I gotta Problemo.

[Mr. Woo]

I LOVE Customizing Muggs. Its relaxing and creative and its a great outlet for my MARVEL COMICS OBSESSION! But I have low blood sugar a lot of the time which means I don't have the steadiest of hands. So spaying a base coat on I'm fine. Even painting a lot of larger areas with the brush I'm ok. But those fin straight and circular details or shadows is where I fail miserably. (Damn You Diabetes!) Any tips or perhaps some new equipment suggestions (like paint pens (do they work well?)) for a shaky college kid.

[RRMuggMaker]

You might want to try using masking tape. I normally prime a mugg with white primer. Then I draw out the figure with a pencil, then draw over that with a sharpy. Next I put on the tape and then use an exacto to cut along the black sharpy lines. Usually I tape two sides then paint inbetween. It makes painting a lot easier that way. The paint can leak under the tape, so make sure you press it firmly down. Also, if you put the masking tape on freshly painted areas, be sure those areas are completely dry or the tape could pull off the paint from previously painted areas.

[Mr. Woo]

That helps a lot I was worried about pulling the tape off and destroying my new paint but if it works when is completely dry then no biggie. thanks. but what were you saying about using an exacto. I'm not sure i get it. And what about curved details?

[RRMuggMaker]

I used a green painter's masking tape that I've had good results with. I used the blue tape before, but it's adhesive is a little stronger I think and it pulled some paint off.

I use the exacto knife to cut everything from lines to circles. Once you draw it in with a black sharpy, you put tape over the lines when needed... like for a circle... straight lines are easy to tape along the edge, but for circles or weird shapes, I tape over the black marks and cut the tape where needed. If you are using the green tape over the sharpy, you can see through it and cut your lines. If you go slow and follow the lines, you can get good at cutting out circles and such. It takes time to get the tape in the right place, but the time used now is saved later when you paint.

[Mr. Woo]

What great tips man. Thanks for he help. I'm so happy i joined this community you guys are really helpful.

[Ninja Mugg]

thats what I was going to say, use tape and create masks. then you dont have to worry about runover.

[Mr. Woo]

Create masks?

[Ninja Mugg]

Create masks?

yeah thats the technical term when taping something off.....hence "masking tape" Sorry, I am a designer and its a given to know that in my field.

[Mr. Woo]

Oh. No. Its totally cool i enjoy the lingo insider. Now i can be a poser and pretend I'm as good as yall. Ahem... "Presenting DESIGNER BjoinesMundy!"

[azumia]

Oh. No. Its totally cool i enjoy the lingo insider. Now i can be a poser and pretend I'm as good as yall. Ahem... "Presenting DESIGNER BjoinesMundy!"

What mugg are you going to custom btw? I love seeing different ppls customs.



Oh and the tip about the xacto knife is such a great idea... I'll try it out sometime. Thanks!

[Mr. Woo]

I love the tip about the exacto knife as well. My only problem like I said was the steadyness of my hand. And an exacto knife plus that problem in theory just sounds a little scary. But if I'm not willing to bleed for my art then damn it all!

[mxreid429]

Your best bet on fine lines is to either use A. masking tape or B. is what I do and just freehand it without any worries. The best brush you can get is a really fine. Long hair about 1/4 of an inch long and just dip the tip in the paint. Make one long paint stroke instead of thinking of the straight line. This will work better for you as you won't be thinking of that straight line as much and you will get what you intially were looking for. If you feel it still isnt straight take the color that you painted under the line and touch up where it needs to be.

[Mr. Woo]

Hey Everyone who gave me tips on the masking tape/exacto knife technique THANK YOU so much! I just made a craft run yesterday and picked up those items + a glue gun so i can add some extravagant things to my muggs and make more exaotic characters. I think I'm gonna start slow and add some horns to make the rhino.

Thanks again big time everyone who gave me advice. It's all working like a charm.

[RRMuggMaker]

Another thing that I just LOVE to death for painting. It is the opaque paint markers. They are a hell of a lot easier to use than brushes. The tips come in different sizes all the way down to ultra fine. I prefer the Elmers "Painters", but the Testors are real good too. I havne't seen the Testors in different sizes though. There's another brand, ZIG Painty that I've only seen in fine tips. You should be able to find these in your local crafts store in a variety of colors.

Here's a link for reference. I haven't use this sellers, so I don't know anything about them. It looks like it's cheaper to buy the set than the individual markers.

http://www.markersupply.com/elpafi.html?productid=elpafi&channelid=FROOG

[Mr. Woo]

They are expensive at my local paint store. 3.99 for one pen!

[Run L1ke H3LL]

I have really shakey hands. All these tips will come in handy when I finally start customizing. Thanks!

[atgscl]

Another thing that I just LOVE to death for painting. It is the opaque paint markers. They are a hell of a lot easier to use than brushes. The tips come in different sizes all the way down to ultra fine. I prefer the Elmers "Painters", but the Testors are real good too. I havne't seen the Testors in different sizes though. There's another brand, ZIG Painty that I've only seen in fine tips. You should be able to find these in your local crafts store in a variety of colors.

Here's a link for reference. I haven't use this sellers, so I don't know anything about them. It looks like it's cheaper to buy the set than the individual markers.

http://www.markersupply.com/elpafi.html?productid=elpafi&channelid=FROOG


are these really opaque? can i see whats under them?

i really would like to get some of those if they work well.

[Mr. Woo]

are these really opaque? can i see whats under them?

i really would like to get some of those if they work well.

Opaque means that you cant see whats under them. I have never seen any transpararant paint markers. That kinda defeats the purpose anyway.

[atgscl]

i thought opaque was like kinda see through and kinda not.
oh wait....thats translucent right?

[Run L1ke H3LL]

Opaque: not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through.