Of all the custom painting styles, the flame has endured longest, from nearly the beginning of customizing to now.
You can light up your custom work with the enduring image of the flame. It has become more popular in certain eras and within different types of customizing groups, such as bikers and "rat rodders." It takes on many forms — from the traditional five-color (yellow and orange tipped in red, with a blue pinstripe on a black vehicle) through ghost, tribal, marbleized and "True Flame," to name just a few. It's a staple in the custom paint arsenal, and you can't go to a car show or rally without seeing way-cool flames.
You can't go wrong creating one using the following steps.
STEP 1: BASE AND TAPE. (Figure 1) Good flames should always start with a flaw-free base color; traditionally it is black. For this demonstration we will start with a panel that is painted with three coats of single-stage black, than sanded with P800 to remove any orange peel.Next, select the tape. Some painters use ⅛ inch blue fine line, others use green masking, but I like the old beige masking tape. You should try them all and come up with the one that you like. Blue vinyl has a tendency to pucker and pull up, but many folks love it. The beige ⅛ inch tape is cheap compared to others and I don't feel bad if I pull up a line I don't like. After each line I don't like, it's gone.
STEP 2: WAVE. (Figure 2) The first part of a flame is the wave, like a wave in the sea, up-and-down. This is one of the most basic steps of flames and should be practiced to perfection. The line should have a smooth flow, achieved by holding the tape in one hand to guide its direction and pressing down with a finger of the other hand. Don't hold the guiding hand too close to the pressing finger. Have about 8 or so inches between. If your two hands are too close, the line is harder to make smooth, which is an essential part of the design. If you don't like the line, get rid of it. Remember, tape is cheap.
STEP 3: TAPER AND RETURN. (Figure 3) Note that the line starts at the tip of the first and gradually tapers larger, with a smooth and gradual flow. Near the center of the first line's high spot, make the return. For some painters, this is hard to do at first. It needs to be almost a single smooth motion to get the near-teardrop-like shape. If you visualize it before you start and anticipate where the turn starts and approximately where it will end, this process will go smoother. Remember, make a line with tape and if you don't like it, try again. Tape is cheap.
There are a couple of things that you should note. One is that, yes, the two ⅛ inch tape lines almost touch. But when the tape is removed, there will be more than ¼ inch space, which is more than enough for the flame to look OK. Also note that the two ends go away from each other. This open mouth or V makes the flame look good. If you make the ends go in the same direction, that's ok as well, as long as they don't all go in the same direction.
STEP 4: TAPER AND WAIST. (Figure 3) Though the taper starts as before, from the tip, and gradually gets larger, this time it goes up to form a classic hourglass waist at the downside of the first wave and then returns in a smooth teardrop shape, though a bit more open this time. At the end of the return, a new wave is started, thus beginning a new "lick."
Complete the flame by repeating the process. Though it sounds like there are a lot of rules for designing a flame, truthfully the only rule is there are no rules, and designing a flame actually has more to do with the shape of the object you are painting.
STEP 5: MASK. (Figure 4) In the past we would fill in the flame with ¼ inch tape, then ¾ inch. But a few years ago transfer material was developed for the vinyl lettering trade, and someone discovered that it also works well for masking flames. It is easiest if you get someone to help while the transfer paper, which comes in different widths, is smoothly placed over the surface and squeegeed down. Though it is not necessary to get every wrinkle and air bubble out, the smoother it is, the less trouble you will have with blow-by (paint getting under the masking).STEP 6: CUTTING. (Figure 5) When the masking is in place, use a sharp knife to lightly cut in the middle of the tape under the masking. Be careful. You want to cut through the transfer paper but not the ⅛ inch masking tape below. If you press too hard you can leave cut marks in the black that may be hard to cover with striping later.
After the masking is cut, it can be removed. Take your time. Make sure the cut is clean and that when you pull up the unwanted tape, the remaining masking stays tight to the flame outline tape below. When you have removed or opened up the area to be sprayed, try using your squeegee again to make sure that all the masking is firmly in place.
STEP 7: APPLY THE COLOR. The flame needs to be cleaned using a good wax and grease remover (Figure 6), then a tack cloth and then placed on a stand to paint. I have found that if it is sprayed in the flat position it will get more dirt in it from the air turbulence and overspray from all the colors.
When applying color, it is critical to be mindful of film build. There will be three different colors, each with multiple coats, so each coat must be applied thinly. Also, each color does not need to be applied to full coverage because there will be another color over it. The first color, in this case yellow, is especially tricky because yellow doesn't cover over black well (Figure 7).I sometimes apply one light coat, a very light coat, of light gray sealer over the black, so the yellow will cover in two light coats.
On this panel a light coat of purple is also faded at the bottom (Figure 8); this coat is light and very subtle, just to break up the yellow a bit. Next, orange is placed in the gun and the fan is penciled down. You will need to adjust the fluid as well. The round spray pattern is aimed half on and half off the masking that outlines the flame. I like making the fluid output light, though it may take two coats to get the shade I am looking for. Care must be taken to avoid runs or sags, for there is no way to repair them.After the orange has been put on, the flames are tipped in red (faded darkest at the tip) and let dry (Figure 9). Then you'll remove the masking, leaving the ⅛ inch tape in place.
STEP 8: REMOVE TAPE. Remove ⅛ inch tape; pull slowly to keep from damaging the edge, which will later be pinstriped to cover any minor flaws (Figure10 and Figure 11).All that is left to do now is to clean and clear before striping the flames.
With a little practice, you too will add flames to everything you can get your hands on. I do mean "everything." One of my students even put flames on a toolbox last year.
