Transferring the Image

 

This is the original working drawing for the 'Luna' Guitar Project.

The original plan drawing was drawn out on a blank the same shape as the Ibanez (taken from an image off the internet) as at that stage I didn't have the actual guitar here. Unfortunately, the blank that I made up was slightly larger than the actual guitar body. This meant reducing the image to the right size on the computer and then printing out a more accurately sized version. Once I had a copy roughly the same size as the guitar body, I used greaseproof paper to take a tracing of the print.

After the whole image was traced it was a simple case of applying soft graphite pencil to the reverse side of the tracing.

Once the whole of the reverse of the tracing was coated in graphite -

The tracing is taped in place on the guitar (graphite coated side down). I must add here that there are proper 'tracedown papers' designed for this very purpose - with a sort of jewellers rouge coloured pigment - BUT these do not transfer onto cellulose primer (as I found out to my cost some years ago after two hours of going over a very, very, detailed design - only to find nothing there when the tracedown paper was finally lifted - Did I swear?............As if!!). Anyway....good old graphite and greaseproof paper never fails!

Rube had wondered if anything a bit more interesting could be done with 'Lunas' left hand (no comments please!), so I drew out an alternative hand on another piece of greaseproof paper - which fitted the bill (or should I say 'Luna'?). This also had its reverse side coated in graphite.

Once the complete main outline tracing (minus 'Lunas' left forearm and hand) was transferred onto the guitar body by going over the whole image again, it was a simple case of positioning the updated hand tracing - and then likewise transferring it onto the rest of the design.

Parts of the design fell awkwardly on the guitar itself, maybe over a screwhole or not quite lining up perfectly around the edges. So a little bit of redrawing was done at this stage.

The whole design is then tidied up and lined in with a Staedler 0.05 Pigment Liner pen. This is now ready for the application of masking.

 

Preparation Stage - Transferring the Image - Hard and Soft Masking

Airbrushing Stages - Painting the Neck

 

Custom built, custom finished quality guitars - for those that want something 'a bit special'.

 

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