Preferred methods of image transfer?

Your preferred method of image transfer?


  • Total voters
    99

airbrushtutor

Love Spreading Overseer
What is your preferred method of image transfer? If you have another, please let us know and we may add it to the list.
 
With only one choice avaliable I'm unable to pick one :cry: (I need an all off the above :p)
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With me the prefered method greatly depends on the subject. With a portrait that actualy has to look like the person I'd prefer a stencil as projecting it will make it near impossible to check if everyting is still correct later on (as one can do with a stencil).

I hate making stencils though so with other subject's I'd use a projector and on rare occasions I use transfer paper to add stuff to an already drawn out design.

If its realy fantasy stuff I made up myselfs I sometimes even skipp all mentioned methods alltogether and just draw a rough scetch by hand.
 
Okay you left one out ... ALL THE ABOVE!
It depends on what I am working on , how much time I have on it and how big it is.
But for me what ever will get the job done in the best way.
I multiple choiced it buddy :) i agree, needs more than one, still gives an accurate result of how people prepare their artworks :thumbsup:
 
Depends on the surface, color and object being painted. For skulls and anything organic, I use cutout paper to stencil map. If it's a job with no direction and free reign, I freehand sketch with either white stabilo, or with a 10% grey in airbrush very reduced. If it's tribal or flames, if it's long I use fine line tape, or if it's curved like tank or helmet. If flat and controllable area, I use transfer tape and cut it out. A sign lettering trick. Use a pounce wheel to cutout pattern large or small out of paper. Line it up and tape it. Rub chalk and boom instant pattern and you already have a reverse copy of the other side. I use this method for intricate tribal work and multi layered graphics. I also use for hand lettering and pinstripes. If doing a one off pinstripe on a uneven surface, I will use a grease pen to transfer the pattern from paper, or use the grid method. I have other methods too. Do what works for YOU and one method may not work as well for a different project so there is no one end all be all trick to transferring patterns. all about speed, ease of use, and how clean a job it needs to be. Vinyl has changed this but I haven't made the jump yet. I'm set in my old school ways.

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It's hard to vote for any one in particular when I'll often use a combination of any of those listed, and them some, on any given project. It just depends on what I think will give the best result and be most efficient.

On most projects, I will kind of "rough out" the idea on the computer using GIMP and reference photos. Basically, I just copy and paste stuff and try to move it around so it makes visual sense.

From there, it depends on what needs to be transfered and what it has to go on to. Sometimes making a vector map and using my plotter makes the most sense. If I'm doing a set of classic flames along the front of a car, though, fine line tape and a pounce kit is going to be the best way to do it (except for the exceptions, of course). On a motorcycle gas tank, I'd probably go with Saral paper.

The only tool I rarely use is the projectors. I have one of those cheap ones, and have used it a few times, but in general I'm not that big of a fan of projectors. They're legit and all, I just don't like using them. But, sometimes it's the tool for the job. One of these days I'll get around to getting one that doesn't belong in a grade school classroom. lol.
 
I'm pretty much the same as Haasje, although without the exceptional quality Haasje is famous for.

I had a Phillips pico 1020 projector which coincidentally got lobbed yesterday, it was not compatible with my new windows 8.1 computer and even after downloading the 8.1 software update it crashed my computer yet again, it wasn't that great even with older windows versions, sometimes it came on and sometimes it didn't and I was constantly restarting my computer to reset it, Phillips used to be one of the biggest electronics companies ever along with G.E.C. but since their fabrication and software is now outsourced, quality is all but non existent, so no more Phillips under my roof.

Along with my new computer I got me a Brother A3 printer so I can make my ow full size stencils using slightly heavier photo paper, I generally work on 40 cm X 30 mdf boards so A3 is ideal.

My paint pal projects are either stencilled in the same way, or graphite transferred or in the case of the last one simply pencilled on roughly out of my head.

I won't replace my projector since I don't see the sense in paying all that money for something I might use twice a year, certainly not when I can buy a Micron for the same money, and the cheaper ones will either break down fairly quick or the image quality sucks.
 
Right now I am just printing pictures on card stock cutting stencil, I am just doing tees and it works well but it takes time to cut them out.
Pete
 
I usually print off my ref pic then chrcoal on the back of it then draw it on to my surface, sometimes i print out my ref and cut out the main areas i need as a stencil. At the minute im trying to learn how to use GIMP and inkscape to make line drawings of my pics, its an art in itself lol
 
I forgot to mention, but it's nice to see the pounce method up there, although I've used this many a time in my sign-writing days, it could certainly be be handy in other areas, however I think if I had to use this for airbrushing it would require several print-off's and have to be done in stages to avoid confusion, especially in pieces involving a lot of detail.

And I'm a little curious as to who voted for this method and whyo_O:)
 
for smaller pieces, I generally use print the reference on my laser printer and cut out the base shapes and use a second one to cut out freehand shields of the ultra hard edges in the reference. I do use Saral paper in parallel with the print out/stencil method to pop in a few reference points on the painting surface. Larger pieces I use my LED Projector.
 
I don't use all of the above, but saral paper, and Direct image transfer as I make my own stencils at times. But I often just freehand draw an image or for anything with a fairly basic outline, I will rough in a shape with freehand shields, so kinda hard to know how to vote on this one Lol.
 
I agree with all of the above. It really depends on the project. I have used all but the grid method. (I don't have the patience for that.) It was difficult to pick just one method. :)
 
No opaque projector option so I picked class room projector. but I also use a few options. If I go bigger the 350mm x 250mm I use a projector. Otherwise graphite paper and cut out stencils.
 
sorry for my ignorance but what is the pounce method, ive never heard of it. is that bad?


This is normally used for precise sign-writing jobs and involves first making a paper template of the lettering or shapes required then you go around all of your outlines and make tiny holes with a pointed instrument like an old dart on or thick needle at regular distances, you then tape the template to your project and fill a cloth bag with powdered chalk, you simply strike the template all over with your with your little bag of chalk, and when you remove the template, you see faint dots of chalk outlining your lettering that can easily follow with your sign-writing brush.

This particularly handy on surfaces that might be easy to damage if tried to draw your design on with a pencil.

I personally would never use this for airbrushing because I would lose my rag and kill someone when the air pressure blew all my damn chalk away, lol, although I think anyone who did would probably use their airbrush to dust over the template instead of the little bag, however this makes it illegal and punishable by death to call it the "Pounce Method" because pounce is the technical name for the little bag of chalk.
 
This is normally used for precise sign-writing jobs and involves first making a paper template of the lettering or shapes required then you go around all of your outlines and make tiny holes with a pointed instrument like an old dart on or thick needle at regular distances, you then tape the template to your project and fill a cloth bag with powdered chalk, you simply strike the template all over with your with your little bag of chalk, and when you remove the template, you see faint dots of chalk outlining your lettering that can easily follow with your sign-writing brush.

This particularly handy on surfaces that might be easy to damage if tried to draw your design on with a pencil.

I personally would never use this for airbrushing because I would lose my rag and kill someone when the air pressure blew all my damn chalk away, lol, although I think anyone who did would probably use their airbrush to dust over the template instead of the little bag, however this makes it illegal and punishable by death to call it the "Pounce Method" because pounce is the technical name for the little bag of chalk.
ahaaa!! i dont feel so bad for not knowing of it now, sounds like it would be a right pain in the hole. Thanks for the explanation Madbrush
 
ahaaa!! i dont feel so bad for not knowing of it now, sounds like it would be a right pain in the hole. Thanks for the explanation Madbrush


LOL, it's not actually as monotonous as you may think, there is actually a little device available called a "pounce wheel" which looks a little like a mini pizza cutter but with needles all the way around it and for doing letters or shapes over 3" high, you could whiz around them in seconds. I did most of my lettering freehand with just a baseline to follow, but sometimes the client wanted sheer precision then we were required to use them, i did a lot of school signs for local councils and these had to have identical header logos, when these were done the councils would actually measure them, but their signs are all done in factories now either vinyl or plastic.
 
intresting ill have to read up bit more about it not that ill ever use it but intresting to know, thanks again MB
 
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