Untitled 15

To start off, scuff the sign blank with a red scotch-brite pad. Mask up the entire sign blank with Transfer Tape (which is also called R-Tape or Auto Mask. You can draw your initial sketch directly to the transfer tape or onto the sign blank with either a soft #2 pencil or chalk.

Use a new razor blade and gently cut the transfer tape to open up the first area to be painted. With Dupont's Mastertint system I started off by mixing up three shades of gray. The first gray is almost white with just a drop of black added. This will be the base to build upon.

Use a darker gray to achieve a deep tonal value. Layer over the medium gray to build the shadow areas and gain definition.

Deepen the shadow areas with black. For the final touches add white highlights. Add a few cracks to the skull.

This mask was cut to do several steps without re-masking. Save the pieces removed so you can use them again. Besides what you see open here, the eye and teeth are pre cut. To achieve depth, airbrush the area you see open dark gray first. Then add black. You want to give the illusion that light is projecting into the sockets of the skull.

Here the teeth, eye and worms have been added. Apply a new piece of transfer tape over the entire illustration. Open up the flesh areas. Create what is known in the printing industry as a "trap". Cut inside the area already painted so your masks will overlap by a fraction.

Start by painting the entire area with a flesh tone. Using an Iwata HP-B Hi Line begin the layering process with transparant yellow oxide. Create the texture for the flesh with folds, indents and raises. You want the flesh to look as if it's on top of the skull. Not part of it.

Layer the shadow areas using a Tranparent Deep Violet over the tranparent red oxide. You can gradually build up these areas to a deep color without using a dominating black.

Layer Transparent Red Oxide over the Trans. Yellow Oxide to create definition. The Transparent Red Oxide is barely visible with the first pass. The more you apply the deeper the tone.

Remove the masked areas with a Weeding Tool (available at most sign shops. Don't use a razor blade or sharp object; you might scratch the paint underneath.

I recommend protecting the artwork before proceeding. Applying a light coat of Dupont's Hot Hues Intercoat Clear.

Mask up the artwork to protect it from being affected by any solvents. If any solvents penetrate through your masking it will reactive the base coat and produce a very undesirable effect to the artwork.

To give the illusion of the metal reflecting light, add streaks using over-reduced mixtures of Weak Black, Weak White and Transparent Red Oxide.

I wanted to give the illustration more of a 3-D look. Here I added a picture frame with 1 1/2" masking tape. I shot the inside a dark metallic gray, then airbrushed a black border. Keeping my light source in mind, I then added a drop shadow and highlights to the box.

To create the panels, mask off 1/16" vertical and horizontal lines. Airbrush them in with black.

Go over the panel lines with weak black to create a shadow effect. Keep your light source in mind and add white highlights to the edge of the panels.

Using an Iwata HP-B, go back over the lines using Transparent Red Oxide. This will make the panels look as if rust is developing.

Take a blank template and punch holes in it about 1/4 inch from the edge. Using black for the shadow, apply a crescent shape fading to the center from the bottom up. Repeat the process from the top down with white to give the highlight. Make sure silver remains in the center and that the black and white does not overlap.

Here is a close up of the pop rivet. Notice how the metal looks as if it has been punched in by the rivet. To get this effect, create an outer circle with weak black and weak white. Add a center dot to resemble the post of a rivet.

Create rust build up with Transparent Red Oxide. Build up the corners by layer more paint. Transparent Red Oxide will eventually go black when enough layers are applied.

In this photo I laid out a set of flames with 1/16' Fine Line tape. Once the candie blue flames are painted, unmask everything and finish off the illustration by adding drop shadows and details like hair coming off the skull.

For the final step, clean off the surface with a wax/grease remover. Go over it lightly with a tack rag and finish it off with three coats of Dupont Premier Clearcoat.

For this illustration I'm going to use a combination of different masking techniques combined with freehand work. Artists who do everything freehand are proud of that fact. They also tend to look down on those who use masking. Either technique by itself can make an illustration disjointed. What I mean by this is freehand alone can look too soft and on the other hand masking alone can look too hard. A good airbrusher should be able to do both well. Use of Masking is a necessity with automotive paints. This is mainly due to the solvents and aggressive over spray. Time is money, so find ways to use everyday items around you to make the job easier and faster.

Steven Craig is the owner and head painter of SKC CUSTOMZ in Lake Havasu City, AZ. In the past Steven has won the House of Kolor Prestigeous Painter Award and was a 1st Place winner of Dupont's Hot Hues Awards. He most recently was awarded the Matrix System's FX Grand Prize Award. Steve paints a wide range
of jobs from guitars to large off shore boats. Visit his web site at

Airbrush : Iwata HP-BH, Custom Micron B
Spray Guns: Iwata LPH400 and Iwata LPH300
Paint Media: PPG, Xotic Colours, Dupont and Matrix Systems
Surface Media: Everything I can get paint to stick to.
Masking : R-Tape and 3M Masking Tapes
Projector: Artograph
Lighting : Natural and Florescent. Spray-Line and Spray King Paint Booths