Q.   I hope you don't mind my contacting you to ask this but I'm an amateur custom fan and would love to have a try at pinstriping but for the life of  me I can't find a supplier in the UK that stocks pinstriping brushes. would you mind telling me where you source your equipment from please?      Phil Smith  UK Q.     I have recently gotten back into airbrushing having been away from it for many years and I wondered if you could tell me where, in the UK, I can find pinstriping brushes? I have a background of signwriting, I used to work in a signwriters firm back in the early 80's in my hometown of Doncaster but I'm now on the South coast in Bournemouth.  Brian, UK

A.     Pinstriping Uk is now the foremost supplier of Pinstriping products and materials in the UK & EU.   See my supplies page.

Q.    My question is when your moving through a curve, why does my brush kinda feather out?  It doesn't matter how much paint I have or don't have it always does this?  This is while I am using a Mack sword #00 or #2.  Stephanie, Citrus Heights CA.

A.    I can identify with your problem.  As it has sometimes happened to me.  One way around it is to use the correct brush !!  I find a shorter haired Xcaliber is really good for doing tight curves.

 

	Q.     Its great to find some information on pin striping - your work looks great. Can you recommend any books containing the artwork - and history about it. And advise me on where I can find brushes and tools so I can play. Do you travel to do artwork or do you prefer the pieces to come to you?  Jesse, UK
	A.    www.amazon.com (not the UK site)  has a fair number of these books and also a guy called Bob Bond supplies an excellent range of books and inspiration from American stripers past and present.  I just bought Pinstriping Masters Techniques, tricks, and special FX for laying down lines. It is well worth getting.

 

Q.     When you are painting on an actual car, the classic question, if you mess up, can you wipe it off? Stephanie, Citrus Heights CA

A.      If you mess up while you are painting your mistakes can easily be removed with the One Shot thinners.  I recently took all the striping off my Dragstar 6 months after application with cellulose thinner, but you must check what the base paint is, before you use this or you will take that off as well!   In the States a lot of stripers use oven cleaner to take off old striping. I don't know if we have a suitable equivalent in the UK but am investigating.

	Q.    Do you travel to do artwork or do you prefer the pieces to come to you?  Jesse, UK
	A.    Either is acceptable, some of my customers have items they can post, or deliver others have larger projects and I am happy to travel,  whichever really is the most cost effective and practical solution.  It is always best to call for a chat first.  I can be reached on 07947 695640

 

	Q.     What is palleting I have heard the expression but do not understand   Garry, London UK
	A.     Paletting means loading your brush with paint, and wiping it back and forth on the paletting material (old Playboy magazines make this even more interesting) to ensure the paint is fully dispersed throughout the brush hairs. This ensures a good flow of paint to give a more consistent line.

 

Q.    Do you know where I can find a beginners pinstriping course? Steve, Birmingham UK

A.       All the courses I have attended have been in the states.  My last Masterclass was in Las Vegas and run by Airbrush Action. Some great Tutors there such as Wizard (cheers mate had a ball).  However due to the number of people who have asked this question I am formulating plans for a couple of beginners courses to be held next year.  (Subject to expressed interest) Numbers will be limited so let me know if your are interested in attending and I will add you to the already growing list. Let me know your location too which will be helpful in determining the best locations for the courses. Fee estimated at £95 for the day.(send no money now) For course enquiries click here

 

	Q.    How do I make designs symetrical?  Bigperros, USA
	A.    Lay a sheet of tracing or other thin paper down, folded in half. Working from the fold draw out your design in heavy pencil or marker pen. Turn the paper over holding it up to a light source (possibly a window pain or light box)and draw over the image that is projected through, onto the blank side. Open up the paper and voila!!  Symetry.

 

	Q.     Pounce wheel . do you keep these ? do you use them ? and what do you think or know about them?  I need to know the best and easiest way to transfer pinstripes , graphics etc from paper to the vehicle.  Dave UK
	A.    I do not use a pounce wheel personally but tend to go for the grid approach With the pounce system you can have scaling problems to start with but with the grid system this is taken care of straight away. Directly onto the item you are striping.

e-mail me your questions anytime