You prolly dont care but does anybody know of a way to log back into an Instagram account? I stupidly forgot the login password. I would appreciate any tricks you can give me
I'm so excited that I found your RUclips channel! You and I are pretty close to the same age, and I am an aspiring airbrush artist ,I also ride a Harley, I'm only 5'5 ,& a buck 75, being so short the only Harley that 1 or the other foot can reach the pavement (without duck walking) is a sporster, i know I've heard it all before ! But the deal was so Incredible I couldn't pass it up ! A 1993 sporster 883 with 19,500 miles ,the shop manual, every service recorded with receipts, all after market receipts, highway bars,front highway pegs,solo seat,2 different long seats, sissy bar with small rear chrome rack,3 different styles of grips,4 pairs of HD gloves,2 winter&2summer ,riding leather pants,w/pads ,jacket w/pads, front&rear disc brake locks, 1w/alarm -1 silent and so many more parts&pieces to mention . All for the sum of $ 3,000 ! The only catch ! For this price there's always a catch ! The guy lived in Yucaipa calif ,in a senior trailer park ,no carport,or garage ! So aluminum and rain water don't mix,the cases oxidized, as well as jugs,triple tree,the only aluminum that didn't oxidize was the heads,probably cause the peanut gas tank protected them ,front forks also! I've decided to clean it up as best I can,use self etching primer, and matte black the whole bike except ,heads, pushrod tubes, ill detail the cooling fins ,a local body shop supplier has some extreme paint that is 10 x better than rattle can header or BBQ paint ,that won't peel,flake or discolor from heat ! I got rid of the small gas tank,i bought a pacho-pako ?4.5 gal,flush gas cap,got a killer deal $275.00 for tank, pkg deal gas cap included for $ 25.00 w/new bolts,rubber isolators, petcock/off/on/reserve, fuel filter,all for $300.00+ plus damn calif,state tax of 8. 3/4 cents per dollar, this state really sucks now ! I'm so ready to find another state ! Any suggestions? Have you ever tried true fire flames ? Just wondering, your old school flames are excellent, especially seeing the process of wet over wet ! I couldn't catch where you bought your pinstriping brushes from ?which ones would be needed to complete for a start to finish striping job,just the needs not the wants, extras can come later,ill need #'s and proper names ,and manufacturers/seller/ website/or phone#. And how does your price system work? In 1of your videos 1-hour $125.00 per hour,both sides of HD gas tank =2hrs =$250.00 ,$ basic old school flames ? Pinstripes on said flames -$ 75.00? I just need a general price range for all you do as I don't want to cut any artist throat by no means ! Nor do I want to overcharge potential customers, there are standards i set for myself, and will honor all those I've learned from ,not to put out crap work , i pick up knowledge from all the best,proficient air brush tutors i can find,this business is so hard to bust into, i advertised on Facebook for a local tutor,3 months later I get a call, he and I painted my new tank with epoxy primer, charged me $100.00 for 1 qt of epoxy paint,reducer, used my spray gun,gave me 2 mixing cups,2 sheets of 320 grit ,to sand rattle can 2-k primer,1 small rattle can guide coat, 2 sheets 600grit,2 sheets 1,000,2 sheets1,500, & 3 sheets of 3,000 1 for final scuffing before clear coat,& 1 for final color sanding,&1 for scuffing before buffing. I gave him 2 gas tanks in lewe of teaching me some airbrush tricks &tips&short cuts ,and things to avoid. The guy painted up the gas tank ,entered it in a art show which the actor Danny Trejo attended, he fell in love with the gas tank and had to have it, un known to my tutor and my self all art entered for show is donated and sold for charity, which is a good thing, so my tutor freaks out ,calls me &says he can't get my tank back,then tells me that unless somebody out bids him my tank is going home with Danny Trejo, my tutor painted it with a Breaking Bad Theme, it had the main character Walter on the side,part of the airplane on the other, and a dog always seen on the opening credits from the series, i told my tutor to just go ahead and give my tank to Danny, so Danny just gave what he felt was extremely generous & above &beyond. I did get some pictures of my tutor,Danny Trejo,another actor friend of Danny's And the gas tank ! I told my tutor that the art show,and publicity would be good for him and get his name out there as an artist, i then said before you get a big head how many 1 hour sessions did he think would be fair for the loss of a $400.00 gas tank that Boosted his career, he quit his paint&body shop job &went solo, and now is the painter in charge of the custom designs of Harley Davidson paint jobs,and special orders from customers who are willing to pay the big bucks to be different than the cookie cutter Harley 's out there, i hear my tutor is doing well,$60-to80,00 per year,plus bonuses ! Good on him,too bad I've only see him a total of 2 times, the other tutors on RUclips, yes they show you a few common things ,but want you to buy their DVD series from &39.95 + shipping per DVD for a 12 -15 box set! There is only 1 guy out there that helps newbie 's ,he said something that I was experiencing that nailed everything right on the head! And that was the thing that happened to him and thats why he will never charge ,for anything he puts out there ! He said every tutor out there will only teach you the minimal basics & tells you to practice ,practice,practice, and that should keep you busy for a good 6 -8 months then the tutor will show you a few short cuts,and a few tricks, and lots more practice, im not knocking practice, practice is good and required for muscle memory, i put in the hours and paint everything that doesn't crawl away, i mean I go buy hoods ,doors,deck lids just to paint on, i put the paint on when done,wipe it off with lacquer thinner &start over ,&over& over,.this guy tells it from the heart and wants to keep you from the tutor pitfalls, & wasted time&money&energy, this guy said the tutors won't teach you their best stuff because you could end up better than the tutor! How would that look ? The tutors out there consider you competition ,and see you taking money out of their wallet,robbing you of food,housing,they want all the jobs out there ! Even if the population of your city is large enough to support 6-10 airbrush artist so everyone can make a living ! This guy said he seen and heard it and experienced pretty much all of it,even had customers tell him that so&so told him you were sloppy,didn't finish customers art,and even sold customers stuff ,and then there's the thats why you had to move here ,you were run out of town etc,etc,.you should check this guy out one of these days when you got nothing to do or your football team is loosing and no way to make a come back ! His RUclips channel is bloodshot army airbrushing he's a Canadian but I swear he talks like a California surfer from the 1960's he knows his stuff,he's sincere ,honest , And can and will answer any and all questions, the only stupid question is the one that was never asked! You can text him any time and he will respond as fast as he can ! He even has a few projects where the newest paint called lumalore which is electrically charged colored paint that is a several stage process and has to be tested for grounding,continuity, and shorts, before its sealed.with paint the paint runs off its own battery or can be fused& wired to your ,car, hot rod,chopper,Harley, skate board bicycle ,boats it can be put on almost anything, it comes with a controller,that you can set the brightness, the speed of the electric flow,you even have a fade option, that you will see nothing then it starts being visible gets bright then disappears or just keep it on high all the time at night (the being seen thing ! Cars never see us ! So many close calls ! My next purchase is going to be a train Horn! I need to find a small air storage tank I can hide on my Harley along with a POWERFUL small 12 volt air compressor capable of cycling up to operate a 160-180 pressure switch that can be hidden or camouflaged ,then the next a**^ole that turns left in front of me gets the whole experience ! I'm 63 and don't heal like I did when I was a pup ! A loyal fan Billy Gross, I have quite a few of your videos to watch,&take notes &save again thanks for doing all you do for the new guys&girls . Billygross592@gmail.com
thank you steve, I started handlettering at the end of the era when vinyls cutters took over, now years later, Ive decided to get back into it along with other aspects of lettering and striping, I did a gold leaf job after watching your video and was glad to have turned out a near perfect job after my first try... thank you for keeping the art alive
Nice vid. Amazing to hear you mention Burton - he and George Gruber were the "Gold Standard" for SO many years!! I'm 50 mi. north of Indy, and before the days of vinyl I used to letter 20-30 sprints, midgets & Champ dirt cars a year. Burton & Gruber's work was always what made me strive to be better. I've also followed your work in mags like AutoGraphics, etc. You are a master! Bikini of Indy first showed me how to gild back in '73. Best regards, keep up the great work.
Thanks Steve. I purchased lots of this but never attempt a design yet. Now I might re-consider doing something. Scary it looks terrible initially but after a few strokes and swipes, whalaah.
Love your work Steve! I really respect your craft and the techniques you use. Thanks for sharing it with the world. I know it's hard to share your craft as its your bread and butter
I bought the roldco quick dry gilding size based on your opinion alone! I fell in love with your personality and talent after watching this and other vids. You are so talented, young sir! I'm going to be using this technique to gild a miniature Oscar I'm working on.
@notesonekid Gold leaf is fairly durable, clearcoating the entire vehicle is going to add to the longevity of any paintjob but it is not necessary. Any leaf project can be urethane clearcoated with a paintbrush, before the outlining. Good luck, make sure you do a practice panel before you attack your Caddy
@SignmanLip2 Thanks for the kind words, I still see Jerry Barnett ,sprint car builder that had the shop next to Dale and his brother,back in 78-79 I drove one at manzanita speedway in Phx. I have a new lettering brush set coming out in about 2 months, that should set the lettering guys up for a while ,new designs,that everyone loves Steve
After checking the Rolco label, it says if time permits to try their slow set oil-based guilding size, it also says that their quick -set contains mineral spirits. my conclusion is that the quick-dry does not have any oil, except in the spirits, hope this helps.
I guild my artwork or if Im commissioned to do a piece thats from the Gutenburg Bible. Guilding on calf/goat skins is much different than what I use but I've always loved your smooth lines and watching your videos. Jerry Tessler makes a very good raised gold leaf gesso and REAL gold leaf sticks beautifully. Speedballs imitation is okay but you better seal it otherwise it will oxidize. I am going to try your burnishing method when i do gold leaf on my art boards, i love the swirl effect. I unfortunately purchased the $105 heminite stone from a calligraphy and illuminated art/lettering site and it works no better than my 11 dollar and 9 dollar burnishing stones or a piece of jewellers cloth. Live and learn... thanks for all the great information and especially the info on the company who makes the gold leaf... I didn't speak to Dave but it was cheaper than going through my calligraphy guilds supplier and looks so beauitful. Top notch... and the flexibility... it's durable to a point even though it's delicate.
Prior to watching this video I applied gold leaf to a handle for the very first time. My electric fan was on full tilt, and even as a gold leaf virgin I knew to turn my fan off before beginning the process. I find it bizarre when people make videos to show others how to do something yet they make such schoolboy errors!
Whaaa? Over 300,000 views and no likes or dislikes, except me? Come on people this man is talented, acknowledge! Hint to the artist, you can use wax paper (kitchen) to move and transfer the leaf to the surface.
Hey Steve, Awesome Job! You are a true 'Craftsman' in an art that is getting harder and harder to see done 'old school' style. (You had me turning off the FAN in MY shop just watching you lay the leaf! As you know, That stuff is Very delicate!) I own a small sign and lettering shop here in Minnesota, but I am humble and at 58 I am still never too old to learn from 'young' guys like you that are kind enough to show us their tricks and talents. I did my company logo on the sides of my 62 chev panel truck (my work truck) in gold leaf. It was very tough and I wasted a lot of leaf not being experienced enough to the 'ways' of sizing,( I use One shot, 4008) and was too impatient. But with lots of Experience and Practice and gold booklets, I finished it years ago, and it l turned out Super! I have done quite a few gold leaf's since but I always look for guys like you for tricks and tips, THANK YOU!! Also, I will give David @ Frame Masters a call for books of leaf since you 'gratuitously plugged' Them/Him so well! (smile) Again, Great work, Peace..Tommy @ Sign Of The Times.. PS: I have a question about a pinstriper I saw once, but I'll ask in a different video.
Great Vid Steve I admire your scroll work n the designs u come up with are amazing. And the DVD you have welcome to my world helped me out alot. Keep up the great work n love your vids
Mr. Kafka, I'm novice custom bicycle designer and builder (actually, I just hack up old huffys and have someone stitch 'em back together, but that's another story...) and I just made an investment in your brush. I just bought a #1 and I'm planning to buy the grid a set of brushes from 0-through 5 (I think) as well as your instructional dvd. I like that you invest your knowledge and time in creating a product that's not over-hyped to sell, but rather you lay out what it supposed to do, give clear instructions on what to do and how to care for your tools. I'll post my progress after I have all of the products I need to be successful as a striper.
@kike3691 Most pinstripers use a lettering enamel called One Shot , used to have lead and cover better and last longer on vehicles .You can find it at some art supply stores, or a sign painters supply , Thins with mineral spirits, I'll help when I can ,don't worry it's a blast , the funs just starting. Regards, Steve
Ola Steve Kafka uma verdadeira arte o seu trabalho. Gostaria muito de aprender esta arte. O que você usa para fixar as folhas de ouro cola ou algum verniz Agradeço desde já.
Sorry if this has been asked before - you mentioned at the start that to avoid waste you'd cut the leaf sheets down to size. How? I'm hesitant to go at it with a pair of kitchen scissors!
So much fun for a quickie, in the breeze, and hand held ,very similar to work ! can't wait to try the Rolco brush -on clear in the next one. Having fun? Steve
@psychodelicdragon Merry Christmas to you too! I guess you could say that 23kt gold leaf is more expensive then using just paint ,it's a lot more work ,more time ,and much more in materials. The gold I used is top quality and I think the price is great ,and Dave is good to deal with.Try them,and tell them to give you the special Kafka price ,you might be pleasantry surprised. Good luck, Steve
@toledochoppers Anytime someone does something that they love they will make it look easy ,it's not like work or a job it's fun and the perks are great too! Regards' Steve
Some companies make a chrome paint ( Alsa corp) must be sprayed on in a very specific manor. AS far as I know there are no brush on paints available that will have a cxhrome or mirror effect. Steve
Your absolutely right, I have never tried one but all of my "professional" friends use them. I usually get the leaf that's fixed to the paper and there is less waste. I'll pick one up next time,thanks for saying something. Steve
There is some debate on adding harder to keep the leaf from wrinkling due to the incompatibility of 2k Urethane to the Enamel based sizing. On one side I hear add hardener and on the other side they say to simple let it dry for several days. My project is unique, I want to White Gold Leaf my HD ABS Mid Frame heat shields on Softail with very hot 110 inch engine. Primer... automotive flexible primer vs actual guilding primer. I have sanded my ABS smooth but it still needs primer and possible paint on it as well for a smooth surface. My goal is a high polished Chrome look. A company in New Your wants $5 per sq inch to chrome it, way out of my budget.
@@stevekafka I eventually gave up on the abs and had the heatsheilds formed out of 422 stainless steel and polished them, then I put a 2000 degree stickon heatsheild on the underside and it worked perfectly.
Hello would just like to mention I am so cheap when it comes to gold leaf or silver what I do with the waste with my nieces make up brushes which I borrowed as well as my sisters, will brushoff to my mirror which goes into my jar which I use later as pinstripe pain’t thought I’d mention it.🕶
Okay, I'm a total Newb, but I want to do this! I watched both parts. My first newb question is, Instead of using the bare black tank, I wanted a different base color first, like a white, red, or whatever, for the whole tank first, I would of course shoot the the whole tank my starting color before applying my graphic, correct? I would not want to use clear after, until I do my gold leaf graphic(s) and I was finished with the tank completely right? Sorry for newb questions, I'm not a painter.
Hi Steve,I always loved your video's,products,knowledge,and your experience.BUT,the one thing I never heard you speak of is if you make a mistake striping ,how do you wipe it off and fix it,or do you just start over.I know you don't makes mistakes,so I guess that's why I never heard you mention repairing or fixing a mistake.I would so much appreciate any info you could shine on this subject. Thanx Oh P.S. Thanks to you I started to try stripping on my own and with all your products....
@@stevekafka Hi Steve,I'm not sure if you remember me,we had a conversation about striping and your brushes and I remember also telling you I'm over 60yrs. old,and have been artistically inclined since I was younger.I had to stop lettering/striping for a little while due to medical crap,but I'm ready to try again and I will do it with your products.I also bought your starter kit you sold with the clear plastic sheet and other sheets with pinstripe designs. I do have a talent for this but my admiration for all you have done kept me interested.I noticed when I opened a box where I kept unused brushed and noticed one brush had all the hair just fall out.Other dry brushes I have still look new.I do want to oil them up so I don't lose what I have.I have also looked for your scrolling brushes and can't find them anywhere. Thank You for your reply and your brushes.I love 'em
OMG dude, you really shoud use some "gold leaf brush". They are very large and you can "stick" a leaf on it. The result will be A LOT beter and you'll work A LOT faster using less gold
Putting the color of the leaf into the sizing ( just a drop or two) was shown to me by Dale Burton (11 cars in the Indy Hall of Fame) evidently to cover any tiny specks that would otherwise be seen?
Hi Steve, I appreciate your sharing expertise. I would like to know about clearing over leaf for Motorcycle tank. I want to brush on clear with some hardener. Please share ratio of one shot clear and hardener and how many brush on coats if you will. I am on my first gilding project and most info is always missing something. I will leaf over quick oil size, clear and pinstripe. Base color is flat black and I want gilding and pinstriping to be glossy. Thank you soooooo much.
Hey Steve, Billy Gross again I must apologize for my last message its a tad long winded ,&I love to talk about things I'm passionate about ! Especially air brushing,lettering,and now I can practice pin striping, and gold leafing ! Is there anything you can't do Steve ???
Hey Steve, I’m about to buy a book of your patterned leaf for a project.. how big of an area would you feel safe covering? Say I wanted to do a rectangle of about a 12-13” by 9” solid with a spin technique
Do you clear coat over the gold leaf? I just gilded 23 K edible gold leaf on a copper sculpture, I could scrape it off with my fingurenail so I clear coated it. I tried to burnish it but it was coming off.
Nice work, just discovered this video and I'm wondering if you could tell me what the verticle hold is like on the Rocco. ie side panels of a car, will it run or not?
Kingfisher Decor you could see the runs in the video, this was the first time with the sizing, for veritable I’ll thin less the next time,shame that Sandy put them out of business!
I am trying metal leaf on a keyboard which is similar material to what you are applying on here but my "mona lisa' brand adhesive scratches easily even with sealer. i am going to try your size. any tips for great adhesion. i'd like to avoid a primer as they don't always work out. thank you!
I have been interested in having gold leaf work done. I would like a stripe done on each side of my truck, the stripe would be about 2 inches wide and about 4 feet long. My question is, is that even possible to do an area that long and would it be durable.
I was curious after I lay down my guilding size I waited 1 1/2 hour and applied the leaf, then dusted off the edges and cleaned it good And started spinning it and I couldn't get no affect and it just kept tearing, I didn't thin the size was that my mistake?
frank olveara variegated has zero gold in it and must set for a longer time .not a successful product for spinning,none of the fake gold leaf spins well.
Mr Kafka sir! First off thanks a ton for the videos. They are excellent and most informative. Just a quick question for you. At what types of stores can I find the Rolco Gilding Size at? Autopaint stores? Parts stores? And if the stores near me do not carry it, do you suggest another gilding size? Thanks again
Best way to lay the flame with a brush freehand. Why buy an airbrush when u can hand paint. I am going to buy a one stroke hair brush and just lay on the flame.
Comp. gold has a use, it's much more difficult to work with. Try the real stuff it's much easier. Let the comp dry longer and press harder, if it breaks out let the size dry longer, be a little rougher with it. Try letting it dry then wipe it in one direction before going back to turn it. Good Luck.
Hiya Steve, love your work man!! Got a question for ya that I've been trying to research but no avail. I got a buddy who wants a gold leaf design over his powder coated tank, but obviously doesn't want it clear coated. Doesn't seem viable with no clear coat to lock it down. Is this a possible procedure? Thanks in advance sir, keep rocking out, Semper Fi !!😊👊
Great video!! Really appreciate you taking the time to post these for all of us to learn from a master. What is your reasoning behind putting that half a drop of imitation gold in the sizing?? Does it just help the leaf to pop visually??
I am assuming you used the same brand sizing that I used. Did you wait at least 1/2 hour before guilding the leaf. Yes you thin the size with mineral spirits, sounds like the size was too thick and maybe still wet. some spend years perfecting their leaf work, wipe it off and keep trying, you'll get it . I think you may have waited too long for quick size, the older stuff gives you a longer window. Hope this helps. Steve
@@KeithGadget thanks Keith I’ll get one next time I have a leaf job, I prefer the gold that is stuck to the page, much less waste, and much smoother application.
The older guys are supposed to pass this kind of stuff on to the younger guys, that how we perpetuate the art form
Steve
Thats what i do is hang out with old guys im a teen and more into 50s thru 70s cars and paimt jobs just amaze me than a wrap
If you lived near me I’d sweep your floors for free to be an apprentice lol
You prolly dont care but does anybody know of a way to log back into an Instagram account?
I stupidly forgot the login password. I would appreciate any tricks you can give me
@Sonny Ahmad Instablaster :)
Amen
Thank you camera lady. Amazing work dad. Wow.
I'm so excited that I found your RUclips channel! You and I are pretty close to the same age, and I am an aspiring airbrush artist ,I also ride a Harley, I'm only 5'5 ,& a buck 75, being so short the only Harley that 1 or the other foot can reach the pavement (without duck walking) is a sporster, i know I've heard it all before ! But the deal was so Incredible I couldn't pass it up ! A 1993 sporster 883 with 19,500 miles ,the shop manual, every service recorded with receipts, all after market receipts, highway bars,front highway pegs,solo seat,2 different long seats, sissy bar with small rear chrome rack,3 different styles of grips,4 pairs of HD gloves,2 winter&2summer ,riding leather pants,w/pads ,jacket w/pads, front&rear disc brake locks, 1w/alarm -1 silent and so many more parts&pieces to mention . All for the sum of $ 3,000 ! The only catch ! For this price there's always a catch ! The guy lived in Yucaipa calif ,in a senior trailer park ,no carport,or garage ! So aluminum and rain water don't mix,the cases oxidized, as well as jugs,triple tree,the only aluminum that didn't oxidize was the heads,probably cause the peanut gas tank protected them ,front forks also! I've decided to clean it up as best I can,use self etching primer, and matte black the whole bike except ,heads, pushrod tubes, ill detail the cooling fins ,a local body shop supplier has some extreme paint that is 10 x better than rattle can header or BBQ paint ,that won't peel,flake or discolor from heat ! I got rid of the small gas tank,i bought a pacho-pako ?4.5 gal,flush gas cap,got a killer deal $275.00 for tank, pkg deal gas cap included for $ 25.00 w/new bolts,rubber isolators, petcock/off/on/reserve, fuel filter,all for $300.00+ plus damn calif,state tax of 8. 3/4 cents per dollar, this state really sucks now ! I'm so ready to find another state ! Any suggestions? Have you ever tried true fire flames ? Just wondering, your old school flames are excellent, especially seeing the process of wet over wet ! I couldn't catch where you bought your pinstriping brushes from ?which ones would be needed to complete for a start to finish striping job,just the needs not the wants, extras can come later,ill need #'s and proper names ,and manufacturers/seller/ website/or phone#. And how does your price system work? In 1of your videos 1-hour $125.00 per hour,both sides of HD gas tank =2hrs =$250.00 ,$ basic old school flames ? Pinstripes on said flames -$ 75.00? I just need a general price range for all you do as I don't want to cut any artist throat by no means ! Nor do I want to overcharge potential customers, there are standards i set for myself, and will honor all those I've learned from ,not to put out crap work , i pick up knowledge from all the best,proficient air brush tutors i can find,this business is so hard to bust into, i advertised on Facebook for a local tutor,3 months later I get a call, he and I painted my new tank with epoxy primer, charged me $100.00 for 1 qt of epoxy paint,reducer, used my spray gun,gave me 2 mixing cups,2 sheets of 320 grit ,to sand rattle can 2-k primer,1 small rattle can guide coat, 2 sheets 600grit,2 sheets 1,000,2 sheets1,500, & 3 sheets of 3,000 1 for final scuffing before clear coat,& 1 for final color sanding,&1 for scuffing before buffing. I gave him 2 gas tanks in lewe of teaching me some airbrush tricks &tips&short cuts ,and things to avoid. The guy painted up the gas tank ,entered it in a art show which the actor Danny Trejo attended, he fell in love with the gas tank and had to have it, un known to my tutor and my self all art entered for show is donated and sold for charity, which is a good thing, so my tutor freaks out ,calls me &says he can't get my tank back,then tells me that unless somebody out bids him my tank is going home with Danny Trejo, my tutor painted it with a Breaking Bad Theme, it had the main character Walter on the side,part of the airplane on the other, and a dog always seen on the opening credits from the series, i told my tutor to just go ahead and give my tank to Danny, so Danny just gave what he felt was extremely generous & above &beyond. I did get some pictures of my tutor,Danny Trejo,another actor friend of Danny's And the gas tank ! I told my tutor that the art show,and publicity would be good for him and get his name out there as an artist, i then said before you get a big head how many 1 hour sessions did he think would be fair for the loss of a $400.00 gas tank that Boosted his career, he quit his paint&body shop job &went solo, and now is the painter in charge of the custom designs of Harley Davidson paint jobs,and special orders from customers who are willing to pay the big bucks to be different than the cookie cutter Harley 's out there, i hear my tutor is doing well,$60-to80,00 per year,plus bonuses ! Good on him,too bad I've only see him a total of 2 times, the other tutors on RUclips, yes they show you a few common things ,but want you to buy their DVD series from &39.95 + shipping per DVD for a 12 -15 box set! There is only 1 guy out there that helps newbie 's ,he said something that I was experiencing that nailed everything right on the head! And that was the thing that happened to him and thats why he will never charge ,for anything he puts out there ! He said every tutor out there will only teach you the minimal basics & tells you to practice ,practice,practice, and that should keep you busy for a good 6 -8 months then the tutor will show you a few short cuts,and a few tricks, and lots more practice, im not knocking practice, practice is good and required for muscle memory, i put in the hours and paint everything that doesn't crawl away, i mean I go buy hoods ,doors,deck lids just to paint on, i put the paint on when done,wipe it off with lacquer thinner &start over ,&over& over,.this guy tells it from the heart and wants to keep you from the tutor pitfalls, & wasted time&money&energy, this guy said the tutors won't teach you their best stuff because you could end up better than the tutor! How would that look ? The tutors out there consider you competition ,and see you taking money out of their wallet,robbing you of food,housing,they want all the jobs out there ! Even if the population of your city is large enough to support 6-10 airbrush artist so everyone can make a living ! This guy said he seen and heard it and experienced pretty much all of it,even had customers tell him that so&so told him you were sloppy,didn't finish customers art,and even sold customers stuff ,and then there's the thats why you had to move here ,you were run out of town etc,etc,.you should check this guy out one of these days when you got nothing to do or your football team is loosing and no way to make a come back ! His RUclips channel is bloodshot army airbrushing he's a Canadian but I swear he talks like a California surfer from the 1960's he knows his stuff,he's sincere ,honest ,
And can and will answer any and all questions, the only stupid question is the one that was never asked! You can text him any time and he will respond as fast as he can ! He even has a few projects where the newest paint called lumalore which is electrically charged colored paint that is a several stage process and has to be tested for grounding,continuity, and shorts, before its sealed.with paint the paint runs off its own battery or can be fused& wired to your ,car, hot rod,chopper,Harley, skate board bicycle ,boats it can be put on almost anything, it comes with a controller,that you can set the brightness, the speed of the electric flow,you even have a fade option, that you will see nothing then it starts being visible gets bright then disappears or just keep it on high all the time at night (the being seen thing ! Cars never see us ! So many close calls ! My next purchase is going to be a train Horn! I need to find a small air storage tank I can hide on my Harley along with a POWERFUL small 12 volt air compressor capable of cycling up to operate a 160-180 pressure switch that can be hidden or camouflaged ,then the next a**^ole that turns left in front of me gets the whole experience ! I'm 63 and don't heal like I did when I was a pup ! A loyal fan Billy Gross,
I have quite a few of your videos to watch,&take notes &save again thanks for doing all you do for the new guys&girls .
Billygross592@gmail.com
I have been getting into pin striping and gold leafing. I have quite a few of your brushes. I love them. Enjoyed the video. Thanks!
thank you steve, I started handlettering at the end of the era when vinyls cutters took over, now years later, Ive decided to get back into it along with other aspects of lettering and striping, I did a gold leaf job after watching your video and was glad to have turned out a near perfect job after my first try... thank you for keeping the art alive
Nice vid. Amazing to hear you mention Burton - he and George Gruber were the "Gold Standard" for SO many years!! I'm 50 mi. north of Indy, and before the days of vinyl I used to letter 20-30 sprints, midgets & Champ dirt cars a year. Burton & Gruber's work was always what made me strive to be better. I've also followed your work in mags like AutoGraphics, etc. You are a master! Bikini of Indy first showed me how to gild back in '73. Best regards, keep up the great work.
Thanks Steve. I purchased lots of this but never attempt a design yet. Now I might re-consider doing something. Scary it looks terrible initially but after a few strokes and swipes, whalaah.
Love your work Steve! I really respect your craft and the techniques you use. Thanks for sharing it with the world. I know it's hard to share your craft as its your bread and butter
Everything, to work like this.
Best stripe brush maker on the planet i feed my family with them thanks
Thanks for saying so...
I stumbled on this video wow im so excited now to use this technique, I'm an artist an love detail work thanks bro.🤜🏾🤛🏾👍🏾🙏🏾
thank you so much Steve for sharing your talent.
I bought the roldco quick dry gilding size based on your opinion alone! I fell in love with your personality and talent after watching this and other vids. You are so talented, young sir! I'm going to be using this technique to gild a miniature Oscar I'm working on.
Today's Special Minis where did you find the Rolco size at?
@notesonekid Gold leaf is fairly durable, clearcoating the entire vehicle is going to add to the longevity of any paintjob but it is not necessary. Any leaf project can be urethane clearcoated with a paintbrush, before the outlining. Good luck, make sure you do a practice panel before you attack your Caddy
@SignmanLip2 Thanks for the kind words, I still see Jerry Barnett ,sprint car builder that had the shop next to Dale and his brother,back in 78-79 I drove one at manzanita speedway in Phx. I have a new lettering brush set coming out in about 2 months, that should set the lettering guys up for a while ,new designs,that everyone loves
Steve
After checking the Rolco label, it says if time permits to try their slow set oil-based guilding size, it also says that their quick -set contains mineral spirits. my conclusion is that the quick-dry does not have any oil, except in the spirits, hope this helps.
Guys, he’s making it look easy.
I guild my artwork or if Im commissioned to do a piece thats from the Gutenburg Bible. Guilding on calf/goat skins is much different than what I use but I've always loved your smooth lines and watching your videos. Jerry Tessler makes a very good raised gold leaf gesso and REAL gold leaf sticks beautifully. Speedballs imitation is okay but you better seal it otherwise it will oxidize. I am going to try your burnishing method when i do gold leaf on my art boards, i love the swirl effect. I unfortunately purchased the $105 heminite stone from a calligraphy and illuminated art/lettering site and it works no better than my 11 dollar and 9 dollar burnishing stones or a piece of jewellers cloth. Live and learn... thanks for all the great information and especially the info on the company who makes the gold leaf... I didn't speak to Dave but it was cheaper than going through my calligraphy guilds supplier and looks so beauitful. Top notch... and the flexibility... it's durable to a point even though it's delicate.
Prior to watching this video I applied gold leaf to a handle for the very first time. My electric fan was on full tilt, and even as a gold leaf virgin I knew to turn my fan off before beginning the process. I find it bizarre when people make videos to show others how to do something yet they make such schoolboy errors!
Paul Bussey pardon me and my schoolboy ways!
thank you steve for your line of quills, you upped my game alot..
Tommy great to hear this ,thank you.
Стив, вы мастер своего дела. Правда не понимаю нихрена но смотреть интересно.
Whaaa? Over 300,000 views and no likes or dislikes, except me? Come on people this man is talented, acknowledge! Hint to the artist, you can use wax paper (kitchen) to move and transfer the leaf to the surface.
Hey Steve, Awesome Job! You are a true 'Craftsman' in an art that is getting harder and harder to see done 'old school' style. (You had me turning off the FAN in MY shop just watching you lay the leaf! As you know, That stuff is Very delicate!) I own a small sign and lettering shop here in Minnesota, but I am humble and at 58 I am still never too old to learn from 'young' guys like you that are kind enough to show us their tricks and talents. I did my company logo on the sides of my 62 chev panel truck (my work truck) in gold leaf. It was very tough and I wasted a lot of leaf not being experienced enough to the 'ways' of sizing,( I use One shot, 4008) and was too impatient. But with lots of Experience and Practice and gold booklets, I finished it years ago, and it l turned out Super! I have done quite a few gold leaf's since but I always look for guys like you for tricks and tips, THANK YOU!! Also, I will give David @ Frame Masters a call for books of leaf since you 'gratuitously plugged' Them/Him so well! (smile) Again, Great work, Peace..Tommy @ Sign Of The Times.. PS: I have a question about a pinstriper I saw once, but I'll ask in a different video.
Tommy young guys huh? I’ll be 73 this october, but thanks!
@@stevekafka I'm 61 Steveo, so I'm right up there with ya buddy!!
Great Vid Steve I admire your scroll work n the designs u come up with are amazing. And the DVD you have welcome to my world helped me out alot. Keep up the great work n love your vids
Steve, thats some amazing brush strokes on the scrolls.!
Mr. Kafka, I'm novice custom bicycle designer and builder (actually, I just hack up old huffys and have someone stitch 'em back together, but that's another story...) and I just made an investment in your brush. I just bought a #1 and I'm planning to buy the grid a set of brushes from 0-through 5 (I think) as well as your instructional dvd. I like that you invest your knowledge and time in creating a product that's not over-hyped to sell, but rather you lay out what it supposed to do, give clear instructions on what to do and how to care for your tools. I'll post my progress after I have all of the products I need to be successful as a striper.
Can’t wait til he’s locked Up!!!!!!!!! Funny I usually get bitched at for “ pushing my crap “ on these videos...
Thank you for posting your technic's. Going to try it today for my 14th century fonts.
You are the best...Loving the vids here in UK.
Skully and AS H Andover proudly carries all of my offerings too !
@kike3691 Most pinstripers use a lettering enamel called One Shot , used to have lead and cover better and last longer on vehicles .You can find it at some art supply stores, or a sign painters supply , Thins with mineral spirits, I'll help when I can ,don't worry it's a blast , the funs just starting.
Regards,
Steve
Ola Steve Kafka uma verdadeira arte o seu trabalho.
Gostaria muito de aprender esta arte.
O que você usa para fixar as folhas de ouro cola ou algum verniz
Agradeço desde já.
Sorry if this has been asked before - you mentioned at the start that to avoid waste you'd cut the leaf sheets down to size. How? I'm hesitant to go at it with a pair of kitchen scissors!
LA gold makes 1/4 inch x60 foot rolls now, works great for flame jobs.
So much fun for a quickie, in the breeze, and hand held ,very similar to work !
can't wait to try the Rolco brush -on clear in the next one.
Having fun?
Steve
Thanks for the quick response. Makes total sense. I'm sold and will be using that trick from now on : )
@psychodelicdragon Merry Christmas to you too! I guess you could say that 23kt gold leaf is more expensive then using just paint ,it's a lot more work ,more time ,and much more in materials. The gold I used is top quality and I think the price is great ,and Dave is good to deal with.Try them,and tell them to give you the special Kafka price ,you might be pleasantry surprised.
Good luck,
Steve
@toledochoppers Anytime someone does something that they love they will make it look easy ,it's not like work or a job it's fun and the perks are great too!
Regards'
Steve
Some companies make a chrome paint ( Alsa corp) must be sprayed on in a very specific manor. AS far as I know there are no brush on paints available that will have a cxhrome or mirror effect.
Steve
Your absolutely right, I have never tried one but all of my "professional" friends use them. I usually get the leaf that's fixed to the paper and there is less waste. I'll pick one up next time,thanks for saying something.
Steve
just use paten gold, no need for the brush
The transfer sheets work great,The weight thing is new to me Ive never heard of it
ola estou praticando essa tecnica mas na hora do efeito com o pano a folha ta saindo que cola vc usa tem algum segredo obrigado
That leaf is like trying to lay down smoke:)
There is some debate on adding harder to keep the leaf from wrinkling due to the incompatibility of 2k Urethane to the Enamel based sizing. On one side I hear add hardener and on the other side they say to simple let it dry for several days. My project is unique, I want to White Gold Leaf my HD ABS Mid Frame heat shields on Softail with very hot 110 inch engine. Primer... automotive flexible primer vs actual guilding primer. I have sanded my ABS smooth but it still needs primer and possible paint on it as well for a smooth surface. My goal is a high polished Chrome look. A company in New Your wants $5 per sq inch to chrome it, way out of my budget.
Sean R don’t try it on heat shields
@@stevekafka I eventually gave up on the abs and had the heatsheilds formed out of 422 stainless steel and polished them, then I put a 2000 degree stickon heatsheild on the underside and it worked perfectly.
Hello would just like to mention I am so cheap when it comes to gold leaf or silver what I do with the waste with my nieces make up brushes which I borrowed as well as my sisters, will brushoff to my mirror which goes into my jar which I use later as pinstripe pain’t thought I’d mention it.🕶
gotta love gold leaf huh!
im gunna do some this week (for a change)
thanks 4 the inspiration steve!
Okay, I'm a total Newb, but I want to do this! I watched both parts. My first newb question is, Instead of using the bare black tank, I wanted a different base color first, like a white, red, or whatever, for the whole tank first, I would of course shoot the the whole tank my starting color before applying my graphic, correct? I would not want to use clear after, until I do my gold leaf graphic(s) and I was finished with the tank completely right? Sorry for newb questions, I'm not a painter.
barneyrebel0123 correct you clear after the work is done
Just picked up variegated gold leaf and will email you in the morning when I'm done.
Hi Steve,I always loved your video's,products,knowledge,and your experience.BUT,the one thing I never heard you speak of is if you make a mistake striping ,how do you wipe it off and fix it,or do you just start over.I know you don't makes mistakes,so I guess that's why I never heard you mention repairing or fixing a mistake.I would so much appreciate any info you could shine on this subject. Thanx Oh P.S. Thanks to you I started to try stripping on my own and with all your products....
rockymontana1 the best removal of any pinstriping paint is done with a shop rag and rubbing alcohol
@@stevekafka Hi Steve,I'm not sure if you remember me,we had a conversation about striping and your brushes and I remember also telling you I'm over 60yrs. old,and have been artistically inclined since I was younger.I had to stop lettering/striping for a little while due to medical crap,but I'm ready to try again and I will do it with your products.I also bought your starter kit you sold with the clear plastic sheet and other sheets with pinstripe designs. I do have a talent for this but my admiration for all you have done kept me interested.I noticed when I opened a box where I kept unused brushed and noticed one brush had all the hair just fall out.Other dry brushes I have still look new.I do want to oil them up so I don't lose what I have.I have also looked for your scrolling brushes and can't find them anywhere. Thank You for your reply and your brushes.I love 'em
rockymontana1 one of my brushes lost all the hair?!
i have the leaves 33 books of it actually...very old one , maximum k now i just try found some one to start the job in my HD
The tank blanks are available @ coast airbrush and eastwood co.
OMG dude, you really shoud use some "gold leaf brush". They are very large and you can "stick" a leaf on it. The result will be A LOT beter and you'll work A LOT faster using less gold
Bazuzeus never tried one as this is rare that gold work is done at all anymore.
I tried some gold leaf this weekend and I was not able to get a swirl marks with the velvet. I am using Composition Gold Leaf
angel85lx that’s why...
No it will not rub off with water, there is a clearcoat and then a polish is applied, pretty durable actually.
Steve
Putting the color of the leaf into the sizing ( just a drop or two) was shown to me by Dale Burton (11 cars in the Indy Hall of Fame) evidently to cover any tiny specks that would otherwise be seen?
Coast Airbrush has the Rolco,and your very welcome, I'm going to do more very soon. Haqve fun !
Hi Steve, will the pasted gold leaf peel off after a certain period?
H M Y no ,it clear coated with 2 stage urethane
Hi Steve, I appreciate your sharing expertise. I would like to know about clearing over leaf for Motorcycle tank. I want to brush on clear with some hardener. Please share ratio of one shot clear and hardener and how many brush on coats if you will. I am on my first gilding project and most info is always missing something. I will leaf over quick oil size, clear and pinstripe. Base color is flat black and I want gilding and pinstriping to be glossy. Thank you soooooo much.
Mike Day, DC I only brush on one coat, it would be the same as spraying on 4-8 coats, mix the same ratio as it says on the can
Mike Day also I don’t use 1-shot clear except for mixing my own gold
Kafka style, nice work, hey steve does rolco have the brush on clear?
@ajjs02 Have fun , Make some money, do it again, I hope everyone tries this !
Thank you for this video.
What’s that u used to initially do the flame design before the guilding?
Big Worm gold sizing? Or the layout? I use Staedtler omnichrome pencils they won’t melt
awesome work....!!!^_^
A master
Hey Steve, Billy Gross again I must apologize for my last message its a tad long winded ,&I love to talk about things I'm passionate about ! Especially air brushing,lettering,and now I can practice pin striping, and gold leafing ! Is there anything you can't do Steve ???
Billy Gross ya that walking on water thing always gets me, and hovering above the ground too!...
Hey Steve, I’m about to buy a book of your patterned leaf for a project.. how big of an area would you feel safe covering? Say I wanted to do a rectangle of about a 12-13” by 9” solid with a spin technique
class
Do you clear coat over the gold leaf? I just gilded 23 K edible gold leaf on a copper sculpture, I could scrape it off with my fingurenail so I clear coated it. I tried to burnish it but it was coming off.
Where can I buy the things I need to gold leaf because I'm trying to gold leaf my bike
moranjorge25 COAST AIRBRUSH IN ANAHEIM CA.
Nice work, just discovered this video and I'm wondering if you could tell me what the verticle hold is like on the Rocco. ie side panels of a car, will it run or not?
Kingfisher Decor you could see the runs in the video, this was the first time with the sizing, for veritable I’ll thin less the next time,shame that Sandy put them out of business!
I am trying metal leaf on a keyboard which is similar material to what you are applying on here but my "mona lisa' brand adhesive scratches easily even with sealer. i am going to try your size. any tips for great adhesion. i'd like to avoid a primer as they don't always work out. thank you!
Awesome work. Where do you get your motorcycle tank shells from?
Pixel Hobo coast airbrush in Anaheim ,Ca.
Ok, thanks for answering, Steve.
How could I get a mirror effect on a material then?
serginietor I think that’s for glass,and is done in reverse on the inside of a window
I have been interested in having gold leaf work done. I would like a stripe done on each side of my truck, the stripe would be about 2 inches wide and about 4 feet long. My question is, is that even possible to do an area that long and would it be durable.
Take a look at the old time Fire trucks....lots of super gold work
modifiedmashup76 sure it would be durable it’s exterior sign enamel
tank you men
Coast Airbrush in Anaheim Ca. has everything you need.
It wont have a Mirror effect it will be brighter though
Steve
Steve, why didnt you use patent leaf instead of Loose leaf?
Hello sir, I did not understand what the glue is. Can you please tell me? Also, can you ship your pin stripping brushes to India?
Regards.
Thank you
t66hc
shaban sheikh we ship worldwide stevekafka.com
wehre did you get the Black tank model from?
Istvan Kishonti COAST AIRBRUSH IN ANAHEIM CA.
Great video. Steve.
i just bought a #3 brush from you. can you please tell me what type of paint you use for pinstriping? thanks!
Skeptor I use 1-shot only
Steve, could this be used on polyurethane bumpers as well? Going to attempt this on my street car soon..
Trauge W. May II PoorBoy Racing and Fabrication Co. Any painted surface
The double weight is used mostly for out door applications, statues and buildings etc. Its not recommended for this kind of application
You are welcome (and sorry for my bad english)
I was curious after I lay down my guilding size I waited 1 1/2 hour and applied the leaf, then dusted off the edges and cleaned it good And started spinning it and I couldn't get no affect and it just kept tearing, I didn't thin the size was that my mistake?
frank olveara variegated has zero gold in it and must set for a longer time .not a successful product for spinning,none of the fake gold leaf spins well.
frank olveara also you spin the real gold BEFORE clearcoat
Mr Kafka sir! First off thanks a ton for the videos. They are excellent and most informative. Just a quick question for you. At what types of stores can I find the Rolco Gilding Size at? Autopaint stores? Parts stores? And if the stores near me do not carry it, do you suggest another gilding size? Thanks again
OneManMilitia1 unfortunately Rocco was put out of business by Hurricane Sandy. Coast has replacements for it.
OneManMilitia1 dux
Best way to lay the flame with a brush freehand. Why buy an airbrush when u can hand paint. I am going to buy a one stroke hair brush and just lay on the flame.
Rock&Roll try stevekafka.com for brushes
Comp. gold has a use, it's much more difficult to work with. Try the real stuff it's much easier. Let the comp dry longer and press harder, if it breaks out let the size dry longer, be a little rougher with it. Try letting it dry then wipe it in one direction before going back to turn it. Good Luck.
Huh?
which glue should I use to glue the gold leaf? Thanks
Alessandro Fontana there are replacements at Coast Airbrush in Anaheim ,Ca.
Awesome!
Where do I find these plastic tank shell halves
ace 458 coast airbrush has them, in Anaheim,Ca.
wont this just rub off with water?
mrryanthebest it gets a two stage urethane clear brushed on and is very durable
what kind of glue is used?
Hiya Steve, love your work man!! Got a question for ya that I've been trying to research but no avail.
I got a buddy who wants a gold leaf design over his powder coated tank, but obviously doesn't want it clear coated. Doesn't seem viable with no clear coat to lock it down. Is this a possible procedure? Thanks in advance sir, keep rocking out, Semper Fi !!😊👊
Spike7839 you can brush on a two stage urethane before the outline ,it will protect the gold and last a long time.
How much does a job like this cost?
Asegagi about $200.00 per side
cool, thanks
nice work steve..
Sorry , but I really don't know the answer to your comment
Great video!! Really appreciate you taking the time to post these for all of us to learn from a master. What is your reasoning behind putting that half a drop of imitation gold in the sizing?? Does it just help the leaf to pop visually??
sean ferguson covere holidays in the gold...
I am assuming you used the same brand sizing that I used. Did you wait at least 1/2 hour before guilding the leaf. Yes you thin the size with mineral spirits, sounds like the size was too thick and maybe still wet. some spend years perfecting their leaf work, wipe it off and keep trying, you'll get it . I think you may have waited too long for quick size, the older stuff gives you a longer window. Hope this helps.
Steve
Any relation to the writer? Bucky Kafka?
Steve Kafka I
Instead of using your fingers to apply the leaf, you should try using a squirrel hair brush like the gilders do
I know that , but never bought one , I will someday,thanks
@@stevekafka you can buy them on eBay. There are guilding suppliers on eBay 👍
@@KeithGadget thanks Keith I’ll get one next time I have a leaf job, I prefer the gold that is stuck to the page, much less waste, and much smoother application.
the framemaster place only sales DUX now, not ROLCO wtf, is DUX better now?? just asking
Bill David it’s ok, but not as good..