Trade secret, I think not.... [Archive]

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Commando

11-20-2007, 02:02 AM

Hey everyone. I'm sorry I haven't been around so much. My modding and painting is inversely proportionally to my work schedule. I've been busy and broke. Well, I'm still broke but have some time off.

I had to share this with ya'll. I saw this pic in CPU mag and was taken aback. Then I read the article and it said that the painting technique was a trade secret. C'mon, I love learning new tricks then showing everyone it's not as hard as it looks. This technique has been around for a while. Check it out.

http://www.falcon-nw.com/images/ICON_RedRain_left_hi.jpg

Now here's my try with 2 cans of spray paint in my garage. This is without the clearcoat yet. I couldn't wait to show ya'll. It blends together with clear on top much better. I just don't have any clear right now.

http://airbrushtricks.com/worklogimages/shadowrunner/shadow%20006.jpg
http://airbrushtricks.com/worklogimages/shadowrunner/shadow%20008.jpg

Can you guess the trick?

It's pretty simple. I going to make a how-to vid of this technique when I get the chance.

You just spray water on the base color and spray a dark color at a low angle at the water. You can spray a light color the other direction if you want. Then you just wait for the water to dry. This looks wicked under clearcoat and is a great illusion.

Take it easy.

Omega

11-20-2007, 02:12 AM

I'd be lying if I said yours didn't look better.

also:

Lol, Falcon Northwest.

NightrainSrt4

11-20-2007, 02:19 AM

Ya seriously. Yours looks like perfect painted water droplets. Theirs looks like nasty bumpy ogre skin. Commando FTW once again.

Trade secret my ass. They just didn't want to admit the persons they copied off of looked better. ;) lol.

Crimson Sky

11-20-2007, 02:29 AM

Honestly I don't see water droplets in the FN paintjob really. it looks more like heat blistered paint.

Omega

11-20-2007, 03:21 AM

Honestly I don't see water droplets in the FN paintjob really. it looks more like heat blistered paint.

That's what I saw too. My first thought was "Okay, so they took a heat gun to it?"

Spawn-Inc

11-20-2007, 04:50 AM

when i first saw it it looked like a wicked water drop paint job but then after you guys mentioned the blister thing i can see that as well, looks neat none the less.

interesting how to create a water drop effect you need exactly that.

SgtM

11-20-2007, 08:00 AM

I can't remember where, but I've seen that technique done before. Leave it to Commando to take it to the next level though! I would send that to Falcon NW if I were you. +rep

I know it's belated, but Happy Birthday Marine!

Commando

11-20-2007, 01:25 PM

Sgt M, Semper Fidelis

Thanks everyone. Just like I said I did this with some spray paint and it's not even clearcoated. I'll do a vid of this technique soon. It only works with urethane based paint because the urethane doesn't blend with the water on contact.

FrooP

11-20-2007, 01:26 PM

check like this one over bittech..so cooooooooool
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=142368

Scotty

11-20-2007, 01:58 PM

That one looks Photoshoped.. Yours looks awesome.

Crimson Sky

11-20-2007, 02:06 PM

That one looks Photoshoped.. Yours looks awesome.

agreed--there is something not quite right with the Falcon image. Perhaps the logos give it away.

Spawn-Inc

11-20-2007, 02:41 PM

that bioshock case is friggin sweet!

so paul, i know you said your busy with work and what not but got any plans for your next doom 3?

Commando

11-21-2007, 04:16 AM

Check it out. Here's what it looks like with a buffed out clear coat. Everything looks great under a good clearcoat.

http://airbrushtricks.com/worklogimages/waterdrops/waterdrops%20001.jpg
http://airbrushtricks.com/worklogimages/waterdrops/waterdrops%20005.jpg
http://airbrushtricks.com/worklogimages/waterdrops/waterdrops%20007.jpg
http://airbrushtricks.com/worklogimages/waterdrops/waterdrops%20008.jpg
http://airbrushtricks.com/worklogimages/waterdrops/waterdrops%20012.jpg
http://airbrushtricks.com/worklogimages/waterdrops/waterdrops%20013.jpg

Omega

11-21-2007, 04:52 AM

dude, you got water on your case! you should wipe that of--

oh wait...

Well executed, Commando.

OvRiDe

11-21-2007, 04:54 AM

That looks great.. and I bet if you used lighter color on the "shadow" side (more of a tone on tone) it could look more like blisters rather then droplets. Either way it really looks neat!

crenn

11-21-2007, 08:52 AM

Wow....

SgtM

11-21-2007, 10:09 AM

nm.. the images are showing up now.. and they look freakin SWEET with clear coat!

That mod at bit-tech is nice too. Must be nice to have a plotter.

Drum Thumper

11-21-2007, 06:49 PM

Commando, a quick question: How well would this paintjob work on a mod like Tranquility (ie, an uneven surface)?

Crimson Sky

11-21-2007, 07:35 PM

Commando, that looks great....but um...we still don't know the trade secret? :p

dexaroni

11-21-2007, 07:45 PM

Commando, that looks great....but um...we still don't know the trade secret? :p

Trade Secret:

Spray on red paint.
Apply filter in photoshop
Convince customers that if they actually painted the cases that color it wouldn't be a trade secret.

Commando

11-21-2007, 09:42 PM

Commando, a quick question: How well would this paintjob work on a mod like Tranquility (ie, an uneven surface)?

It becomes much more challenging with an uneven surface. The trick is to spray the paint at the water without moving the water drops. Trying to keep water from running off of an uneven surface is challenging.

You can add a couple of drops of glycerin to the water to help keep it in place.

NightrainSrt4

11-21-2007, 09:46 PM

You could use some foam or something cut to fit correctly under whatever you were trying to paint and just do one flat face at a time. Ya, I can see where curves would have an issue. But if the case is like geometric, with flat faces, just at weird angles, you could try and just get each face flat before you paint it, that way you don't have to worry about the water droplets moving.

Edit:Did a search for tranquility on the site but couldn't find anything. Just figured id try and help lol. Although, now that I look at it, a kindergartener would have figured out to do what I said above if it had flat sides, so I guess it wasn't much help. Sorry. Im sleepy. Too much turkey already.

Drum Thumper

11-21-2007, 10:27 PM

Edit:Did a search for tranquility on the site but couldn't find anything. Just figured id try and help lol. Although, now that I look at it, a kindergartener would have figured out to do what I said above if it had flat sides, so I guess it wasn't much help. Sorry. Im sleepy. Too much turkey already.

Tranquillity. (http://www.mashie.org/casemods/tranquillity1.html) I'm going for a similar design on my server box. And a paint job in this style would be absolutely killer imo.