Hand-Painting onto Lacquer?

nkri · 06-19-2012, 09:24 PM

Hey everyone,
I'm doing an apprenticeship this summer with a luthier in RI (details and pics to come in a future thread). One of our current projects is to refinish an 80s Carvin, and the plan is to paint the schematic of the customer's amp onto the body. The body's already been stripped down to bare wood, and we plan to apply a gradient finish (green to black, treble->bass). My sister is an artist and will be in town this weekend to hand-paint the schematic. My question is, what kind of paint should she use? She'll just be painting the black lines of the schematic, with no letters or other markings of any kind. We were gonna put a base coat of green lacquer on the body, and we're thinking she'll paint over that, then we'll apply the gradient after the design is painted on. Any suggestions?

mikenothing · 06-20-2012, 12:00 AM

Hey, I don't have an answer... but I would love to know what to use as well. I have been wanting to hand draw some logos for guitar builds in basic black. Hope someone answers

bob123 · 06-20-2012, 12:08 PM

anything for color is fine. You can use acrylic if you want.

Its the top coat that matters. Make sure the paint is flat and run a catalyzed clear over top for best results.

For paint, Id go with dupont car paint, they have great and vibrant colors.

supercolio · 06-20-2012, 02:51 PM

Bob seems to know the thing

How awesome would that guitar look! PLEASE post pictures of it when finished!

nkri · 06-20-2012, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob123

anything for color is fine. You can use acrylic if you want.

Its the top coat that matters. Make sure the paint is flat and run a catalyzed clear over top for best results.

For paint, Id go with dupont car paint, they have great and vibrant colors.

So if she used any black acrylic paint, the lacquer coats wouldn't dissolve the acrylic or distort it in any way? Just wanna make sure...and the design will be painted between coats of lacquer, with a clear coat on top, so the top coat won't actually touch the design...

Metal_Webb · 06-21-2012, 06:38 AM

As long as it's fully dried, there won't be any problems with the solvents from either water or thinners based paints over the top of each other.

The problem is when you try to paint acrylic over an enamel base. Acylic paints form hard, inflexible shells. Enamels tend to be a bit more flexible and move about. What happens when you put a hard shell over a flexible substrate? It cracks. That being said, enamels over acrylics are fine.

Metal_Webb · 06-21-2012, 06:39 AM

As long as it's fully dried, there won't be any problems with the solvents from either water or thinners based paints over the top of each other.

The problem is when you try to paint acrylic over an enamel base. Acylic paints form hard, inflexible shells. Enamels tend to be a bit more flexible and move about. What happens when you put a hard shell over a flexible substrate? It cracks. That being said, enamels over acrylics are fine and unless large areas of acrylic are sandwiched between enamels, it should be fine.

nkri · 06-21-2012, 11:01 AM

Acrylic it is! Thanks guys.

mikenothing · 06-21-2012, 03:25 PM

Im going to finish my guitar with Danish oil... can I just put acrylic over that?

bob123 · 06-22-2012, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikenothing

Im going to finish my guitar with Danish oil... can I just put acrylic over that?

So you're not finishing your guitar in danish oil...

yes you can paint over danish oil if its fully dried, just dont use nitro.

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06-19-2012, 09:24 PM	#1
nkri SS.org Regular Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: West Warwick, RI, USA Posts: 280 Thanked: 2 Feedback Score: 9 reviews	Hand-Painting onto Lacquer? Hey everyone, I'm doing an apprenticeship this summer with a luthier in RI (details and pics to come in a future thread). One of our current projects is to refinish an 80s Carvin, and the plan is to paint the schematic of the customer's amp onto the body. The body's already been stripped down to bare wood, and we plan to apply a gradient finish (green to black, treble->bass). My sister is an artist and will be in town this weekend to hand-paint the schematic. My question is, what kind of paint should she use? She'll just be painting the black lines of the schematic, with no letters or other markings of any kind. We were gonna put a base coat of green lacquer on the body, and we're thinking she'll paint over that, then we'll apply the gradient after the design is painted on. Any suggestions?

06-21-2012, 06:38 AM	#6
Metal_Webb Needs more strings Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 1,133 Thanked: 19 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	As long as it's fully dried, there won't be any problems with the solvents from either water or thinners based paints over the top of each other. The problem is when you try to paint acrylic over an enamel base. Acylic paints form hard, inflexible shells. Enamels tend to be a bit more flexible and move about. What happens when you put a hard shell over a flexible substrate? It cracks. That being said, enamels over acrylics are fine. "By the way, melted binding looks like marshmallow. But it really doesn't taste like it." - MapleLeaf97

06-21-2012, 06:39 AM	#7
Metal_Webb Needs more strings Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 1,133 Thanked: 19 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	As long as it's fully dried, there won't be any problems with the solvents from either water or thinners based paints over the top of each other. The problem is when you try to paint acrylic over an enamel base. Acylic paints form hard, inflexible shells. Enamels tend to be a bit more flexible and move about. What happens when you put a hard shell over a flexible substrate? It cracks. That being said, enamels over acrylics are fine and unless large areas of acrylic are sandwiched between enamels, it should be fine. "By the way, melted binding looks like marshmallow. But it really doesn't taste like it." - MapleLeaf97

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06-20-2012, 12:00 AM	#2
mikenothing ss.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: LA, CA Posts: 59 Thanked: 5 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Hey, I don't have an answer... but I would love to know what to use as well. I have been wanting to hand draw some logos for guitar builds in basic black. Hope someone answers

06-20-2012, 12:08 PM	#3
bob123 Banned Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,282 Thanked: 48 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	anything for color is fine. You can use acrylic if you want. Its the top coat that matters. Make sure the paint is flat and run a catalyzed clear over top for best results. For paint, Id go with dupont car paint, they have great and vibrant colors.

06-20-2012, 02:51 PM	#4
supercolio Super-spy Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Finland Posts: 64 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Bob seems to know the thing How awesome would that guitar look! PLEASE post pictures of it when finished!

06-21-2012, 11:01 AM	#8
nkri SS.org Regular Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: West Warwick, RI, USA Posts: 280 Thanked: 2 Feedback Score: 9 reviews	Acrylic it is! Thanks guys.

06-21-2012, 03:25 PM	#9
mikenothing ss.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: LA, CA Posts: 59 Thanked: 5 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Im going to finish my guitar with Danish oil... can I just put acrylic over that?