How to paint ghost flames?

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 1:30 pm
Hello,

I am new to the painting scene and will be experimenting on a pocet bike. Regarding ghost flames, what are the steps and techniques needed to achieve a nice ghost flame paint job? Do you shoot the primer, 3 coats of BC, tape off the flames and shoot one coat of the flame color of choice, remove tape and shoot 2 coats of CC? Also, what type of paint do you use for the ghost flames? Some type of translucent pearl? ANY help is greatly appreciated!

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 2:28 pm
Ghost flames are any flames that are only visible under certain light or angles (some people think they're also just any flames that are close to the base coat), theres many ways to do them. You could mix some pearl in clear coat and use that over a solid base, very subtle. Chameleon is the coolest way to do it I think. You could use candy for a very slight shift in the color. You could mix a tiny bit of a different color into the basecaot and shoot that for the flames, that would be the lame, cheap way to do it. You could even shoot your clear, tape the flames, and color sand/buff only the flames for a real subtle effect.



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PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 2:38 pm
Thanks for the info Aberrant!
If I decide to lay down 3 BC's, tape off the flames and do a very light coat of pearl or chameloen, do I then take off the tape and shoot the clear right over it? Do I just wipe it down with a surface prep solution or is there sanding needed before the clear is shot?

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 3:13 pm
The tech sheet for your paint will tell you how long you have to wait before you can tape over your base coat. After that time is reached tape and shoot the flames, let that flash, then clear without sanding. If you're not comfortable doing that, then shoot the clear and let it cure, then sand it and apply the flames, then clear over it. This lets you take your time, clean/sand any crap from the basecoat, not worry too much about getting fingerprints all over the basecoat when you tape, etc.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:22 pm
I like to do it the way abberant said in the last post,.....

I'll shoot the base, and then the 1st coat of clear, and let cure,.,.......then I'll sand with 1200, and shoot the ghost flames over that, then more clear, sand and polish.

I like to use a detail gun and I just mist around the edges, holding the gun fairly far back.I like to use pearls, HOK ice pearls, chameleon paints, or marbleizer over a dark base for the "ghosty-est" ones.

I recently also saw a bike where it was metallic silver, super glossy, but the "ghost flames" were semi gloss, very high tech lookin
"I believe the state of arkansas flag colors should be,...................PRIMER"



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PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:37 pm
Thanks for the help fellas. Once I trash the pocket bike around a bit, I will attempt the ghost flame paint job. I plan on going with a bright orange metalic base, with gold pearl ghost flames....maybe blue flame tips. When I do decide to try this out, I will post pics of the bike.

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 10:52 am
Hey Amberrant, that is one hell of a cool a** avatar you got!
I would LOVE to learn how to paint like that!!!

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 12:34 pm
just remember DON'T GO TOO HEAVY on the pearl,..when you first shoot it, try to get an angle that lets you see the reflection of the pearl (it'll only be one angle from the light source) that way you don't shoot too heavy.

the best ghost flames are where you can BARELY see the flame outline on the base coat, then when you shoot the clear, it'll become MUCH more visible, so I just shoot the areas, once, with the mist technique, and then go right to the clear, after about 30 minutes.

if you shoot the pearl too heavy, it'll just look like shiny flames, visible at all angles (still cool, but not ghost flames)
"I believe the state of arkansas flag colors should be,...................PRIMER"

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PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 1:52 pm
hockeyman wrote:Hey Amberrant, that is one hell of a cool a** avatar you got!
I would LOVE to learn how to paint like that!!!


Thanks, but sorry, painting like that isn't learned.



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PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 8:14 pm
I have a question for you experienced fella's!

Im going with a two tone paint scheme (silver metallic/solid black base coat) and Im thinking about goin with a ghost paint job for the black Honda wing seen below.....how wld you go about doing it in black? I noticed Innate.com (heard he had hi quality pearls) that they dont carry a pearl in black. Is there a way I can get a subtle ghost wing in black?

TIA!

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