How to Airbrush Guitars
Airbrushing a design onto your guitar not only makes it aesthetically pleasing, it also makes it a one-of-a-kind, personalized instrument. Although airbrushing can seem a little daunting at first, as long as you follow these simple steps, you should end up with an impressive guitar you can be proud of.
Things You'll Need
- Overalls
- Respirator mask
- Sandpaper (fine to medium grade)
- Airbrush
- Compressor or can of compressed air
- Masking tape
- Airbrush masking film
- Paints
- Clear varnish spray (gloss or matte)
Instructions
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1
Choose your design. Spend some time looking at different pictures to get ideas. When you have chosen your design, draw it onto a piece of paper, and cut it out to create a template.
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2
Remove the strings from the guitar and, using a fine grade sandpaper, sand the guitar all over to create a suitable surface for painting. Apply masking tape to cover any other areas you do not want to paint, such as the fingerboard and pickups.
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3
Lay the airbrush masking film, which is a sheet of sticky-backed film, out on a flat surface, and draw around your template onto the paper backing of the film. Cut the design out of the film so you are left with the sheet of film with the design cut out, remove the paper backing and carefully apply the template in the desired position.
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Put on overalls and a respirator mask before you being spraying, then apply the paint evenly, back and forth across the guitar, in fine coats. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next one, and aim for a minimum of four coats. If your design has different colors involved, begin with the color that covers the largest part of the design. For example, if your design is an ace of spades, begin with a white rectangle. When this has dried, apply more masking film over the design so that the white area is covered, leaving only the spade shapes uncovered, then spray the design black.
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Remove the masking film but not the tape, and allow the paint to dry and harden for at least 24 hours, preferably in a warm room to aid the process. After 24 hours, you can begin applying the clear varnish.
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Spray the varnish in a similar way to the airbrushing, in several even, thin coats, and allow it to dry and harden for 24 hours as you did with the paint. When the varnish is dry, take a medium-grade sandpaper, dip it in water and begin sanding the whole guitar. Make sure the sandpaper stays wet the whole time, and continue this method using gradually finer sandpaper. This will give your guitar a highly polished, glassy effect.
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Tips & Warnings
Ensure there are no air bubbles or overlaps in your masking tape and film. Paint will run under the smallest of gaps, ruining your design.
Dust or hair from your clothes can also ruin your design, so always wear overalls.
Always ensure all surfaces are well covered and make sure you are wearing a respirator mask and that you are in a well-ventilated area.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit electric guitar image by Jeffrey Zalesny from Fotolia.com
