Antique Dodge PU lawn art

[TammieH]

I have a little fun project, attached is the version the customer approved for his old Dodge lawn art.

This will be hand painted, then distressed and faded afterwards

I believe I have a handle on this, thinking of using steel wool and a bit of thinner to get the effect he/I want.

 

[Gino]

Looks like fun.
​

Are you gonna incorporate that leg of Italy in your version, too ??

 

[TammieH]

LOL well that is the truck door, and it is going to stay unchanged accept for the lettering and graphics I add...the passenger side isn't quite as bad.

I did a bit of digging and found out that there was a Morelli Chicken farm near here, it is now a Microsoft Campus, their old farm house still stands,
which is kind of cool.

 

[Jillbeans]

Must you use Hobo?
I know it's a vintage typeface but there are so many lovely old alphabets out there.
Your method ought to work OK for the distressing.
I've heard that you can add some talcum powder to the paint to flatten it out as well.
Love....Jill

 

[TammieH]

Must you use Hobo?
I know it's a vintage typeface but there are so many lovely old alphabets out there.
Your method ought to work OK for the distressing.
I've heard that you can add some talcum powder to the paint to flatten it out as well.
Love....Jill

Unfortunately, yes. I gave him six fonts to choose from, that is what the customer chose.

Hey! at least its not Papyrus,Comic Sans, Brushed Script, or....etc

I thought about doing a custom hand lettered font...but since I am very rusty in that department...and I figured
after distressing and aging it the way I want, the font style is going to be secondary.

Maybe that's a copout?

 

[Jillbeans]

Why'd you give him Hobo as a sample?
:Big Laugh

 

[TammieH]

Oh, because!

Don't hate me....cause I LIKE It!

 

[Jillbeans]

I used to paint it on coro garden center signs...until the people bought their own plotter.

I think that's what left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[OldPaint]

morelli .....i have relatives in the Pittsburgh area......with that name.

 

[bob]

I have a little fun project, attached is the version the customer approved for his old Dodge lawn art.

This will be hand painted, then distressed and faded afterwards

I believe I have a handle on this, thinking of using steel wool and a bit of thinner to get the effect he/I want.

No. Don't use steel wool unless you want it to look like someone used steel wool on it and most certainly don't use paint thinner.

The absolute best way to age a painted sign is to scrub it with kitchen cleanser. The powered variety with pumice or some sort of gentle abrasive in it. Just wet a rag, dump some cleanser on that wet rag, and scrub the sign until it looks as aged as you want.

The second best way is rubbing compound which, unfortunately, also polishes the area where using the cleanser will tend to dull the surface.

A distant third is wet sanding with 600 or so wet sandpaper. The reason this is third is that it's a pain in the a$$ on vertical surfaces.

 

[Billct2]

I like it, didn't even notice the font till it was mentioned.

 

[Z SIGNS]

Looks like fun.
Love the look of an aged hand lettered sign.
How about thinning your lettering enamel water thin so you can see the brush strokes then flat clear over that ?

 

[ddubia]

Yeah Z, thinning the paint.

There was a truck lettering fella around here back in the day who, as a matter of practice, thinned his paint a lot. He said it made it easier brush on. Depending on the color, you could often see the background through the brush strokes. One of the other painters here mentioned that dude was the only guy he knew that the day he finished a job it already looked 5 years old. hahaha

 

[TammieH]

No. Don't use steel wool unless you want it to look like someone used steel wool on it and most certainly don't use paint thinner.

The absolute best way to age a painted sign is to scrub it with kitchen cleanser. The powered variety with pumice or some sort of gentle abrasive in it. Just wet a rag, dump some cleanser on that wet rag, and scrub the sign until it looks as aged as you want.

The second best way is rubbing compound which, unfortunately, also polishes the area where using the cleanser will tend to dull the surface.

A distant third is wet sanding with 600 or so wet sandpaper. The reason this is third is that it's a pain in the a$$ on vertical surfaces.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[TammieH]

Yeah Z, thinning the paint.

There was a truck lettering fella around here back in the day who, as a matter of practice, thinned his paint a lot. He said it made it easier brush on. Depending on the color, you could often see the background through the brush strokes. One of the other painters here mentioned that dude was the only guy he knew that the day he finished a job it already looked 5 years old. hahaha

Yeah, most inexperienced sign painters over thin, I use to over thin as well, makes it easier to handletter, but you had better double coat,

Unfortunately computers came on the scene right when I started to get the hang of it...

 

[Stanton]

There is such a narrow window per brush load.

Anything worse than a clay feeling stroke?

Dip paint, touch thinner of choice, work it flat on a pad.
Couple of letter strokes.


I lived in Oak Harbor and Yelm for long enough.

Why does everyone have their last running vehicle
up on blocks in their front yard?

 

[TammieH]

there is such a narrow window per brush load.

Anything worse than a clay feeling stroke?

Dip paint, touch thinner of choice, work it flat on a pad.
Couple of letter strokes.


I lived in oak harbor and yelm for long enough.

Why does everyone have their last running vehicle
up on blocks in their front yard?

lol