Pinstriping Questions

Hey stripers, I am just starting and wanted to get some advice. What does everyone store thier brushes in? I have heard non detergent motor oil? Is this true does it work well and does a weight matter? And secondly I am using some green banded Mack's for now a 0 a 00 and a couiple of others while I am practicing. I have been told that these are not as good as the blue banded Mack;s? Is this true and what are you all using? And lastly for now how do you know how to cut your brush? What is the best way and what is the purpose? I have a video and some books I am reading but it helps to hear from people who actually do it. Thanks in advance.

as a friend of mine says,welcome to your new addiction! different people use and swear by different oils but its not that expensive to just buy brush oil to begin with. green banded mack's are considered touch-up brushes and again different strokes for different folks, i've always used the blue (mack 10's) but know a striper thats just amazing that uses nothing but the green wraps(mack 20). as for cutting brushes, wait awhile 'til you get used to them as they are before you go gutting the belly. at this point the only cutting you should do is the very tip of the brush if there are any stray hairs sticking out past the rest. i'm still learning myself but if i can ever help just hit me up FATT

I agree with fattstripes I think right now u won't notice any differences in brush oils so stick with a cheap oil for now.  As with brushes the same kind of holds true I don't think u will have much of an opinion on green vs blue to much until many hours of practice go into ur work then u will develope ur our own style and preferrence on tools used.  Not to say that this will happen over night. I love the 0 over the 00 for most of my work but it depends on the peice too! good luck and put up some work!

Thanks for the advice guy's. I am just striping on a mirror now and wiping it off when done and striping it all up again. I am just going to keep at that for awhile until I can keep my lines consistant through the curves. I am only using 2 colors right now as well they are the one shot red and one shot brilliant blue. The red lays down really good but the blue gives me alot of trouble. Its hard to get it thinned down right it seems to get too thin very easily? I dont know if that makes sense but it just doesnt cover as well as when I am using the red. But again thanks for any advice I am really hitting this hard and enjoying it at the same time.

I agree with Fattstripes, don't go cutting on your brush. Just trim the very tiniest tip off the end. Some artists like to trim the "belly" out but you're losing the ability to load the brush as well. I use motor oil's to wet my brushes before I put them away and they've been fine. Different colors, as with any brand of paints, will have different nuances. Some are thinner right out of the can, others need more thinning. You'll learn which ones work better at covering and which can be thinned more. Oh, I'd consider ditching the mirror in favor of plain glass for practicing on. I'd think the mirror would play tricks on your eyes as you practice. Have fun!

Yea Sean it has tricked me a couple of times when making a curve it gives the illusion its getting fatter but actually its just the reflection. I am going to get a payne of glass sometime this week. Keep the tips coming guys your help means alot and is very insightful Alot of the stripers around here have not been very helpful ordont want to take the time to answer a noobs questions. So it means alot to me thanks again everyone who has chimed in.

fatt pretty much nailed it, the best advice i can give is gonna sound played out but its true. practice, practice, practice. i personally dont store my brushes in oil, but ive cleaned em everytime the same way for yrs, and when i go to use em on a new job they are just as if i bought em new. ive always been hesitant to store the brushes in oil cuz, most of the work i do for shops is cleared over and i dont want any possibility of contamination before clear is applied. and sean has a good point the mirror can play tricks on u as well. but if it works for u, then game on. id say go pick up some matboard at ur local art/craft place like michaels and practice on those and u will see the change in ur technique as u get better. not to mention u get cool artwork to hang in the house or wherever. just as fatt said, if ya ever need any help....feel free to hit me up as well. always willing to help another artist out.

when i clean my brushes i use mineral spirits. then non detergant motor oil in it starting at the top and pallet it out with my hand once then throw them in my box.  i paint with 1shot and pin head ink. wich is a swap cuz the pin head is crazy thick and takes alot more to thin.  so playing around with the 2 is weird. i started using junk free automotive paint from my buddys then tryed one shot finally and never stopped. i like the 00 mack some times i go with the 000 it does just depend on the piece your doing. but just play around with brushes and paints to see what you like. and practice ALOT!!!!!!!   i gave up after trying it the first time. then one day i got wasted and just kept at it ever since.

I gave up for a minute too after trying it once but since I started this thread I have been going non - stop. I am using everyones ad vice too. THANKS EVERYONE!

glad to see more people striping it up. my art teacher in high school got me into to pinstriping. any way ive always used the green wraps and the 00 is deffinitely my fave brush overall but ive got all the way up to o. and i use airbrush cleaner or mineral spirits to clean out my brushes and then store them back in their original tubes doing it this way has always kept my brushes exactly like they day they came in mail (minus some minor trimming work). also find you self a 55 gallon drum or a beer keg or anything big and round once you feel confident enough with your lines and practice on something with a round surface to get used to striping on curved surfaces. and after that just stripe everything in sight after that