Custom Painted Car Graphics

These steps are not for your mom's minivan, maybe not even for the Geo you drive to and from your cubicle everyday.

If, however, you need to attract some attention or are participating in a motorsport that would benefit from you making a scene.

These steps are for a removable body panel but they work the same for anywhere on the car, it's just a little more comfortable to be painting indoors.

Follow along.


Supplies Used:

2" Masking or painters tape
X-Acto Knife (new blades, watch your little piggies)
Spray paint (I used Montana, quality paint, quality tips...less swearing)
Oil Based Sharpie Paint Markers

Step 1: Masking the Area

There may be easier and more efficient ways to do this but it's my Instructable and I said FOLLOW ALONG.

Cover the area you intend to work on with a large amount of masking tape. It gives you a surface to draw on (especially if the actual surface is a dark colour), it also acts as a stencil once you start to paint.

The iced coffee is optional but recommended.

Comments

[captiin]

dope art. do you exclusively use montana? how does it stand up to weather?

[sideshowmassacre]

Pretty much Montana at all times.

The images pictured have been going a little over a year now with no clear coat and are almost perfect. There are a lot of variables but the paint is really tough.

Thanks for the comment.

[huntermess77]

This is the graphic from the drifting group "Deadbeats"
Amazing work!

[sideshowmassacre]

Yep. The Deadbeat 240 was the first car I ever painted. Miss that car.

[FabriCadabra]

"not for your mom's minivan"??? I would love it if my kids painted my minivan like this! I'm sending them the link...

[iamchrismoran]

Simple and straight forward... and easily one of the better instructions for stenciling I've seen. Thanks. I assume you just eyeball each new layer of mask.

@curious youth, auto grade clear coat can be expensive. When I painted my motorcycle, I had a choice between two varieties, one would protect against gas spills, the other did not. The protective one was as expensive as the paint (not cheap). Sadly I could only afford the regular stuff.

[sideshowmassacre]

Thanks for the comment. It's my first shot at one of these and I hoped it made sense :)

I've had good luck with the Montana brand clear as well as long as everything has been given ample time to dry and you mist it on. A direct spray can sometime be disastrous.

[l8nite]

I've used spray bombs of clear acrylic with great results on many projects including boats. While I wouldn't recommend it for a high dollar custom paint job, that's not exactly what we're talking about anyway

[l8nite]

sharpies fade quickly, way back when, when I was lettering and numbering race cars I kept a variety of paint pens in my kit, way easier than a stripping brush on smaller areas with complicated intersections. I really like the zombie in the 1st pic.. thank you for sharing

[sideshowmassacre]

I haven't had a problem with the Sharpie oil-based paint pens but have had regular sharpie just disappear in the past. We'll see how it endures.

Thanks!

[l8nite]

Sorry, I misunderstood you. I haven't seen sharpie oil based paint pens ! where do you get them ?

[sideshowmassacre]

I have a local art store that carries them in an impressive assortment of colours.

There are water based as well but I can't attest to how they work. Anywhere that carries Sharpie should be able to find them.

[l8nite]

thanks, I'll have to check around... or go online..

[Chicken Girl]

I have an old car just waiting to customized...hmm. the possibilities!

[curious youth]

cant wait to get my 4 wheel drive :) it will look sick. thank you.

one tip to aid in avoiding scratches coat the whole area in a few layers of autograde clear coat and/or some sort of scratch resistant polishing/buffing compound

[spike3579]

Awesome!

You make it look easy....