The Clusterflock

Materials/Software used:
Adobe Photoshop
.003 acetone sheets (or thinnest available)
Xacto knife
Artists Tape
Spray Adhesive
3M medium sanding sponges
1000 grain wet/dry sandpaper
2000 grain wet/dry sandpaper
Sanding block (sandpaper attaches to block)
Red auto scouring pads
jeweler’s knife (small pocket knife of razor blade can be used as well.
Denatured Alcohol
Goo Gone
1Shot flat black paint
1Shot reducer
small filbert brush (natural hairs for oil based paints)
medium filbert brush (natural hairs for oil based paints)

Procedure:

Design:

A photograph of a swimming black swan was pulled off of the web and downloaded into Adobe Photoshop. The photograph was then manipulated to produce a solid black printout on a white background. The printout was then taped to a self-healing cutting mat. The acetone sheet was laid on top of the printout, and an Xacto knife was used to cut the pattern out of the acetone to produce a stencil.*

*A stencil was created for each swan. Multiple printouts were produced using photoshop based on the different sizes of the swans (the swans scale from smallest to largest from the front to the back of the car).

Prepping for Paint:

The surface of the car was prepped in order for the paint to adhere to the surface. First, the car was washed with a store bought car wash solution that did not contain a waxing agent. After the car dried, a de-waxing agent was applied to the areas where the  swans were to be painted. The areas were then taped off with blue painter’s tape and the areas were wet-sanded first with a medium grade 3M sanding sponge (equivalent to about 600 grit  sandpaper). It is important to note that once sanding begins, a white colored dust will appear on the area that was sanded. 1000 grain sandpaper was then used, then 2000 grain sandpaper. After sanding was complete a red scouring pad was used to rough up the surface.

*Note: when prepping the surface, it is important to remember not to sand too aggressively. Your goal is to apply the paint onto the clear coat, not the colored undercoat. If you go too far, the dust from the sanding will not be white, but will instead match the color of the undercoat.

Stencil Application:

After the preparation was complete, the areas were sprayed with rubbing alcohol and then wiped down with a clean cloth. The acetone stencils were then sprayed with an art adhesive and applied to the surfaces. The stencil was pushed down flat with the bowl of a metal spoon.* After the adhesive had dried, rubbing alcohol was applied with a Q-tip to the inside of the stencils. The red scouring pad was used to remove any excess adhesive that may have gotten inside the stencil area, and a dry cloth was used to clean the area.

Finally painter’s tape was applied around each of the stencils to protect against accidental paint spills.

*Originally, instead of applying the alcohol with a Q-tip, a spray bottle was used. This led to excessive bleeding once the paint was applied, making for a longer cleanup period.

Paint Application:

If using 1 Shot products, follow the directions found on the can or at http://www.1shot.com/home.html . After blending the pigment with the reducer, three coats were applied with the filbert natural brush. I waited the recommended three hours between coats before applying the next coat.  To apply texture, I waited for each coat to get tacky, and then dabbed the paint using the side of a dry filbert brush.

Cleanup

Cleanup around the swans was needed after the stencils were removed. This is best accomplished using a combination of 1000 grit sandpaper, a jewelers knife, and the red scouring buff.