid is hard or soft but in this case, if you want to achieve smooth and clean lines, you need to soften surface tension of water. With or without borax, you decide. Larger surface of bucket = less tension. If you use barrel with large surface maybe you don't need borax (instead of borax you can use detergent but for loundry, not for dishes, or wallpaper glue ... etc)
Also temperature of water is important. Specialy if you using oil based colour. For me room temperature is useable. Warmer water also break surface tension so it is balance of surface, borax and temperature. In any case avoid cold water. Rules of thumb in this step is practice along with colours that you chose. Also oil colour and detergent for softening water surface is not good idea. More on this ... in next step.. or another one. I am skip lot of sentences because of my lack of english (also try to reach 10 messages on forum for posting links & pictures) But you will understand

I know ...

ApplePie · #75 07-07-2010, 07:23 PM

Step 5 a: Colours for swirling

It's all about pigments. Believe it or not, only few chemical companies in the world produces pigments

synthethic or natural.. To make a liquid colour you need something to bond this pigment. This is medium. Usually oil, water based polymer or even proteins, resin and solvents. Solvents evaporate from that mix but for making colour for swirling is important. Every pigment is usually made from metal oxid or minerals which is havier than water, that's why they sink like stone. My way to make them float is oil based enamel with resin. It's simple, oil floats on water

Under microscope, every pigment has a different shape, size and structure. Some are recitangular, some as tiny flakes or rounded like small balls... From shape of pigment depends how much medium (resin & solvent) can soak. Pigments are very strong .. if you touch pure pigment you may never wash off (or you can, but after few months). Also they are very expensive. That's why manufacturers of colours add stone powder or filler and from amount of that filler depends quality of colour. For swirling, you dont need much pigment. The goal is to add solvent to equal diferencies in size and structure of pigments. More of this I explain later.

As you see I am not trying to resolve Darren's proces or trying to give exact procedure .. Only sharing my expirience. You can use whatever you want if that works for you. More about colours in step 5 b or maybe 5 c