Hand painting?

[t0x]

Hey everyone,

School has been kicking my butt so i haven't been on for awhile but with the semester over in a few weeks, I need something to do during winter break. I was just wondering if any of you hand paint baits, as in with a paint brush? I know airbrushing is the way to go but I don't have the money to invest in the whole setup. So would it be possible to get the same sort of paint and paints baits with a brush, or is there something special about using an airbrush that you can't do with a brush?

thanks again!

Clint

[javelin225ho]

t0x, if you want to try to use a brush, go for it, but it will be an azzkicker.  you can't get the detail like you can with an airbrush.  The paint doesn't blend and overlap like a good laquer based paint lightly applied thru an airbrush.  plus, the amount of brushes you would have to go thru would cost some loot.  Winter time is definately cabin fever mania.  I really don't know much about brush painting except, if you are gonna give it a shot, stick to water based paint.  my dad did it back in the 80's to change up his baits, he used model paint and fingernail polish.  when i airbrushed all his baits (his donation to me thru his will, kinda sick humor there, but that's what we call it), getting all that junk off those baits, and yes, i was painting old baits, it was horrible, i felt like i was stripping latex paint off of a hardwood floor. 

maybe JRHopkins will weigh in on this, he handpaints all his stuff.  He does an amazing job, but i have no idea what kinda brushes he uses or paint.....if they are real art brushes, they can be pretty pricy.

[BIG M]

Sure you can hand paint your baits.   Testors model paint is what I used before I had an airbrush.   Get a a couple of decent brushes and clean them after every use.   I'm no artist but those old baits caught fish.   You will still need a clear coat to protect the paint.

[thecrankincracker]

I've seen some killer paintjobs with just rattle can paints. I tried it when I first started but dont really have a knack for it. I would think that with the right stencils and mesh you could probably paint up something cool with rattle can's.

[thecrankincracker]

I think JRhopkins is a taxidermist. lol. He just hangs hooks on all the fish he stuff's.

[javelin225ho]

I think JRhopkins is a taxidermist. lol. He just hangs hooks on all the fish he stuff's.

he definately resembles a taxidermist.....his work is unreal.

[jrhopkins]

you don't have to spend a lot to get started hand painting. you will after you get addicted like the rest of us just kidding. go to a crafts store and pick up some colors you want to use depending on the species you are painting. i use Apple Barrel acrylic paints and a few brushes, mostly a 1/4" Langnickel brush. they are a couple bucks apiece, not to bad. the brush should have a little body to it, not too soft or stiff.
paints-- moss green, black, red, white, yellow. english ivy green is a good color for painting the backs of trout, bass, shad, etc.( stay away from Krylon spray paint. other paint does not adhere well to it.) (also check floral paint in a rattle can, i use the moss green for the backs on my trout and largemouth.) you can blend these colors to make a lot of shades and colors. stay away from gloss finish paints as they don't work well. clear coat will give the bait all the gloss you want.
practice, practice, practice. get a piece of white poster board and draw the fish profile on it the size of the lure you want to paint. draw 5-6 profiles and you can adjust the color for the next attempt.
KEEP NOTES on how much of each color you use to get a specific shade. white with a drop of red gets pink, etc. after painting a lure i take a picture of it and send it to my picture file and print it out. then i make notes on it as to paint colors and blend and the application order.

Sample:  here's a picture of some trout, about the easiest paint job i do.


1. spray the lure silver
2. use the moss green floral paint for the back. hold the lure at arms length and just fog the paint on the back.
3.  use a brush to paint the belly white working the color up the side a little and go easy on the paint. you can add paint easier than removing it.
4. red stripe- barely any paint at all on the brush. dab it on a piece of paper until it is barely leaving some color and then go to the lure. it's called dry brushing.
5. speckles-- Marks-a-Lot !! you can do a lot of detail with a permanant marker.

remember you can always paint it white and call it a ghost finish

allternative plan:  you're a college student. hang around the art department and hit on an art major

[Kal-Kevin]

Damm those are great looking baits, I might have to try some lures later this winter when cabin fever sets in! Thanks for posting that information jrhopkins

[Ron Fogelson]

What kal Said!   

jrhopkins thanks for stopping in and the extra info.   

[javelin225ho]

great info JR.   

[islandbass]

I am super low tech when it comes to painting my baits. I do use a hand brush. While it will work, you will start to see the limitations and start to realize that an airbrush would probably yield you faster results and make things easier.

I still do not have an airbrush and don't see myself getting one until I have the $$$ to invest in one.

Just to give you an idea, hand brushes do work:

This is my popper-prop 


Sharkbait 


The neighborhood kids did these. All hand brush painted.



JR,
That is exceptional work as usual. If I could paint like that, I'd quit my day job. 

[thecrankincracker]

Not to shabby for brush painting, Islandbass! Like the jaw's on that devil's horse lookin' one. Like the way you used the reflective tape also...

[islandbass]

Thanks. I just wish I knew how to really paint. Now if I could paint like JRHopkins, I might quit my day job!