Mike O'Brien is the official airbrush artist for Poorboys Inc. in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, and the leader of the Airbrush Mafia.
| airbrushed Flames kenworth Truck
Check it out at:
www.freewebs.com/airbrushmafia
QUESTION Hey guys, I am looking to add some airbrushed flames to my '08 Chevy Silverado but have never been a real big fan of the old-school hot rod flames. I am leaning toward a more realistic fire that I've seen on lots of vehicles at shows, but I want something different than the traditional yellow, orange, and red colors. What do you suggest for a real eye-catching color that's a little different (my truck is black, and the interior is charcoal gray, if that helps)? Thanks for any feedback!
Rick
Salt Lake City, Utah
ANSWER
Thanks for the great question, Rick! I get this one a lot, actually. Even though you see quite a bit of airbrushed real fire out there these days, it is still one of the most asked for effects. Color choice is important for a number of reasons, not least of which is to set your ride apart from the guy next door!
| airbrushed Flames skulls
Fortunately, you have some pretty cool options. One of my favorite alternate colors for fire is Kandy Blue. You start off with a white base for the flame shapes, then go over it with a strong Kandy Blue "wash" that tints the white to a nice shade of blue. Next, you add more white over the blue, creating more detailed shapes that stand out, giving it that depth or 3D look that makes people's eyes get big when they see it.
Then add a different shade of Kandy Blue over your second set of white flame shapes. This separates the layers, again adding depth. Once that is done, you can go back in with white or a light shade of blue and add some hot spots-areas in the fire where it is the warmest. This just adds a little fuel to the fire.
This effect can be done with green, red, orange, or almost any color you can think of-even silver (which in your case may look cool with the charcoal interior.) Most of the paint manufacturers out there offer transparent Kandies that are perfect for creating these cool, nontraditional fire colors.
| airbrushed Flames gridiron Project Truck
If you are doing it yourself, experiment with a few options until you get the effect you like. If a painter is doing it for you, have him or her do a couple of test panels first and choose from there.
Good luck, Rick, and don't forget to send in pics of the results!
Alright guys and gals, that's it for this installment. Keep sending in your questions, requests, and pics. And remember...it ain't finished till it's painted!
Later,
M.O.B.
