BEFORE WE GO INTO THE DETAILS of choosing a vinyl plotter and software, allow me to introduce you to the steps involved in creating and using a vinyl stencil. It’s important to point out that a plotter must be given the proper type of image so that it knows what it’s supposed to cut. This comes in the form of vector graphics. For this demonstration, I used Evil Skull 1, a stock graphic found on the new Skullology CD by Cross-Eyed.

This collection contains 51 varieties of skulls, each one vectorized and ready to import into virtually any vinyl plotter software. Adobe Illustrator was my software of choice for this project (the standard plug-in is included with the Roland GX-24 plotter).

Although the techniques may vary slightly between software titles, the procedure is basically identical. To make it easier for you, I’ll list the most common commands next to the Illustrator commands. I started by creating a new document in Illustrator. I like to scale the document as close to the size of the surface that I’ll paint on.

This gives me a good perspective of how my design will look on the finished product, allowing me to re-size, shape, and move each object to reach the desired effect. Now, we can place our graphic onto the design board by selecting Place (or Import) found under the File menu or list. (Note: If the file has either an .ai or .eps extension, you can also select “Open” rather than “Import”). Locate the image that you wish to use, then click “Place” (or “OK”). Now, your image is ready to size and manipulate.

For this panel, I wanted to make the skull a little smaller to accommodate some background graphics. In order to select the whole image for re-sizing, click “Select All” (or “Cont-A”) from the top menu. A “bounding” box should now surround your image. Using the points on this box, you can stretch, crunch, or resize your image as one piece. You can also resize or change individual areas by selecting them one at a time. Notice that I used hands from another of the Skullology files.

We’re ready to cut our stencil! In Illustrator, the Roland plug-in is added to the Navigation window located at the top right of the screen. (Note: This plugin works equally well with Corel Draw!) With the items selected that you wish to include in your design””yes, you can leave out an eye if you wish!””simply click on the button marked “R” to send your image for cutting.

The following screen appears, giving you such options as multiple copies andm anipulation of the lines.

You also have the option to save your artwork as an icon for later use. Simply click on “Cutting” from the top menu and your image will be sent to the plotter for cutting; just as if you were sending an image to your computer’s printer!

WITH THE SKULL STENCIL SIZED AND CUT, IT’S READY TO APPLY IT TO OUR SURFACE.

Another tool borrowed from the sign trade, which helps with transferring the stencil, is application tape, also known in the paint industry as Auto Mask or Paint Mask.

Essentially, it’s a roll (available in small to large widths) of masking tape applied to the topside of our stencil to keep all the pieces in place.

With the application tape applied, align the stencil onto your surface and tape one edge. This holds the stencil in place while removing the backing from the vinyl, and also acts as a hinge for applying the vinyl to the surface.

Using your tape hinge, remove the backing from the stencil vinyl, and apply it to the surface to be painted. Use a squeegee to ensure a good bond. The unveiled stencil is ready to paint!

Website: www.remlingkustomfineart.com

Bio:

Mark was raised in Queens, New York. His artistic influence came from his grandfather who was a commercial artist. Self-taught, Mark moved to Southern California, where his work is displayed in many night clubs, galleries, restaurants, and personal residences.

Mark will paint on anything—motorcycles, canvas, garments, etc. His photo-realistic style is in high demand by many in the entertainment industry, from set designs to personally commissioned pieces. Collectors of his work include Jay Leno, Tim Burton, Rikki Rockett, Claudia Schiffer, and David Copperfield. At the request of Ford Motor Company he painted a specialty car for Funk Master Flex for the 2007 SEMA convention. He also does most of the custom-painted drums for Rockett Drum Works, and his latest high profile job has been for the Irvine Police Department’s DARE program.

Mark’s work has been featured in Sport Truck, Airbrush Action, Las Vegan Magazine, Las Vegas Weekly, and recently he made the cover of Truck and Auto Customizing with the DARE vehicle

Contact: remlingkustoms@yahoo.com

This How-To may look somewhat daunting, but don’t be intimidated. With patience and determination, you can achieve similar results. I recommend using photos of lizards and birds as a reference since no one has cloned and photographed a real dinosaur yet (as far as I know). I also suggest you avoid copying the styles of other artists. In the end, it’s far more satisfying to develop your own style. It’s time to grab your airbrush and art supplies, kiss your family and friends goodbye, and go chain yourself to your art table. It’s only way to get the job done!

Step 1:

Once I had my sketch established, I drew it out in detail directly onto illustration board (I prefer a smooth finish, double-thick board). I tried to keep the drawing as light as possible so the graphite would not allow through the airbrushed paint.

Step 2:

First, a layer of Frisket was put over the whole piece. The frisket was removed from the background and thick brush strokes of gesso were applied to mimic the look of a stucco wall riddled with a bullet holes.

Step 3:

With the gesso texture, it was time to paint. Acrylic burnt umber was brushed in and quickly wiped off to build darkness and enhance the texture of the wall. Cracks and bullet holes were hand-painted in at this point. When this was dry, I used some light sandpaper to bring up any dark areas.

Step 4:

With the airbrush, I airbrush transparent ochre over all exposed areas of the wall. I started off lightly and built up layers gradually. A mixture of opaque burnt umber and transparent smoke were used to show any shadows the dinosaurs cast against wall.

Step 5:

With the wall finished, I moved to the wooden crates. With a brown pencil crayon, I lightly drew in the wood grain texture and cracks, then airbrushed the crates with transparent ochre and burnt sienna. Highlights were added by hand-painting and scraping the surface with an X-Acto blade.

Step 6:

The dinosaur hinter was hand-painted in, loosely at first, then tightened up with thicker, deeper color. I airbrushed in transparent smoke to create shadow and white for the highlights on his armor and gun.

Step 7:

The first dinosaur was the big T-Rex, Dinosaur enthusiasts argue about the skin color, texture, patterning, and musculature, but I try not to let their arguments overly influence me (unless, of course, they are paying me to do it their way).

My objective was to make the dinosaurs look fairly accurate, quite colorful, and somewhat threatening. I wanted this T-Rex to be an olive green color with some subtle, darker skin patterns on its neck and back. To begin the area and surrounding the T-Rex was masked off. I airbrushed the transparent ochre first, followed by olive green, which was my own combination of burnt umber and various greens. Areas under and around skin folds are darker, while the belly, chest, and throat are fairly light in color.

Step 8:

This is where you learn to hate and curse the ground upon which I stand!

EVERY SINGLE SCALE ON THE DINOSAUR SKIN MUST BE HAD-PAINTED, Unfortunately, there are no short-cuts, fancy gimmicks, or fast tricks that will look right. Each little pill-like bump needs color, shadow, and highlight. Looking at photos of lizards helped me to understand dinosaur skin and color changes that occur in specific areas of the skin.

For example, I prefer the top of the head, along the back, the nose, and the lips (yes, lips!) to be darker in color. The scales in these areas eventually grow lighter in color as you move across the skin. From time to time, I used the airbrush to deepen the colors or to “set back” an area where the hand-painting was too harsh. I also used an airbrush with burnt.

Step 9:

The next dinosaur is a Carnotaurus, which looks quite intimidating in a deep red color. This dinosaur was painted in the same manner as the T-Rex.

Step 10:

The velocriaptor needed a slightly different approach. I drew in all the wrinkles, folds, and skin pattern with brown pencil crayon, then airbrushed over that using burnt orange and burnt umber. Details such as claws, mouth, and eyes are hand-painted in. the word “ammo” in the wooden crates was airbrushed through a small plastic stencil.

Step 11:

The allosaur (blue and yellow) and the Nano-tyrannus (mottled brown) were painted in the same way yet again. The last and smallest, of the dinosaurs was an Eoraptor.

Step 12:

For the final stage, I went over the entire painting, tightening up details, punching up highlights, and deepening colors and shadows where necessary. By this point, I was seeing dinosaur skin in my sleep, so I sprayed an acrylic matte varnish over the piece and called it finished.

One last hint:

if you’re going to paint dinosaur skin the way I’ve described, choose just one dinosaur to start. Painting six of them is just insane! Some one wake me when the next issue comes out.

By now, I can imagine that you may feel some kind of pride and energy in your stripes, provided of course that you’ve kept up with the lesson plan. (If not, get out those back issues and catch up from lesson 1, cause we’re cruizin’ pretty fast now.)

We left off with arcs last time, and by now I hope you’ve gained a handle on them. I also assume that you’ve conquered the ten-stroke regimen and are almost ready to construct some basic design plans in your head.

We’re doing a basic design on a deck-lid for starters. Design construction must start and end somewhere, so I offer some very elementary, albeit biased viewpoints about what I think makes a good design. You can disagree, to some degree, but there are some guidelines you should respect, and I’ll try to define these for you.

Let’s examine a couple of beginning points. The first and most common approach is to center your design and work out from there. (Photo 1) This constitutes the foundation for symmetrical striping. Most of the time you can measure to the center of your panel, hood, cowling, faring, fender or deck-lid with a measuring device. A cloth measuring device, commonly used by a seamstress, is ideal. Nothing looks less professional than dragging a steel tape measure across a radius of a deck lid and having it slip all over the place. Besides, trying to eyeball the center and then having the customer tell you “that’s off-center, isn’t it?” is also embarrassing! Whether you’re doing a car, motorcycle, mailbox, or a panel for exchange at a Pinhead event, finding center is critically important. After prepping the surface with degreaser and making a mark with a Stabillo pencil, place your 1/4- or 1 /8 inch tape from the top to the bottom and leave it there. Step back, look at it, and make sure you’re not off center. Once the foundation is centered, move on and tape other areas where designs will be placed. For this session, I striped a beige Toyota Corolla.

After laying out the rough tape lines, we are nearly ready to begin our first of three colors. Your first color should closely match the vehicle’s interior. Then, choose a complementary color, (which may involve the customers taste), and for the third, a “shocking” color that wakes up the design. I mixed ivory and brown to match the interior. I constructed the base foundation with two opposing “C” curves. [Photo 2) Then I added a couple of “C” curves on both sides to start heading out from the center. In the beginning, you can construct a gr id using a Stabillo pencil, but as I warned in an earlier column, don’t let the pencil become a crutch and impede your path to mastering symmetry.

Study your surface to determine how far you want to “travel” from the center, how thick your lines will be, and most important, how much you are getting paid for this iob. Does it merit two or three colors? Do you charge for the extra color? I suppose it’s a pet peeve of to carry the visual weight of the wings and legs of this design. Do not rush ahead. Think about each line as you begin your design. Realize that balance and symmetry come as a result of intense effort invested in those practice strokes. Also, anticipate where to leave room. This is the most difficult thing for me. If I crowd the design with the first color, I’m reluctant with the second and it lacks impact. This planning is more difficult than the practice strokes.

You will most likely be disappointed with many of your designs at first and not know why. Primarily, this is because you may tend to overdo the first color and not allow for balanced second and third colors. We go out from the center with long graceful strokes. (Photo 4) Important: as soon as you pull the left side (right-handers), immediately pull the opposing side.

For a second, you’ll need to stand top dead center over your design and feel where the second line is going. For most newbies, this step probably requires tons of practice to perfect. Also, the farther you drag that first one, the opposing one will be equally challenging. The sweeping motion is totally opposite of what you just did and its TOUGH!

Develop the center now by pulling the tape ( if you haven’t already done so) and lining up a teardrop shape using two opposing “C” lines. (Photo 5) mine, but pricing is what makes or breaks a striper’s attitude. If you think that you’re being taken advantage of, you’ll naturally not like your work, your customers, and even yourself. I’ll offer much more on pricing as soon as you’re ready for customers.

Hint: with speed comes an income of over $200 per hour. Back to the deck-lid. (Photo 3) Notice that the second and third lines form a foundation that is strong enough visually to support the wings that’ll go off to the sides. My theory is that the center should be substantial enough.

Photo 6 shows the arc that finishes the basic center design. Last month’s issue demonstrated these lines. It’s a most difficult stroke because it crosses over your entire design. If you mess up on this one, you’ve blown the entire design. If you really feel like quitting at this point, go ahead and make a pattern and lean on this method until you gain greater confidence.

Design construction cannot be effectively accomplished unless you absolutely own the practice strokes. Next time, we’ll complete the design so keep practicing and please don’t rush ahead! If you want something to work on in addition to this basic centerline design, try some variations on the first preliminary foundation lines. Also, seek photos of pinstriping and study their rudimentary design elements.

Step 1

Three paint colors “black, bright pink, and burnt umber” are prepared. A lacquer-based acrylic automotive paint (in this case Dupont) is used, partly for its structure. The lacquer-based acrylic sticks well to porous skin and, by flaking the paint, any overspray can be easily removed from the hair without damage. Pink is sprayed inside the mouth, on the front part of the nose, and around the eyes with an Iwata Custom Micron C airbrush. The pink is also used as a basecoat to even out the skin pigment.

Step 2:

Bren oversprays the nose with the burnt umber, giving it an orange color (which looks far more real than the black/pink in the original) A heavy layer of brown 1s sprayed around the eyes.

Step 3:

Black is now applied around the eyes. With this three-color combination, the eyes immediately begin to give the impression the animal is alive. Ben has studied photographs of live animals to achieve his realism. “there is difference in color when the animal is alive,” he says. When he works on the inside of the ears, he uses a toothbrush to comb the hair out of the way.

Step 4:

Black is used for the lips and inside the nostrils. To give these areas a “wet” look, heavy paint is applied. This type of paint is glossy and works well in creating a moist appearance.

Step 5:

Once the painting is completed, the clean up begins any paint on the hair will flake off easily. Removing paint from the eyes is just as easy, but a little bit more involved. Bren uses an X-Acto blade to score the paint to the edges of the eyes and peel it away. A cotton swab with lacquer thinner is used to polish the glass eyes and remove any excess point. To avoid dripping, the swab should be wrung out to avoid dripping.

Step 6:

Using a cotton swab and lacquer thinner, Bren cleans the teeth. It is important to avoid the gum line because this process will ruin the natural look of the gum at the base of the teeth. With the job completed, I was amazed at the difference.

The time Bern spent researching live animals and using that extra color really paid off. Refusing to take short cuts and spending a bit of extra time and paint was well worth the effort. Without any reservations, I must say this is a rare and unique art form, thanks to a talented and knowledgeable artist.

“The opportunity to pair the chemistry with the actual painter is a daily pleasure” Brian beamed.

After spending 20 years with three major refinish manufacturers, Mr. Lynch has earned a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable techs in the field.

As a teacher, Brian focuses on connecting the right tool, product, and technique so the student can achieve any desired effect and finish. “This often leads to exploratory techniques as new and “out-of-the-box” thinking is encouraged, accelerating the creative growth and ability of custom painters.”

Lynch is a 10+ year instructor for the esteemed Airbrush Getaway Professional Workshop program and his Kustom Paint Lab hands-on course has received great reviews from beginners and professional artists.

Continuous additions to the technological marketplace require equally continuous learning, upgrading, and trial and error. There is a LOT of what I like to call “learning the hard way,” making mistakes with new equipment in order to become proficient. Whether it’s a new camera, audio equipment, lighting, or editing software, it’s a constant battle to stay current.

Of all the recent additions and upgrades, some have been hugely successful and adopted immediately, while have been slow to take hold. Others still have been abject failures. As always, those of us working in the industry have had to do our best to decide if, when, and how we’re going to incorporate these new additions into our productions.

For me, the biggest transition of the year was switch from video cameras to DSLRs, specifically the Canon 5D Mark II. Now I am by no means ahead of the curve here. DSLRs have been shooting video for a few years now, but I’m rarely the first to go out and purchase the next big thing. At the very least, I prefer to read a few months of reviews first. But this year, after much research and consultation with DSLR owners, I finally pulled the trigger.

For the most part, it’s been a very positive experience. I can’t say enough about the image quality and the depth of field options as a result of the interchangeable lenses. The ability to snap a few photos when I need to is great as well. Yes, becoming fluent in the language of the still photographer was a process. Yes, I made mistakes along the way. However, for the most part the final product was so far superior to my previous work that I’ve stayed with it and now have a newfound passion for photography to boot.

Still, I can’t help but be reminded of the way I used to feel before the arrival of the iPhone. Those days when I’d leave the house I’d have to load my pockets with my phone, a PDA, an iPod, and a camera. Carting around all those devices weighed me down and drove me crazy. I longed for something to come along that would allow me to trade in all those devices for one that did it all. Then along came the iPhone and my wish was granted.

These days, when I go to a shoot with my DSLR, I also need my various lenses, my shoulder mount rig with a separate focus ring, my intervalometer in case I need to do a timelapse, my external audio recorder because the camera lacks XLR inputs for professional microphones, and my video slate to help me sync audio and video. Then when I get into the edit, I have the extra step of syncing the audio and video back together. That’s a whole lot of extra stuff I now have to consider.

I keep waiting to hear that the all-in-one DSLR camera has finally arrived – a camera with XLR inputs and manual audio control, with interval shooting capabilities and more stability, with focus assist and better zoom capabilities (I know, I know, zoom with your feet). Some cameras are getting close, like the Panasonic AG-AF100, but the camera body costs twice that of the Canon 5D and it’s not a DSLR, so all of those great features like the ability to take photos go away.

I’m sure the answer to my prayers will arrive soon enough. Camera technology moves fast and all you have to do is read video blogs or camera reviews to see that that I’m not the only one who feels this way. I just hope that day comes soon!

Following a stint illustrating construction equipment, he became a designer in a graphic art studio and then a freelance in-house art director for a Sydney advertising agency while running his own art gallery at North Sydney. In 1983, helped by his wife, Helene, he started his own design and art business.

Bridges was introduced to airbrushing about 20 years ago by Mike Cuff, an English technical illustrator at the company where Bridges worked as an apprentice detailed draftsman. “I used to watch him doing these amazing renderings, while I was relegated to two-dimensional drawings of girders, nut, and bolts,” Bridges recalls.

But passionate about painting, Bridges would paint at night and on weekends, and his efforts bore fruit. His surreal and futuristic works–done at a time when every other Australian artist seemed to be doing abstract-contemporary or conventional landscapes-were featured at several exhibitions over the next years. At the time, Bridges recalls, the Australian art world treated airbrush as “some sort of commercial trick, rather than art,” so for years he ignored its possibilities and did all his paintings with only conventional brush techniques. “It’s amazing,” he comments, “how society can influence your work.”

He did not introduce airbrush into his work until years later. And since incorporating the airbrush, “I have never looked back.” Reiterating the lesson from the sand castle experience, he urges, “Use whatever you can lay your hands on to achieve the best result.” And he adds, “Read whatever you can. Research your subject.”

Bridges feels that the effects an artist can achieve with an airbrush are not very different from conventional painting techniques but are achievable so much faster. To meet deadlines, the airbrush i s essential. And to do the best job, he stresses, “You should be open-minded enough to try any technique, medium, or instrument that will help you do it.”

Bridges has rarely read science fiction since his teen years, but what he did read left a lasting impression, beginning with his first, “most moving” science-fiction experience, 2001, which “really influenced my art.” His favorite writers in that genre were Robert Heinlein, M h u r C. Clarke, and Isaac Asimov. Today, he limits his sci-fi reading to the transcript or synopsis of a book he may be illustrating.

Although Bridges does some fantasy and science-fiction covers, he considers them limiting to his development “because I’m just interpreting some part of the writer’s imagination. Although I’m exploring my own imagination to make it believable, deep down i ts roots are not mine.”

So, surprising though it may seem, he finds more freedom to express his individuality in corporate assignments. Because his images are so different and attention-getting, corporations and ad agencies generally leave the execution of the assignment up to him. His instructions, in essence, are,  ”Do whatever you like, as long as you can tie it into what we’re about.”

For instance, the people who commissioned him to do the Miracle Mile poster featuring a horse were familiar with his style and instructed him that so long as he built his idea around a horse, could create virtually whatever he wanted.

In contrast, Bridges points out, a book cover or an illustration must have some relationship to the story, which he feels “doesn’t leave much room for deep thoughts. So you have to work on other things like superficial appearances and imagination for shapes and landscape, rather than profound ideas. Or create unusual landscapes or dramatic lighting. And sometimes, if the book shows very little or is filled with cliches or has poor visual ideas, you have to invent something to make it look good. Then your cover gives people a false idea of what the book is like, and I don’t feel good about that.”

In corporate art, however, “the image is tied only to a broad entity, and ironically, therefore, it allows me to explore my imagination more.” Despite the latitude on corporate commissions, he’ll usually do a preliminary sketch to let his client know where he’s heading.

All of his current work is commissioned. Asked by people all over the world to work on their projects as much as a year in advance, he accepts only assignments hat he deems consistent with the current direction of his work. Because the assignments vary, he doesn’t get stuck in one area, and the diversity “enables me to learn more with each project.” Whatever the assignment, “I like to create the whole idea and attempt to portray something new with each piece.

The work that he considers the most unusual and most interesting was the piece featuring the horse. To research it, Bridges, along with a friend who pretended to be him, rode in a track car leading the galloping horses and photographed the panting, sweating steeds from only a few feet away. “It was amazing.”

Obviously an artist who likes to experience what he paints, Bridges investigated the possibility of going up in a jet plane for an Air Force assignment but aborted the trip when he learned that it would cost $12,000 just to take off. He settled for sitting in the cockpit of an FA-18 — on the ground.

His first sale came in 1969-0 commissioned futuristic vision from a surfboard manufacturer of what surfing might be like in the future-for which he was paid $50. Bridges, who today rarely does anything for less than $1,000, was very happy with the amount because it equaled about two weeks’ wages in those days.

His weeks, shown at annual one-man exhibitions from 1972 to 1977, initially sold for about $150 to $450 and kept increasing. At his last show, the best pieces commented on best pieces commanded about $1,000 each, and he sold nearly every work on display. But soon he realized the impracticality of having to paint all year with no income until exhibition time.

It was a few years later that he decided to speed up his productivity by incorporating airbrush into his work, and both career and earnings took off.

Bridge’s reproduction fees are based on the work’s seize and level of detail and the length of its use. His originals generally sell for more than the reproduction fee. One of the most recent, Future reflections, a small (20-by-15-inch) but impressive piece, garnered $8,500 in a group art exhibition. Normally, though, he tends to shun group shows, finding many paintings exhibited at them tailored to decor and too sugary for his taste, and therefore he feels his work is out of place.

Bridges’ large body of work includes assignments for prime corporate clients and ad agencies in the South Pacific, album covers for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, magazines covers for the Parks and Wildlife Service, posters for the Ogilvy & Mather, and books covers for Macmillan, HarperCollins, Penguine, and Del Ray books.

Though he’s explored various styles over the years, he prefers the futuristic-surreal approach for which he is best known and wants to continue specializing in it.

Convinced that to be successful, an artist has to know the field and concentrate in areas where little or nothing has been done, Bridges notes, œBy studying various artworks, from cave paintings through Renaissance impressionism to contemporary, postmodern, and so on, I was able to see where I could position my work in masterpiece. Explaining his commitment to œfocusing down a particular path he draws the analogy of single versus wedded bliss. œlike the person who chooses to stay single and perhaps have many partners, each different, you can try many different styles to express yourself. Or, as he has chosen to be married to one person and explore and grow together. Bridges decided to œmake the commitment to engage in the exploration of my futuristic river of work.

He was 12 when he did his first futuristic piece “ his concept of a city of tomorrow that was sent to England among examples of Australian children’s artwork and remains in his mother’s collection. He didn’t do his next piece until four years later. He was then besotted by Dali’s painting The Burning Giraffe, and the piece served as the catalyst to fire his interest in the surreal.

Artists who have influenced Bridges’s work, in addition to Dali, include Magrifte, Bosch, Escher, Rembrandt, Vermeer, da Vinci, and Michelangelo. Bridges also enjoys abstract expressionism and postmodernism, and most art forms appear in his work “More obvious” influences are such contemporary artists as Syd Giger, Hildebrandt and Roger Dean.

Currently serving as President of the New South Wales chapter of the illustrators Association of Australia, Bridges guest-lectures on illustration for degree and diploma courses at Nepean University. His futuristic art appears in the CA illustration Annual. Among the awards he has won are the Southern Cross, On Broadway, and the Macquaire University art prizes and, for the second year, the Design Down under Award. Gregory Bridges is represented in the United States by Bernstein & Andrilulli, Inc. in New York City.

Anyone who disputes the notion that the future is rooted in the past should talk to Australian artist Gregory Bridges. When the futurist-surrealist built a sand castle as a 10- year-old, he learned a lesson that he’s never forgotten, one that he’s applied successfully to his artistic technique.

Presumably to keep him from wandering off to explore the beach at Melbourne, his parent had entered the youngster in a sand castle building competition. Thinking it would be cheating to build his castle with the aid of any implement, young greg did his entirely by hand, while the girl next to him used buckets for turrets and a spade to straighten the sides. The girl won first prize; to his surprise, he won second.

The results taught him that it was OK employ creative aids. And remembering the event in later years, he realized, To succeed, I had to use whatever was available to me to create the best effects.

Consequently, today the successful painter, designer and illustrator- who is celebrated for his exquisite detail and his ability to transform ordinary objects into exciting visual treats- uses a combination of airbrush and conventional techniques to execute his powerful, often symbolic work.

His prolific output, which includes some impressionist pieces, ranges from movie posters and album covers to magazine and book covers to ads for corporations and ad agencies.

I like to create a scenario of what might be, or some unexpected setting. Make small things big and big things small. I like experimenting with brush strokes and forcing a random or accidental moment for the shape of a building or for a city scape.

Always fond of the backgrwnd paintings in Hollywood science-ktion -es, Bridges comments, “Ws really magical when you cmte a new shape and add fonn and lights and some atmosphere with the airbrush. Suddenly it looks like a huge building in the distance. I really like creating the illusion of depth.” Bridges tries to do something different with each new painting. It isn’t long before good ideas star) flowing, but to his dismay, many excellent ones don’t make it for lack of room. “I don’t like to have too many things competing in a picture. I like it to be bold and simple.”

Because Bridges finds stalting a piece the least exciting part of a project, he’ll seek inspiration from such sources as music (the best device for him) or a movie. He does most of his painting at night, when there are the fewest disfmctions, section of Sydney.

To get the artistic ball rolling, he will create an overall theme by drawing numerous thumbnail concept sketches, each about an inch high. These ketches, which he refers to as “shorthand illustrating,” take him only a few seconds each. Bridges then chooses the most promising one and explores that idea further with more elaborate sk&hes. If he’s undecided about which is the best, he’ll fax his favorites off and let the art director choose. And he’ll identify any that may exceed the budget so that the director will be aware that selecting one of those will involve extra cost.

To make the sketch believable, the artist searches through his library for reference material, or in the unusual instances when he doesn’t have what he needs on hand, he’ll photograph a model or a landscape.

After the concept is decided on, he renders a color version for the client so that he doesn’t waste time doing something that may be inappropriate for the client’s needs. After preparing the background with a base of colored gesso, he’ll bring in a model if necessary and do the final reference photography. I’ll use all the reference material I can find to make the image convincing.

Bridges applies a color gesso background to provide what he calls “a good tooth” for pencil. To save time, he uses midtones first, then indicates the image with colored pencil. “I try to stay loose and undefined at his point to allow room for some unexpected things to grow. After I have loosely drawn it up, I add more secondary midtones, without trying to work everything out, and then follow up with brush-work.”

He airbrushes the background, works over this with a layer of brushwork, and then returns to the airbrush to finish off the the form and to add highlights. When the work looks almost _ completed, Bridges will use an airbrush to lighten or darken certain elements in the picture with opaque or transparent colors. He generally likes to use a mirror to check the work during its creation.

Pressed to explain what distinguishes his work from others, Bridges guesses that it tends to show ordinary things in a new way with a lot of detail. That and making ordinary things, like an elephant or a horse, into a giant high-tech machine or building. When he was young, Bridges wanted to be an architect, among other ambitions, and the hidden desire comes through in his work. He believes that in the future there will be few limits to the sort of shape that you can make buildings.

Bridges, who will solicit opinions about a work in progress from anyone around him, prefers to leave it for a few days before applying finishing touches. When the piece is finished, he wants the viewer “ layman or artist “ to believe in the work and to be moved by it.

To bridges, a painting is successful when, no matter where he looks, not even a tiny corner of it doesn’t work well. Therefore when he is creating a piece, he strives to bring any unresolved areas up to the level of the painting’s best parts. It’s only when every part of the painting equals the best part that it becomes unsuccessful for him. Only rare do viewer’s oohs and aahs sway him, leading him to see a work through their eyes.

Generally, his favorite pieces are those he’s had time to complete to his satisfaction. Unusually by the time he’s completed a painting, he’s pretty well had enough of it, and it’s not until months or years later that he can look at it and say, That’s not bad. Some favorites among his works: The Whale, Trojan Fantasy, and Blue vision.

Bridges is a futurist who doesn’t at all mind looking at the past. He was born in 1951 in Caulfield, Melbourne, Australia, and spent his early childhood at Glen Waverly. His father, Ronald, was an optometrist and a mechanical engineer, and his mother, Betsy, worked i n photography, teaching at Swinbourne Technical School. Bridges credits his mother for contributing in a positive way to his ability as an artist by encouraging creative activity and his father for helping, by example, with his son’s business acumen. When Gregory was 12, the family moved to Sydney when his father became general manager of a large aluminum company.

Excelling in art, Bridges was one of the ten top pupils in the state of New South Wales in the higher school certificated art examination. After attending the arts diploma course at Gymea Technical College, he worked as a detailed draftsman.

Continued: Gregory Bridges – Part 2

Continued from Part 3

If you have been following the three previous installments of T-shirt Basics, you have got a pretty good idea of the types of design that make up the majority of a shop’s T-shirt display. In this installment, I will cover the high-end designs (meaning designs that sell for $25 and up).

At West Coast Airbrush Stores we will, of course, paint just about anything and for whatever amount a customer wants to spend. In most cases, what customers want and the price they are willing to pay remains fairly predictable. Knowing this, we are able to create a display that, in most instances, reflects customer interests rather than our own.

Keep in mind that your shop’s display of custom design is necessary, but it is also easily overdone. There are three ways to “overdo” a custom display.

#1 In most busy t-shirt airbrush shops, high-end custom Jobs account for 20% or less of your overall income. So it is important not to have more than 20% of your display represented by designs in this category.

#2 You don’t want to confuse your customer into thinking that all of the designs in your shop are expensive. For example: If a customer comes to your sales counter to ask about prices for designs and is told: “Well, that one is $50, and that one is $65, and that one is $70,” it won’t be long before that customer is out the door thinking, “Man those airbrush shirts are Just to expensive for my pocketbook.”

Because the customer was distracted by too many custom designs, they paid little attention to your lower-cost display and assumed that everything in your store is too expensive.

#3 If you spend a lot of time and demonstrate your truly amazing artistic talent on a display piece for your shop, you may have to reproduce the design for a customer at some point.

The more elaborately a display piece is painted, the harder it will ultimately be to recreate. In the past, I’ve had customers order real high-end designs from a display. I would paint the design. Then, when the customer came back to pick up the shirt, they would look at it, study the shirt on display, look back at their shirt, and the worst thing an airbrush artist can hear rolled across their lips: “Well, I like it buttt, it does not look just like that one on the wall.”

You want to say: “You know I’m not a copy machine – I’m an artist. A hand done design will never be exactly the same twice.”

I’m sure you get the idea. Try not to overdo your custom display. Make the majority of your samples easy to reproduce.

At West Coast Airbrush Company Stores, we stick to $1-per-minute format, whether we are painting a $4 name design or a $45 custom animal portrait. But how do we avoid spending two hours on a custom piece and having to charge $1 20? There are only certain ways you can render certain items, and you should be sure to use all of the tools and aids you have at your disposal.

When painting custom designs, how you paint really matters when vou are working in the $1-per-minute format and trying to keep most of your work under $50 or $60. For example, freehand ¾ -view cars can be done all day long for $50 or less, if you simply use an opaque projector to lay down the image onto the shirt quickly. Then, trace in all of the appropriate lines with a soft lead pencil. Simply go over all of the pencil lines with a black airbrush line, model the car with the proper shadows, and fill in the colors. Add a color background and lettering, then highlights, and you’re done.

Most experienced painters can accomplish this in less than an hour; many in less than 40 minutes (see August 1997 Airbrush Action article “01′ School Hot-Rod T-Shirtin”‘ by Randy Wariner for a complete how-to of this painting method).

Like cars, human portraits that sell can also be done quickly. Again use an opaque projector to lay out the face, lightly sketching out lines with a soft lead pencil. When painting, use only sepia tones to render the face – no other colors. Set up your shop display to show only this type of portrait.

Painting portraits in sepia tones is far less time consuming than trying to get all of the color tones necessary for a full color portrait. Ultimately, it can cut your overall production time by 1/3, and sepia tones work well for rendering people of all different races.

I suggest your portrait display predominantly depict youngsters and that you offer your portraits on canvas boards as well as T-shirts. At West Coast Airbrush, one of our artists sells portraits of kids in sepia tones painted on 12″x16″ canvas boards for $35 a piece at Christmas time as fast as he can take the orders. This is just an idea you might try.

Another very popular custom design category is animal portraits. These designs are great if you have a display window in your shop – they will really attract customers. We call them the “wow” factor designs because people say, “Wow, check that shirt out!” when they pass by our shops.

One West Coast Airbrush artist, Mark Daehlin, is a stenciling wizard. He came up with the most popular exotic animals, all done with large full shirt stencils. The trick here was to paint a wolf or tiger or any number of other animals in only 25-30 minutes and have it turn out almost exactly the same way every time.

In this way, the customer, as I mentioned earlier, will never find differences when comparing the displayed design with the finished product. In the “How-To” following this article, Mark Daehlin demonstrates how to paint one of these fast animal portraits.

Remember, showing off your great work will establish your artistic credibility with your customers, but don’t show off too much unless you’re ready to reproduce the work.

How your custom work is displayed can add a great deal to its over all customer appeal. Take time to work out a nice display for your custom work – it will pay off in the end. Until next time, just do it!