Kitebuilder.com

[phighter]

hi ...

i use markers to paint on my fighter kites. i usually paint on black orcon [dull side] ... the colors are called "edding 4000" series. i have just started doing tests on tyvek and it works well.

take a look at my painted fighters at :
http://www.gralphica.com/kites/pics/africa/

hope this helps ...

grns
r
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fighter kites ...
a combination of simplicity, beauty, precision and magic

[Stan]

Welcome to the group Ralph! For those who don't know his work, Ralph makes some of the nicest fighters in the world, and is a fine artist as well.
Check out his website.

Stan

[kiteguy]

One of these days I will have one of Ralph's fighters! I think it is on the donkey right now, trudging toward Kansas!
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Dave Ellis
Kites + Kids = Education

[Progcraft]

Hi phighter.
Just read your aritcle on kitelife. You definatly were lucky to get to do all that. Welcome to kitebuilder.

Cheers,
Progcraft.
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There is no box.

[spenuki]

One thing to remember about using DM type paints is to use them sparingly. If applied to thickly, it will start to peel and crack.

We've been using DM paints for years on our work, but use it more for adding dimension or for accent and contrasts between panels. What we do is try to "stiple" the paint instead of mist it. The larger drops tend to soak into the fabric better. We have misted the paint to make our own colors, but like I mentioned, it has to be used sparingly.

We met Scott Hampton when he was just starting and was already doing some great work. He liked the painting techinque we used and started doing some amazing stuff soon after. Don Mock and Carl Corwell had already tried a few projects with DM type paints, by then, but didn't get into using it too heavily in their work.

A couple from TX, the Dentons(?), first used DM paints and had a write up in Kitelines. We read that article and got hooked.

Some of our work......... http://w3.trib.com/%7Eray/kites/spencer.htm

[wdrwilson]

WOW nice work!!

Now that the weather is better I am going to try some kites with DM paint.

Can you explain a little bit more about your stiple technique? Do you first spray some paint into a jar and then use some other brush/tool to do the stiple?

--Bill
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Bill Wilson
www.steadywinds.com
Imagination is the highest kite one can fly. - Lauren Bacall

[woodpekr]

Wow! Those colors are just great! Inspiring work. Thanks for sharing.
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Rich Durant
Portland, Oregon

[spenuki]

Thanks guys. It's good to know our old designs still can draw a few compliments.

Basically, we try to "sputter" the paint. It's hard and it's messy as you have to control how far down you push the valve. Pushing it down only a little will start the paint to sputtering instead of spraying. What we never got around to trying is modifying the valves themselves. Either notching them or drilling out larger holes. All you want is the paint to collect at the hole so the escaping air blows larger droplets. We know it can be done, we just never got around to doing it. Although, I do have a few valves I got off of discarded spray cans of web spray tack. Gonna see if these valves fit the DM cans.

Stippling works great for making shading by adding a darker shade of the same color or with black. Also good for varying the intensity of the colors or a gradual blend of colors. Btw, DM has a few tints. Don't be afraid of using them to change light colors a bit. We managed to get a nice terra cotta by using somekind of orange and somekind of tint on yellow Ripstop. Sorry, the wife does most of this type of painting and I got around to asking her the specifics. But the color worked out really nice for some of our other Southwest designs depicting pottery graphics.

You can use a brush and bottle of paint for stippling, but we like the randomness of the spray can. Some large and some small and some really large.

[CJQ]

Just finished a one of a kind diamond kite with a Corp. logo. The company makes printing paper . They have a plant that operates on electricty generated with wind power.An individual in their marketing group thought it would be cool to put their logo on a kite. I made a stencle and cut the form out of white Insignia cloth. The logo had two colors ,light blue and light green. I used DM holiday green and larkspar blue. These colors matched their theme. I sprayed several coats on the cloth and the results were amazing. Looked smooth ,uniform color and soft and flexable. Couldnt tell the difference between the texture of a sprayed peice or an un- treated one. Aplique was not a desired method by the user. Thought this info would be of value to someone.

CLIFF

[Progcraft]