Styles was more than happy...
Styles was more than happy to spend some time before laying some stripes on our project car to give me a bit of an education in the art of pinstriping. In fact, he went as far as supplying me with a neat Kafka Pinstriping starter kit he'd gotten from our pals at Summit Racing Equipment!
The following is some info and tips that Styles shared with me during the course of the afternoon. So follow along, it's pretty informative and great encouragement for those who may be inclined to give Pinstriping a try. We'll be back with a look at how to go about pinstriping a hot rod next month and then we'll follow up with a look at lettering and some faux patina striping, too
Jeff "Styles" began striping back in 1980 in Mesa, Arizona. He grew up watching his dad, Don, stripe and his curiosity got the best of him. So, his dad handed him a brush and some striping enamel and set him loose. From that day on Jeff began by striping his bicycle and anything else he could get his little 1 Shot-stained hands on
One day on his way home from school Jeff ran into the man who would become his mentor, Butch Tucker. Butch'r, as he's known, was and still is a master pinstriper and artist, learning the trade of pinstriping from the king of pinstriping himself, Kenneth "Von Dutch" Howard.
Butch'r took Jeff under his wing, passing on his wealth of experience and from there Styles' passion for fine lines grew. Styles moved to Southern California a few years later and continued plying his trade and expanding his following by promoting his talent by pinstriping (for free) at local body shops and car dealerships. wThose businesses quickly realized how gifted Styles was and requested his pinstriping on a more regular (and paying) basis. Thus the life of Styles was born.
Although the simple straight line striping jobs were consistent, Styles knew the brush had endless possibilities. Picking up custom techniques from different local painters proved to be key in the next few years. Like most artists, Styles had an eye for one thing in particular and that was flames. His days of doodling flames on all his school books had paid off. He'd mastered the art of flames-clean, sharp, stretched out flames outlined with a contrasting pinstripe. People saw and appreciated his style and the word spread quickly in the hot rod world.
Like Styles' dad, Jeff is in the process of passing along his talents to his own son, Logan. At age 11, Logan is a quick study, too, and is already layin' lines and developing his own unique style-talk about passing the torch.
The Kafka kit from Summit...
The Kafka kit from Summit includes nearly everything a beginning pinstriper might need to begin to master the art. Styles told me that Steve Kafka assembled this easy-to-follow teaching system to help a beginner learn how to stripe at a pace that suits his or her needs. It contains a stack of 50 brush-on/wipe-off vinyl sheets, a reusable practice board, Steve's "Welcome to My World" DVD, 30 (81/2-inch by 11-inch) patterns, a #3 Kafka Striping Brush, a pile of mixing sticks, cups, clip board, and enough 1-Shot Lettering enamel to either get the hang of striping or make a really big mess.
So, with everything laid out...
So, with everything laid out and me ready for a few pointers, Styles thought it best to start by telling me a bit about one of the most important parts of striping-the pinstriping brush. There are a lot of different types, styles, and brands of pinstriping brushes on the market from squirrel hair sword stripers to synthetic fiber lettering quills, and dozens in between. The pair shown here represent just a couple of these many sizes and styles, the top one being a Kafka Longliner series and beneath that a Mack sword which has been modified by shortening its handle. Styles prefers a shorter handle, as it affords him more control.
All new brushes are treated...
All new brushes are treated at the factory with a starch-like substance to hold the tuft of the brushes in shape during handling and shipping. This protectant must be removed and the tuft softened before use by cleaning the brush using mineral spirits.
Styles preps his brushes before...
Styles preps his brushes before use by trimming the tips and eliminating any stray hairs at the tip.
With a brush cleaned and ready...
With a brush cleaned and ready for use it's time to get started. The first order of business is to "load" the brush--that is to saturate the tuft with paint. This is done by dipping it into the striping paint and then working the paint into the tuft by running it back and forth on a pallet (in this case the glossy pages of a magazine.
Once loaded you're ready to...
Once loaded you're ready to go. There are various ways to hold a brush (this is where either training from a pro like Styles or an informative DVD like the one from Steve Kafka comes in). Different grips are used for different lines-be they long straight ones or short curved ones, and everyone seems to develop a preferred style as time passes and experience is gained.