Airbrushing a Guitar

The airbrushing technique is used for many custom paint jobs.

Airbrushing your guitar is one way to stamp your individuality on and show your creativity through your instrument. When you customize your guitar, you can use any color or combination of colors you want, weave and swirl interesting patterns and allow your artistic flair to shine through. Home airbrushing requires patience, however, with the quality of the results directly linked to the effort invested.

Things You'll Need

• Workspace with a roof
• Table or work bench
• Tarpaulin or old newspaper
• Metal wire or industrial-strength string
• Paper towels
• Masking tape
• Primer
• Airbrush
• Light-gauge wet sandpaper
• Paint

Instructions

1. Find a suitable environment for airbrushing. Your work area should have a roof, be well-ventilated, devoid of too much interference or traffic and somewhere you don't mind getting a bit messy with paint. Set up a flat table or work bench and cover it with a tarpaulin or old newspaper.

2. Hang the body of your guitar from a beam or part of the roof of your work space using metal wire or industrial-strength string. Consider installing a couple of hooks if your work space doesn't have anything from which you can hang your guitar. Hang your guitar's body so it is roughly level with your face, as this makes it much easier to access it with an airbrush nozzle.

3. Protect any areas of your guitar that you do not wish to paint with a combination of masking tape and paper towels. Fill the guitar's F-holes, for example, with paper towels, or apply tape across the gap.

4. Fill an airbrush with some primer and apply a first coat to your guitar's body. Spray the primer evenly across all of parts of the guitar that you wish to paint; remove any excess primer using a light-gauge wet sandpaper. Let the primer dry for at least 12 hours before adding your first coat of paint. Fill your airbrush with the paint before spraying it onto the guitar body. Hold the airbrush at the same angle and distance from the guitar at all times, as this ensures an even finish. Use wet sandpaper and paper towels to remove any excess paint. Leave your first coat to dry for at least 12 hours.

5. Continue to add as many coats of airbrushed paints as you wish. Spray a second color onto your guitar's body if you want to introduce a burst effect, such as the popular sunburst.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that the more time you invest, the better your guitar will look. Consider adding at least three layers of paint to your guitar.

• Read the safety information for any primers and paint you use. If you feel nauseous

• or dizzy at any stage, leave your work area and sit down in an open-air environment.

• Consider wearing a protective mask over your mouth and nose to limit paint inhalation and safety goggles to protect your eyes.

• Consider wearing overalls or old clothes that you do not mind getting messy, as you are almost certain to get paint on your clothes at some stage.

References

• Shredaholic: Quick-Fix — Re-Spraying Your Guitar
• Jim Fogarty: Airbrushing Stages (Body)