Thread: airbrush revisited

Hi everyone,
My name is Kathy and I'm from the St Louis area. I inherited my husbands old sportster about 6 yrs ago. Of course I had to make some big changes. After adding beach bars, a custom seat, and lots of chrome, I decided a custom paint job was the next thing. I am an artist, but had never picked up a paint brush or an airbrush before at that point.
I'm one of the types that researches a subject to death. I found this website back then, invested a lot of time and money in compressors, airbrushes, and paint. I bought a fatbob tank for my bike and it sat on the shelf for a year. I finally got a tank sealer kit, and proceeded to get the tank ready to paint. I was doing the etching step and had it sitting out on the back patio to do its thing, and along came a storm and blew over our big tree in the back yard. It landed right on the gas tank. The damage isn't too noticeable, except the caps don't sit right, and the gas will leak out.
I got an insurance claim that covered the tree removal and the cost of the gas tank. I bought another one which has the speedometer kit with it. I was ready to go, got the prep done on the new tank and the fenders I bought too. Well, we went on a motorcycle trip to Washington DC and I rode that old 1988 sportster for 2000 miles! Boy was my a$$ sore for weeks! I decided then and there not to bother with the paint, because I was getting a new bigger bike.
I hung up the airbrush for a while and picked up a regular paint brush to paint a mural in my living room. One mural led to another and another. Now I have a pretty good business painting murals and faux finishes. I also have recently tried oil painting. I'll attach a copy of my first oil painting. It's called "The Sea of Forgetfulness". It shows our sins being washed out to sea.
OK, now back to the airbrushing. I still have not lost my desire to airbrush. My new bike is becoming more of a reality every day. Next May, my husband's bike is paid off, so it will be my turn to get one. I have already picked out a HD 2010 Street Glide. It will need a lot of chrome added, and of course, custom paint I've come back here to learn from the best source on the web. The plan for my paint job is real flames in blue candy. Behind the flames, instead of skulls, I want to do roses and crosses intertwined together. I'm choosing Brilliant Silver Pearl as the factory paint on the new bike. I figure that will give me a good base color for the candy. I plan to use auto air paints and have it professionally cleared when I'm done.
OK, tell me I can do this! Am I on the right track with my paint plan?
I have lots of questions and plenty of time to learn. After all, I have 2 fatbob tanks and a fender set to practice on. Thanks in advance for your help. Sorry to be so winded.

Originally Posted by kchopp

Hi everyone,
My name is Kathy and I'm from the St Louis area.
......
OK, tell me I can do this! Am I on the right track with my paint plan?
I have lots of questions and plenty of time to learn. After all, I have 2 fatbob tanks and a fender set to practice on. Thanks in advance for your help. Sorry to be so winded.

Kathy, here is what I tell my boss when they ask if something can or can not be done..
You can do ANYTHING given enough Time, Money, Information and Desire! You have time, you are in a place to get the information, you have already spent the money, it is up to you to provide the desire and dedication to achieve your goal.

My advice to you is lean how to paint with your airbrush before you lean how to paint flames. Learning to paint a beach with rocks and a wave will allow you to learn far more about controlling your airbrush than learning to paint fire or skulls. You have a desire to paint other subjects, do so with your airbrush. Once you are very comfortable with your airbrush and feel in total control, move to the flames and such.

Good luck and don't rush!