View Full Version : Need help with fixing paint job...I suck at arts and crafts.
DiabhailGadhar
06-10-14, 23:59
26493
Ok so I'm debating on just taking this back to all black..but before I do that I was hoping that one of you artistically inclined folks could possibly throw out some suggestions on how to cover/unfuq this before I go through all that pain. Thanks for the input in advance..
S/F,
Nick
PS for the record I didn't realize the paint was gonna turn out as light as it did plus my wife got into helping me with it and when I realized I didn't like it I didn't want to say anything...:help:
26493
Ok so I'm debating on just taking this back to all black..but before I do that I was hoping that one of you artistically inclined folks could possibly throw out some suggestions on how to cover/unfuq this before I go through all that pain. Thanks for the input in advance..
S/F,
Nick
PS for the record I didn't realize the paint was gonna turn out as light as it did plus my wife got into helping me with it and when I realized I didn't like it I didn't want to say anything...:help:
Usually paint cans say, after an hour, you have to wait 24 hours to apply another coat, so why not just paint over with another color?
Or you can hose it down with brake cleaner or something, then respray it or keep it black.
What color did you use, and what kind of paint?
Why not leave that as a base coat and add other colors to it? I would pick colors and a pattern that I wanted to try out and go for it.
The color is different but not bad.
Strippers may leave some in cracks and crevices. At this point you may be better off just hitting it with a can of black of the same brand. You have a good base for just going about any color otherwise. Have you thought about any other colors? At least it won't be as hot in the sunshine;) I'd just spray it again with flat tan or brown of same brand.
Does your wife like it?
LMT Shooter
06-11-14, 03:01
Why not leave that as a base coat and add other colors to it? I would pick colors and a pattern that I wanted to try out and go for it.
The color is different but not bad.
+1 on this, you have a pretty good start for a kick-ass camo job with that base color. You do not have to be an artist to do a decent camo paint job, and you're already over the biggest hurdle, which is bringing yourself to spray painting you rifle in the first place.
That color looks like it will be an excellent base-coat for whatever comes next. All is not lost. Do and learn.
Headcase650
06-11-14, 04:02
Check out the refinishing thread on TOS under armory. There are some awesome examples of rattle can jobs and sponge techniques.
The_War_Wagon
06-11-14, 06:49
I too, suck at arts & crafts. That's why I went cerakote on a 1911 and an AR. It cost a little more, but it saved a lot on the "aggravation factor."
I'm with everyone else, just do a nice multi-camo paint job on it. Put a few shades of tan and brown and maybe another green, and it will look very nice.
DiabhailGadhar
06-11-14, 07:57
That's what I was kinda leaning towards was laying another coat on, but I didn't really know what would look "good" over the top of it. If you guys could throw out specific brands/colors it would be appreciated. I have no eye for this kind of thing. Thanks again for everyone's input.
Something along the 'Lueopold Brown' would look good on there. It's a dark brown color. I'm unsure as to what the Krylon version is as I use Duracoat on all my stuff.
http://i1039.photobucket.com/albums/a477/wabashman/20131207_172417_zpszmvqytzr.jpg (http://s1039.photobucket.com/user/wabashman/media/20131207_172417_zpszmvqytzr.jpg.html)
Without knowing what type of paint you used, it's difficult to recommend something. You don't want to mix paint types- don't try to paint over enamel with acrylic and vise versa.
Simply get paints of the same brand you previously used and go to town. I'd get at least one shade of green lighter and one darker. Mist the lighter green from the bottom and the darker green from the top. Blend the shades together. Keep the patches large and round and the coats thin. Don't be afraid to paint a layer over a layer. I call it my "Wolf Pattern" because wolves are light colored on the belly and darker on the back. Here's a couple of rifles I did in browns
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n289/SgtSongDog/Liberty/ARPile002_zpsfe1ba810.jpg
This is just one way to fix your paint job. There are many others. Go to the "Painted AR" sticky in the Custom Build Forum for inspiration
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?5102-Painted-AR-s-show-em-off!
You don't need to make it fancy or use a complicated pattern. Myself, I like the simple ones best
LMT Shooter
06-12-14, 00:18
I have not used the sponge techniques, but I've painted a few guns. I've only used Krylon, they make a decent assortment of colors, I can't speak about other brands. I do not try to duplicate any specific pattern, because I, too suck at arts & crafts, so I'm just looking to break up the outline with natural colors. 3 colors is a good start, a tan, a brown, and a green. More colors/shades make it better, IMHO. I'll try to get photos to download of my 870, it's the only gun I still have that I've painted.
I'll tell you what I do, but this is all stuff I got from articles & the internet. Don't worry about screwing up, if you really do, you can paint over everything & start again.
Start with a light color base layer like you have. Pick colors that match the environment you'll be in, or what you think looks cool, it's your gun. I use stencils cut from cardboard, & mesh. The carboard stencils do not lay flat, which gives a "blurry" edge to the shapes, which adds to the camo effect. I cut a lot of stencils, some with tiger stripe style lines, some with GI woodland style shapes, some with starburst shapes, anything will work. Variety is important. Use the stencils to put color patches on the base layer. You can overlap the stencilling for a "busier" camo.
The mesh is used in the final steps to take away sharp lines & blend colors. Use it anywhere on the gun to add color & minimize lines & large solid color patches.
A "mist coat" can be applied at the very end by holding the can about 12" away from the gun, this again reduces sharp lines. It will produce a "spotty" effect, but the spots will be very tiny. I prefer a lighter color for the mist coat, as I usually end up with more dark color that I want. If your camo is looking too light, you could use a darker color to make it more to your liking.
You have a light color base coat, which is good. It's easier to go with a dark color on top of a light color, not so much the opposite. Keep that in mind when applying colors.
+1 for Mistwolf. Lots of good ideas and instruction in the Painted AR's subsection. Aervoe paint is also a good choice.
Ah, it's cute!
(That's what your wife was going for, right?)
I think it would be a good base for multicam, AOR pattern or maybe some kryptek type pattern.
A can of Tan, maybe a can of brown paint. Never get closer than 15" to the rifle - the spatter coat you'll get will end up working really awesome - you can combine that with some masking to get some patterns, but even the diffuse patterns and up looking really good at distance and up close.
Honorthecall81
06-12-14, 18:47
26522 aervoe! The stuff is awesome
DiabhailGadhar
06-12-14, 23:00
Hopefully I'll be able to get some paint this weekend and I give it a whack I think ive got some good ideas now...thanks guys!
26522 aervoe!
Yup. Aervoe works nicely. For the below, I sprayed 8-10" wide bands of color over the entire weapon. Then I used other colors sprayed onto cotton balls to blot the weapon for accent colors. If it helps, take a look at Multicam, or some other camo pattern that you like. Use it as a rough outline if you are having a hard time figuring out where to dab or how to get started.
http://37.media.tumblr.com/4e36482ad5a472f05051985a7d5f91b3/tumblr_n6zqsqrDpa1rrcg2fo1_1280.jpg
Here is one we did recently that belongs to a buddy of mine. The first picture shows the base coat, we used a heat gun to warm the surface up and made sure we misted the coating on so it would dry as soon as it hit. The other pictures show how it turned out after blotting it with other colors.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/8cbd097d383c66f81479090a69decee2/tumblr_n4ysqd9n1C1rrcg2fo1_1280.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/387a93e6c48547e8b00c3346df9babe6/tumblr_n3y2r9fxaO1rrcg2fo1_1280.jpg
http://31.media.tumblr.com/53d0866ce29108d65d0f01d25b1f9b4a/tumblr_n3sqmb1GbH1rrcg2fo1_1280.jpg
Never thought about using cottonballs but now i think I've been inspired, those rifles looks really nice. Can you tell us what colors you used on them?
One thing about mistakes is... they are really easy to make even worse and compound the problem.
I think if you can find the correct complimentary colors you MIGHT have an easy fix. For example, the base here doesn't look too different from what it looks like in the photo:
http://www.destinationcycles.com/images/2010UralPics%20006.jpg
My initial impression is that the light gray elements are going to have to go or be broken up so significantly that the light-gray is almost undetectable.
Unfortunately I am not really a color kind of guy.... so trust the judgement of others on color.
Moonlight Again
06-13-14, 07:40
I have always heard that where women see hundreds of colors, men see maybe ten or twelve. Oh look, chartreuse! And lavender over here! (Men say, that's yellow, and that's purple.) But damn when it's time to paint our rifles all of a sudden we're some color-discriminating mofos.
I don't know, this FDE is more of a sand color, I think . . . or a desert dirt. With a hint of khaki. Wolf grey, disruptive grey, tungsten. Sniper grey!
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
I'd camo that dude!
https://www.primaryarms.com/Camouflage-Stencil-s/5938.htm
I'd camo that dude!
https://www.primaryarms.com/Camouflage-Stencil-s/5938.htm
Here is one we did recently that belongs to a buddy of mine. The first picture shows the base coat, we used a heat gun to warm the surface up and made sure we misted the coating on so it would dry as soon as it hit. The other pictures show how it turned out after blotting it with other colors.
http://24.media.tumblr.com/8cbd097d383c66f81479090a69decee2/tumblr_n4ysqd9n1C1rrcg2fo1_1280.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/387a93e6c48547e8b00c3346df9babe6/tumblr_n3y2r9fxaO1rrcg2fo1_1280.jpg
http://31.media.tumblr.com/53d0866ce29108d65d0f01d25b1f9b4a/tumblr_n3sqmb1GbH1rrcg2fo1_1280.jpg
I'm curious what colors you used on that as well, Stick. It looks fantastic.
Is degreasing the entire gun with break cleaner safe of the plastic parts?
I'm curious what colors you used on that as well, Stick. It looks fantastic.
Is degreasing the entire gun with break cleaner safe of the plastic parts?
I recently removed some paint with a product called aircraft remover. Can be purchased at auto zone. It worked well and didn't harm the grip at all.
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I recently removed some paint with a product called aircraft remover. Can be purchased at auto zone. It worked well and didn't harm the grip at all.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
I wasnt talking about removing paint. I was referring to removing oil and junk off the surface to prep for painting.
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I wasnt talking about removing paint. I was referring to removing oil and junk off the surface to prep for painting.
Sent from my N9510 using Tapatalk
my bad.
OP-
Here's what I'd do (because I'm super nitpicky :P ).
I would strip the current color off back to black. Not saying it's "bad", just a little to minty... :laugh:
OR dependant on what you painted it with, simply spray another color on top to darken it up.
IF you strip it, or IF you already used Rustoleum (mixing paint brands = bad), I would go to your local walmart or Lowes, and get the Rustoleum "Camouflage" paint in khaki, brown and OD green (they actually also make a "sand" and"foliage" color as well, but they are rare). This stuff applies real even and smooth,finish is nice and flat, dries and cures fast especially in bright sun, which can be a double edged sword at times... Rustoleum's "Satin" (7737 spruce green) line also has a pretty close match to Magpul Foliage, albeit it's a bit glossy and slightly "brighter" tint- may or may not play well with "camo" type Rust-O. .
I would get a piece of cardboard, and a pile of *stuff*(netting, cottonballs, leaves,grass, google camo patterns and cut them out, etc...) and experiment a bit with materials and techniques, til you get more comfortable and decide on a combo you like for your pattern.
Start with a solid base coat of the khaki- probably about 2-3 coats should give a nice clean well covered finish, *PLUS* touchups (don't forget to turn the rifle to get into all the nooks like rails...)- the way I did some (fake) guns I painted was hang the gun one way, base coat, touchup coat, hang the gun reversed, second base and touchup coat, and so forth, until I felt good about the finish. Don't even bother trying to hold the gun while you paint it- hang it or lean it against something or figure out a way to stand it on its own, and physically move around it.
After you're happy with the base coat, take the rifle and apply the pattern.
If you have a paper pattern this means cutting it out and attaching it to the rifle. I use a Xacto razor to cut the pattern, and then double side tape cut into whatever tiny little pieces you need to get it on the rifle (do NOT just tape it down with regular tape unless you want huge blank square spots in your pattern... ask me how I know). Make sure it is pressed onto the rifle as tight as possible or you'll get lots of underpsray and poorly defined sloppy looking pattern. This can be tricky on the rail and around the FA/brass deflector, but it is doable with creativity and patience.
You can also further reduce underspray, especially on the rail by NOT applying the secondary pattern color at an angle- apply it straight onto the side of the rifle as one-dimensionally as possible. You may have to do this in multiple steps in order to turn the rifle by hand to the correct angle to apply the paint flat. About 2 coats, plus touchups should do.
Without a cut pattern, you will simply be using materials to apply the secondary color or colors in a pattern by hand. As stated there's the cotton ball/walmart bag patterning trick.
You can also use multiple items like netting and grass in conjunction to get a nice mixed pattern.
This is what was done on another (fake) rifle I painted- simple hand application of netting and grass, either at the same time, or in spots to fill in "blank" areas, use of grass to blend the edges of the netting so you don't have a blatant netting edge showing all over the place, and so forth.
Then on any areas that are to dark or saturated with the secondary color, a *very* fine mist of the base coat to blend it in (hold the rifle/part out about bent-arms length, and then from about chest distance, spray short bursts of the base coat and allow it to sort of billow over the offending area. One VERY light short burst is generally about all that's needed)) .
It kind of helps to have a second set of hands for this mixed technique, as the items need to be held directly on the rifle as you spray them, and fairly tight (as well as pressed into any curves, such as around the FA/BD area) to prevent horrible pattern-killing underspray. Nothing like trying to get a netting section on and ending up with a splotch instead... A pair of gloves is a must here as well...
Don't think about it to much, and have fun- you really don't have to be *that* artistic to do a decent pattern, and if all else fails, just pick a color you like and forgo a pattern for a couple coats of a solid color.
If this attachment works, picture 1, the Tan/OD tigerstripe is a cut pattern, done as described above, and picture 2 Tan/Brown netting is a mixed pattern as described. As you can see, near the fire selector on the tigerstripe gun is a great example of what underspray will do- not helpful to the pattern...
Also, if you haven't already, see the "Painted ARs" thread for more info and inspiration: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?5102-Painted-AR-s-show-em-off!
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/JellybeanA5/Airsoft_Tiger1_zps3a40b4e4.jpg
26545
Moonlight Again
06-13-14, 23:41
OP-
Here's what I'd do (because I'm super nitpicky :P ).
That tiger stripe is the tits. Irina Shayk tits, too, not grandma tits.
what color were you going for? Looks fine to me.
I'd say just shoot it as is and when the paint starts to rub off on high wear area's it's going to look bad ass.
I'm dying to rattle can my BCM Patriot Brown, but I can't bring myself to do it.
I'm curious what colors you used on that as well, Stick. It looks fantastic.
Is degreasing the entire gun with break cleaner safe of the plastic parts?
Stick? you still around buddy :)
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You can either strip back to black, or I would just lay down a different color for the base.
Bulldog stencils make it easy and they have several different styles.
Also Aervoe paint for the win. You can get it at DSGARMS.
Stick? you still around buddy :)
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My bad, things get a little busy at times. I used Aervoe, and any of their colors are going to look and work well. Grab what matches your area.
DSG Arms carries their lineup, and they have good prices. I would recommend them unless you have an Army/ Navy or Surplus store in your area that carries it, which is doubtful.
OP, pictures when done if you could. Would love to see the recovery and what you decide to do.
My bad, things get a little busy at times. I used Aervoe, and any of their colors are going to look and work well. Grab what matches your area.
DSG Arms carries their lineup, and they have good prices. I would recommend them unless you have an Army/ Navy or Surplus store in your area that carries it, which is doubtful.
I hear you buddy :)
the colors you used would be ideal for my area. I was wondering specifically what colors you used on those rifles.
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