Brad, we appreciate the humbleness but man, it takes balls to just start drawing on a guitar body freehand without some kind of template or even a sketch beforehand. Give yourself some credit. ;)
Hey Brad, thanks for posting this video! I'm hoping to do exactly this for a gift for my husband. I was looking for some guidance and you certainly provided it!
Thank you, thank you !!! You have given me the information that I need to paint my guitar. I bought an electric guitar from one of them selling apps for $25 and it was in great "working" condition. I Plugged it in and it had a great sound. The downside of it and the reason it was only $25 is bc someone destroyed the paint job. It had names of people all over it, different paint colors just splattered randomly, drawn on with markers… it was the most horrifying looking guitar and made no sense why it was treated like that. It wasn't only the body, but the head as well. Thankfully the neck and fret board were untouched, but the., but the head was written on. Ive taking it apart, and sanded it down. Now Im ready to paint it. I can't wait. Let the fun begi
mixed... I would love to be as bad at drawing as Brad!!!! I've told him numerous times that he shouldn't be so hard on himself, & since he made the recent changes he has been looking & sounding much more confident. I think (although I may be wrong) that Brad is very shy & struggles with compliments. As more of us are telling him he is good he is starting to believe us!
+Phil Gallagher I was always taught that nobody likes a bragger haha. That being said, I often aim for self-deprecating humour. I'm not necessarily being serious.
+Crimson Custom Guitars Thank you. Now we need to load some of your water based stunning stain into a few blank pens and take this to the next level haha.
Hey Brad ... Thats one of the coolest things i have seen in your videos to date. I think you did a great job. I am sort of headed in that direction now. I am on my 6th guitar build (scratch build no kit) and I am accidently discovering how to use dye to create a sort of flame look. May also try to pin strip a bit to fill in voids once clear coat is dry. Start out simple an move forward. You have got some great videos. Your one of the youtubers I will check out among a few others when I want to verify I am on the right track.
My father passed away four years ago, very suddenly. Ive been tesearching videos on how to paint guitar bodies so I don't fuck the only thing I have left of him up. Thank you so much for sharing this. I feel much more confident in my abilities after this. Im going to try my hand at painting a Kraken on his squire. Here's to hoping I don't anger him and the rock gods
@@BradAngove Thank you SO much!:) I wish we could post photo comments lol. BEAUTIFUL display of artwork on your guitar, by the way. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Yes, this is much better. Be careful what paint you use to finish it though. Finish has a significant effect on how an acoustic sounds, especially on the top.
Been thinking about grabbing one of those cheap guitar kits so I can do an art guitar. Still not sure on which one I should get though. Need to do more homework, see which one is actually worth the trouble, because I definitely wanna play it when it's not hanging on the wall.
Hi Brad! I’ve been looking for some good advice for a customization project, and I feel like I landed in the right place. I’m planning on customizing an already finished guitar body (a Squire Sonic Strat in California Blue) with Poscas. I believe the process would be slightly different than what you show in this video, as I’m gonna have to paint directly on the varnish? What kind of sanding should I do before I paint and what varnish should I use to protect my artwork (and how many layers should I apply)? It's hard to find good advice out there, or at least to sort out the good from the bad. But your channel is a true gold mine, you got yourself a subscriber.
I guess I had two people asking about posca pens on a finished guitar in the same day haha. I suggest sanding with 800 grit. I’m not entirely sure what posca pens are (chemically), but my top choice would probably be spraymax 2K clear coat. 4 coats is generally plenty. Have a look at my video on how to get a professional looking clear coat with spray cans.
@@BradAngove Thank you very much for taking the time to answer again to the same question! I've already checked your video about clear coating, I will sure use it as a reference.
I've just bought a white Ibanez rg350. Could you do a video explain how to draw or paint on a guitar that has been bought rather than a guitar you are building? Thanks for the video btw, it was very interesting!
Hello Brad, loved this demonstration. In order to take this a step further, which material would you recommend to protect it and make it look professional grade glossy?
Hey Brad, awesome advice, thanks! I know this is an old video, but how would you go about painting on an already finished body? A used bass with an awesome price caught my attention, but I'm not too crazy about the colour, if I do get it I'd want to doodle over most of the body keeping the factory colour as background. Could this be done with just sanding the clear coat to make it a little rough so that the paint sticks? Thanks!
Love your work dude! My friend is an artist who is going to be doing a full body piece for a custom build I'm doing. We've been researching into what paints she can use but there’s so much in conflicting information. Currently the plan is to: 1. white primer the body 2. full body artwork on top 3. Close with a 2k clear coat Should I be using specific primers and clearcoats and will her water-based acrylic paints work with it?
If she’s using water based acrylics that plan should work just fine. Just make sure they are given plenty of time to dry before moving on to the clear coat.
Nice guy comes on, says he is going to teach us how to draw on a guitar, nice guy then proceeds to draw demonic skulls lolol. I would love to do this but I do not have the drawing skills to do it properly, Yes I know a lot of people say that but it's true and is a real fact for many of us out here, hmm I wonder if they have a support group for that? " Hi, my name is Ron, and I can't draw".... luckily for me I have a very talented fiance' who can draw very well! I like your video's brad, you are just a regular guy, with a lot of knowledge, who sometimes messes up but shows us that from time to time. Great video!
If you like this video please check out the new video I just posted: Incredible Egg Shell Mosaic - "Dino Fly" Dinosaur Skin Guitar Paint Job for The Atomic Dinosaurs ruclips.net/video/OgyqqD1hohM/видео.html
Bruh never call yourself “not a good artist” AGAIN! That’s amazing!!!!! I can’t draw anything good without looking at a reference photo and spending hours on end on it!
All that you can draw is amazing! I have a boring black electric guitar so I wanna do something like this! I absolutely love how yours turned out tho 😍
How would you go about doing this on a DIY Guitar body Kit??? Im looking to make a Godsmack themed guitar body, with tribal sun. Kinda like the custom guitar their lead singer came out with awhile back.
I want to put "Friends don't let friends get friends haircuts..." on my acoustic electric bass but I'm worried I'll mess it up, what do you guys think? (From Alice In Chains unplugged btw)
Great videos and I will be painting my first guitar soon in this manner. Question - The guitar body is finished in clear gloss over wood, no paint. Can I primer over that or do I need to sand it down to the wood?
Hey Brad you’ve got a new subscriber. I’ve watched a few of your videos. You explain things clearly without being too pretentious and boring. I appreciate that. Is it possible to do this on a guitar without sanding that already has a finish?
I was thinking of going the paint route until I learned that with acrylics there are fugitives and others that are lightfast. Most cheap acrylics are fugitives, which means they do fade after a while. Maybe not next year, but they aren't as lightfast as say one of the more professional brands like Liquitex. So with my first ukulele painting I went with Liquitex, and even with that I'm checking the label to see just how lightfast things are.
Hi Brad thanks for this video! I was wondering, my acoustic guitar is black and glossy finish, I want to do this to it but I've only seen people working with guitars that arent pre painted (like just bare wood). Would I still be able to sand my guitar down, put on my own black acrylic base coat and then go in with white acrylic markers + clear top coat? Is there any way I can just draw with the markers straight onto the guitar as it is and add a top coat or is this not going to last? I am very lacking in knowledge on these things! I would really appreciate any advice!
Well, you just saw me do it on a guitar that was painted haha. If you go straight over the gloss it won’t stick properly, but, you don’t need to remove the paint. Just sand the guitar lightly with 600 grit to give the new paint something to grip onto. Then do your drawing, and finish off with your new top coat. I caution you though, paint has an impact on how an acoustic guitar sounds, unlike with a solid body electric.
@@BradAngove Thanks so much for the reply that helps clear it up! Yeah I have heard people say it can affect the acoustics although I have seen some videos of people showing proof of no sound change in their circumstance so I'm going to take the risk! Thank you for mentioning tho!
Brad you ever tried those stick on body tattoos? I did a quick search with your name and tattoo and this is the video that came up. The sole guitar I did and have a video on had two tattoos put on. We are not good at drawing so we chose the easier approach. There were a few issues. That was about the third time she ever used that type of tattoo so she was no expert on it. She got paper stuck and didn't clean it the best. I didn't interfere in that part. Her guitar so he call when its good enough for her. I did the clear coat. Put it on a little thick to try and make up for the slightly raised profile of the tattoo. If its not something you've done before have a look at the video or I can send you some pics. Do something on this on your channel. With your experience it will come out better and maybe others can benefit.
Brad our miscellaneous party stores carry them. Kinda popular with the kids who want a look when they go out but will not get permission to get a tattoo. We just chose flat black ones because the red background of the guitar seemed like it would have messed up any coloured tattoo. Came out way better than any drawing we could have done.
One question: can you draw your design with a graphite pen on the white body of the guitar and then later draw over it with the paint pen you are using in this video? That way you could at least get some guidelines
I just bought a solo diy kit, it has a flamed maple top and I was planning on coloring it dark gray and then drawing on it in white, what will I need from start to finish (from primer to Finish) Second if I wanted to draw on an acoustic guitar (that's pre finished etc..) what would I need to do
Thank you for this video. I picked up a used strat (squire) that I have take apart and want to get it ready for my son to paint when he is home from college (fine arts major) over the holidays. He and I were talking about it, and we were not sure what to use (he brought up acrylic, india ink, or oil). You've cleared up a lot of questions I had, and I now have an idea how I should prep the body for him. Just to clarify, use similar base coat AND clear coat to what he wants to do design in? Also, do you know anything about india inks and how they would hold up? Finally, will I be able to polish the clear coat once cured?
Sticking to a similar paint type throughout is a good idea. India ink is gray if you want to sand back to bare wood and do the design on that for a natural type of look. You should be able to sand and polish most clear coats. Have a look at my video on how to get a professional looking clear coat with spray cans.
Thanks for the video! I'm trying to finish a guitar for the first time, and I'm having a bit of trouble understanding. I want to spray a primer, then spray paint it base white, and then use a paint pen to draw stuff onto it like you are in this video, before sealing it. Are most spray paints water based?(I was looking at Rustoleum and Krylon) And with that, I should be using acrylic marker, right? Once everything is set, do I need to use clear spray paint? Or use spray lacquer? I bought some oil based Sharpies, but after hearing this video, it sounds like I should replace them. Thank for any help you can provide!
The Rustoleum painters touch is a solvent based acrylic that works well with those acrylic markers as long as you let it dry and sand lightly. I would stick to the same type of clear rather than switching to a lacquer, which may react poorly.
@@BradAngove Thanks for the reply! Followup question: How do I tell whether the paints are the same type? I was looking at some other options, and most times the can doesn't say whether it's solvent based acrylic, lacquer based, etc.
hey man nice job. So my question is, by the end of the video is this guitar ready to play or did you have to do any other work to the body IE buffing or polishing? How many coats is enough?
+Joel Vaillancourt If your using a matte clear like I did, generally you wouldn’t polish that. If you want a gloss finish then you would typically have to go through the buffing and polishing process. I’d use three coats of the matte.
Hi @Brad Angove, I have a friend who likes painting cartoon characters and I challenged her to paint a guitar. Assuming I'm starting with a completely unfinished body, obviously it would need to be sanded and primed, but what would be the best way to paint the characters against a coloured background? Obviously she'd know how to paint a great picture, but she's never painted a guitar before, and I'm aware that painting a guitar is a slightly different ballpark as there are tonal considerations and you could ruin the tone if you had too much paint on it. So what would be your advice?
Brad, I'm going to with Posca pens. Can you please recommend a base coat spray can paint that will work well with posca, also I plan on wet sanding the clear coat; can you please recommend a clear coat for this?
Hi Brad, thanks for the video. I have a quick question for you: I did something similar as you in this video (primed and painted in white and made a design with black and green paint pens). I left the design to dry for about 4 days and then went to clear coat it. When I started the clear coat, the paint pen design started to run/bleed. I stopped clear coating right away; thankfully I had only got the side of the guitar with clear, so minimal impact to the design - it is still salvageable. Wondering if you have any tips on how to proceed with the clear coat to keep the design from running. Let it dry longer? For what it's worth, I may have shot myself in the foot by using Painter's Touch for primer, paint, and clear coat, and oil-based paint pens - couldn't find the colors I wanted in acrylic. Thanks!
@@BradAngove Hey Brad, quick update for you on this. I was able to get the guitar clear coated. However, when I sprayed the fixatif I ran into the same issues - ended up having to hold the can pretty far away and get a very light coat on it a couple of times before going over it with a regular spray. Thanks again for your help, looking forward to finally getting this guitar finalized and playable. Cheers
Question: Are there schools for learning how to hand paint guitars? And I don't mean just paint but the whole process from sanding to different by hand paint options, to sanding to the different finishes, etc. etc. Thank you!
Great video, thanks! I wonder, can't you first draw it with a pencil, and then draw on top with the marker? I mean, with a pencil you con correct mistakes :)
Hi Brad. Thanks for the paint marker tip. (Sad pun.) Here’s something I’ve been asked about but I have no clue... Is there a way to put clear over an old sharpie autograph on a guitar to protect it? Maybe a waterborne clear or something like that?
Don't laugh too loud at this question but maybe you can give me a tip or 2. Here-goes:. I want to drip paint a guitar that already has clear coat on it and I can't remove the clear coat as the rest of the guitar has cool wear on it that I don't want to get rid of. Will the paint stick to a finished guitar ? Is there anything I can do to ensure that it sticks on top of let's say an already "finished" guitar ? Any and all tips or (don't do this dummy) would help.
Great work Brad, I have been given a Bass that has been signed with a permanent marker and they would like it clear coated to protect the signature. Problem is we don't know what type of permanent marker was used, do you have any suggestions for a clear coat?
That's a tough one. If you can't test it, it's pretty tough to say. I guess if it were me, my first thought would be to try to protect it with a light coat of fixative and then hit it with some acrylic urethane. I really don't know if that will work for you though.
Hello Brad. Thank you for the video! I have a question: we would like to use white tele with gloss polyester finish as our wedding guitar. The idea is to sing couple of songs with it during the wedding and then give it to all guests for signatures. Unfortunately, we won't have time for scuffing it during the wedding and we want it to look good during songs, so doing it before is not a quite a good option as well I guess.. do you think if it's ok to give it to guests to sign with acrylic paint markers on a factory gloss finish and then clear coat it after several days?
You may be able to improve the chances of success by spraying with an adhesion promoter before clear coating. But I think if you try to clear coat over the gloss the risk of delamination is high. If you don’t plan to play it after it’s signed you may be better off not clear coating.
@@BradAngove hey one more question. In this case what's the better long term solution - acrylic paint pen or just a regular permanent sharpie? Even if it's just on the wall?
Hey Brad, what kind of primer did you use before you added the paint? Also, is there a brush-on wood sealer/primer I can use that’s compatible with the acrylic paint?
Brad thank you again for the video I'm actually trying to plan out a paint job for my next project and I'm defienlty going to take this path, but would it any different if you use more then 1 one color ?
I’m looking to draw colored flowers around the edge of my bass. But I want the base color to be a light blue. Will the colors get screwed up when I start drawing on my design? Also what should I get for the base coat light blue? Thanks for the video!
The markers are generally pretty opaque, so it shouldn’t be an issue. You can use essentially any base coat if you’re drawing in acrylic like this. What type of paint do you want to use?
Brad Angove I’m not 100% sure on what kind of paint I should use. I’ve been looking around at different suggestions but you’re video makes sense to use an acrylic type base as well
Thank you for this video, but I have a finished acoustic guitar. Any suggestions on that type of surface?? I've been holding out bc I don't want to ruin it. And nice hands, Sir.
I’m basing my suggestion here on the assumption that it’s finished in lacquer. Sand it with 800 grit so your paint pen will stick. Then let the paint pens dry thoroughly for a couple days. Make sure the pen is water-based and not oil based. Then you should be able to seal it in with another couple coats of lacquer to finish off. Make sure it’s actually lacquer and not some other clear coat.
You can remove the paint or paint over a mistake. Just do so very carefully. I like to use a razor blade for that. Yes I would generally use the same type of pen if the guitar were finished.
+Dane Nichols I guess what I mean is I'm not good enough at drawing to actually teach anyone about it. I'm just trying to show the proper tools and process. There are lots of people out there who put me to shame when it comes to actually drawing stuff.
I’m planning on painting a wooden guitar with acrylic paint as a Christmas present for my dad, would you recommend sanding it down first? And what top coat would you recommend? Thanks!
Hey Brad I have a red satin finish Jackson soloist slx, could I get away with drawing with acrylic pens and adding liqueur after. I like the red to be there in the background or should I sand everything first?
Hi there Brad! What kind of primer should I use before I start painting an electric guitar with acrylic paint? (I want to make a scene painting with brushes).
@@BradAngove Thank you for your reply, I haven't chosen anything yet, but I'd like to try adding a design of sorts on a future guitar finishing project. I'm about to enter the buffing phase of my first refinish project and I'm already thinking ahead! I'm probably getting ahead of myself but I'm enjoying the process; aside from sanding...For what it's worth, I've watched a ton of your spray can videos and have learned a lot! They've been very helpful, thank you!
Hi. Does the marker have to be water base ? Or ok with oil base too? I m playing to sand the guitar body s paint down abit to make it mat . Then use oil base marker pen to draw and use some kind of clear coat on top . Do you think that will work ? Will the clear coat destroy the drawing ? Thx . Sorry for many questions .
@@BradAngove I am doing something similar. Im getting an unfinished body and my gf is doing the painting. After I stain, what sealer do you recommend? Im looking to go gloss for the final top coat after the paint job.. your vids are awesome bro!!
Hi man, looks really nice. QUESTION: I made a drawing on my pickguard with permanent marker. How can I make sure it will stay as long as possible? I saw people using clear coat? Is that good enough? Or do you have any other advice? thanks
Brad Angove no, I did not do anything. Just the drawing in permanent marker. It isn't a masterpiece that I wanna keep for the rest of my life. But it would be nice if it would stay for a long time. So next time I should scuff it first?
Hey Brad - do you do any swirl painting tutorials? I tried to do it on an SG, I gave up on it, the videos make it seem easier than it is! But most of those video's they don't really explain very well what they are doing. It seems that I have asked you about swirl painting before.
I don’t have any tutorials doing it to guitars. Just a ghosted swirl tutorial with spray cans for small items. I’ve had difficulty getting it work properly on guitars, so I can’t really teach it.
Yeah I can relate lol. I even bought some of that marbling paint and it still messed up. I watched one guy do it using Testors model paint and he made it look so easy. Them again, I watched another guy do it who has done it numerous times and it kept messing up on him, he showed the viewers each attempt. sped up of course. It's a cool design but seems rather tricky to do.
"I'm not that good at drawing" Precedes to draw giant detailed skulls and incredible designs
+That Ibanez Guy Bigger skulls are easier to draw haha. And the designs were just squiggles!
Brad Angove; Aye! That came out great, you're a real hand at art, Brad. Whoda thunk? 👍
Brad, we appreciate the humbleness but man, it takes balls to just start drawing on a guitar body freehand without some kind of template or even a sketch beforehand. Give yourself some credit. ;)
+warptek Just for demonstration purposes haha.
The whole CV is interesting. Rounded guy
I want to do this, but on scared of just making my guitar look like shit
You might want to practice first, or create a paper template of the guitar to lay out a design on and see how it looks.
life is short, not costumizing your guitar might be more of a regret.
there is always the option to get a good guitar you never mess with
i feel you bro, but i need to,
i’m scared to take mine apart 😔
Num Nums same
This should have been titled "How to take your guitar art from 'dude, what did you do to it?' to 'DAMN dude! lemme see what you did to it!'"
Hahaha that sounds like one of those home hardware commercials. Hilarious.
Hey Brad, thanks for posting this video! I'm hoping to do exactly this for a gift for my husband. I was looking for some guidance and you certainly provided it!
Glad I could help.
Wish I could travel back in time to wish you luck. I hope it turned out well.
Lefties ftw
+Josiah Stringer Winning.
Brad Angove lefties!!!
Dang I wish I was a lefty 😢 being a righty is boring but I’m ambidextrous does that count? 😂
I’m lefty lol
Im lefty but i play righty guitar :(
I think it looks great. Reminds me of Eddie's Iron Maiden 🤘😍
Thank you, thank you !!! You have given me the information that I need to paint my guitar. I bought an electric guitar from one of them selling apps for $25 and it was in great "working" condition. I Plugged it in and it had a great sound. The downside of it and the reason it was only $25 is bc someone destroyed the paint job. It had names of people all over it, different paint colors just splattered randomly, drawn on with markers… it was the most horrifying looking guitar and made no sense why it was treated like that. It wasn't only the body, but the head as well. Thankfully the neck and fret board were untouched, but the., but the head was written on.
Ive taking it apart, and sanded it down. Now Im ready to paint it. I can't wait. Let the fun begi
I hope the project goes well for you!
Getting ready to do one that will be auctioned for a worthy cause. Been afraid to mess up a sweet guitar. Thank you!
I hope it goes well for you.
Man, after that matte clear, it looked way more amazing. Thanks Brad. You inspired me. Gonna start my project now. TQ senpai.
I hope yours goes well.
what the heck u r great at drawing
+mixed I disagree, but I also appreciate the compliment haha. Thanks.
mixed... I would love to be as bad at drawing as Brad!!!!
I've told him numerous times that he shouldn't be so hard on himself, & since he made the recent changes he has been looking & sounding much more confident. I think (although I may be wrong) that Brad is very shy & struggles with compliments. As more of us are telling him he is good he is starting to believe us!
+Phil Gallagher I was always taught that nobody likes a bragger haha. That being said, I often aim for self-deprecating humour. I'm not necessarily being serious.
You got great potential
Keep drawing
Nicely done, very nicely done!
+Crimson Custom Guitars Thank you. Now we need to load some of your water based stunning stain into a few blank pens and take this to the next level haha.
"Atrocious"...I'd rock that guitar any day. Great art work
Thank you.
Hey Brad ... Thats one of the coolest things i have seen in your videos to date. I think you did a great job. I am sort of headed in that direction now. I am on my 6th guitar build (scratch build no kit) and I am accidently discovering how to use dye to create a sort of flame look. May also try to pin strip a bit to fill in voids once clear coat is dry. Start out simple an move forward. You have got some great videos. Your one of the youtubers I will check out among a few others when I want to verify I am on the right track.
Thanks; I’m glad you like the video.
Your the man Brad!!! I was bugging you about this a few months ago and now we've been blessed with a video!
+Michael Donnelly I told you I'd put it on the list haha. It just took a while to make it to the top.
man you can be the next wolverine
+Pablo Fernandes I'm still waiting for Hollywood to give me a call.
hahahaha
you have humiliated my neon guitar Brad. Thanks,haha. great video
+MrMetalManMe Your guitars have much more difficult customization than mine do haha.
Says “I’m not that good at drawing” then makes a masterpiece
Good result. I would have liked to see it re-assembled and playing.
I did about 15 painting tutorials on this body before I ever bothered to reassemble it.
Very nice work. Great video. You being a fellow lefty helped out a lot.
Glad to hear it.
Bro u a great drawer don't doubt yourself.
My father passed away four years ago, very suddenly. Ive been tesearching videos on how to paint guitar bodies so I don't fuck the only thing I have left of him up. Thank you so much for sharing this. I feel much more confident in my abilities after this.
Im going to try my hand at painting a Kraken on his squire. Here's to hoping I don't anger him and the rock gods
If you’re not happy with it you can always remove it and try again.
@@BradAngove Thank you SO much!:) I wish we could post photo comments lol. BEAUTIFUL display of artwork on your guitar, by the way. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Really glad I watched this.I'm about to do some graphics on an acoustic top, this is certainly superior to using a sharpie.
Yes, this is much better. Be careful what paint you use to finish it though. Finish has a significant effect on how an acoustic sounds, especially on the top.
Brad Angove what finish do u recommend?
Jason Acevedo what do you mean?
In one video you said you couldn’t draw. Looks 100 times better than I can ever do. Nice video Brad!
I’m glad you like it
Lol.... "....i dunno, i apologize." Looks cool man. Thanks for the video.
Brad I don't own a guitar and have no intention of owning one , but I LOVE ur channel !!
+Airgun Classics : Joe W Rhea You're awesome. Thank you!
"I'm not much of a drawer" he says.
It's like Metallica saying "we're not much of a rocker"
or Einstein saying "I'm not much of a physicist"
"I don't know what to tell you. I'm sorry" lol. It looks fine man. Thanks for the tutorial.
Thanks for watching.
U said ur bad at drawing but then u draw the best skull designed guitar I've ever seen
There have been some pretty neat paint pen guitars done. Not by me haha, but still.
Omg u replied omg
All part of the service my friend haha.
I wish I could draw that atrociously lol. Another awesome technique!
+Cc Chicken Thank you!
Its never too late to start
Been thinking about grabbing one of those cheap guitar kits so I can do an art guitar. Still not sure on which one I should get though. Need to do more homework, see which one is actually worth the trouble, because I definitely wanna play it when it's not hanging on the wall.
Your Chanel should have wayyy more followers! You are in my top 1 off how to video's.
Thank you sir. I'm glad you like my stuff.
Always something interesting goin' on in Brad's shop !
+sam127001 Thanks Sam.
Hi Brad! I’ve been looking for some good advice for a customization project, and I feel like I landed in the right place. I’m planning on customizing an already finished guitar body (a Squire Sonic Strat in California Blue) with Poscas. I believe the process would be slightly different than what you show in this video, as I’m gonna have to paint directly on the varnish? What kind of sanding should I do before I paint and what varnish should I use to protect my artwork (and how many layers should I apply)?
It's hard to find good advice out there, or at least to sort out the good from the bad. But your channel is a true gold mine, you got yourself a subscriber.
Hi there. Did you by any chance just ask this same question on a different video? For some reason I feel like I just answered it.
@@BradAngove Hi! Nope, just on that one :) But I'd be glad to read it, if you could point me where to look!
I guess I had two people asking about posca pens on a finished guitar in the same day haha.
I suggest sanding with 800 grit. I’m not entirely sure what posca pens are (chemically), but my top choice would probably be spraymax 2K clear coat. 4 coats is generally plenty. Have a look at my video on how to get a professional looking clear coat with spray cans.
@@BradAngove Thank you very much for taking the time to answer again to the same question! I've already checked your video about clear coating, I will sure use it as a reference.
I've just bought a white Ibanez rg350. Could you do a video explain how to draw or paint on a guitar that has been bought rather than a guitar you are building? Thanks for the video btw, it was very interesting!
It’s essentially the same process. You disassemble it and sand the clear coat with 600 grit, then draw on it and re clear coat.
Pretty good drawing, mate.
Thank you
Hello Brad, loved this demonstration. In order to take this a step further, which material would you recommend to protect it and make it look professional grade glossy?
I would use a catalyzed polyurethane clear coat probably.
Hey Brad, awesome advice, thanks! I know this is an old video, but how would you go about painting on an already finished body? A used bass with an awesome price caught my attention, but I'm not too crazy about the colour, if I do get it I'd want to doodle over most of the body keeping the factory colour as background. Could this be done with just sanding the clear coat to make it a little rough so that the paint sticks? Thanks!
Yes, that’s precisely how it’s done. I would use 600 grit.
Awesome, thanks a lot!
Didn't notice that you're also a lefty. 👍🤜👈 Power!
Love your work dude!
My friend is an artist who is going to be doing a full body piece for a custom build I'm doing. We've been researching into what paints she can use but there’s so much in conflicting information.
Currently the plan is to:
1. white primer the body
2. full body artwork on top
3. Close with a 2k clear coat
Should I be using specific primers and clearcoats and will her water-based acrylic paints work with it?
If she’s using water based acrylics that plan should work just fine. Just make sure they are given plenty of time to dry before moving on to the clear coat.
Brad Angove thanks mate! Is that based on a nitro finish or a poly finish?
The 2k? It’s a polyurethane.
Not just a painter....nice drawing!!!
Thank you.
If you are not good at drawing then mine really sucks, that came out rad !
Thanks Scott
Nice guy comes on, says he is going to teach us how to draw on a guitar, nice guy then proceeds to draw demonic skulls lolol.
I would love to do this but I do not have the drawing skills to do it properly, Yes I know a lot of people say that but it's true and is a real fact for many of us out here, hmm I wonder if they have a support group for that? " Hi, my name is Ron, and I can't draw".... luckily for me I have a very talented fiance' who can draw very well!
I like your video's brad, you are just a regular guy, with a lot of knowledge, who sometimes messes up but shows us that from time to time. Great video!
I’ve definitely messed up a few things on here haha. Thanks Ron.
If you like this video please check out the new video I just posted: Incredible Egg Shell Mosaic - "Dino Fly" Dinosaur Skin Guitar Paint Job for The Atomic Dinosaurs
ruclips.net/video/OgyqqD1hohM/видео.html
You draw well..How about a word burning kit on acoustic.Wondering if there is a pattern I could lay on the acoustic guitar and wood burn a design
As long as you’re careful about it, there’s no reason that shouldn’t work.
Bruh never call yourself “not a good artist” AGAIN! That’s amazing!!!!! I can’t draw anything good without looking at a reference photo and spending hours on end on it!
I used to doodle in class a lot haha. That’s about all I can draw though.
All that you can draw is amazing! I have a boring black electric guitar so I wanna do something like this! I absolutely love how yours turned out tho 😍
bro wtf, u can draw/paint, I thought that you literally can't draw but u have surprised me, good work
Thanks, I’m glad you like it.
How would you go about doing this on a DIY Guitar body Kit??? Im looking to make a Godsmack themed guitar body, with tribal sun. Kinda like the custom guitar their lead singer came out with awhile back.
I would do it the same way I did on this one. I’m not sure I understand your question.
I want to put "Friends don't let friends get friends haircuts..." on my acoustic electric bass but I'm worried I'll mess it up, what do you guys think? (From Alice In Chains unplugged btw)
Doooooooooo ittttttttt
Can you do a step by step video for beginners with instruction ? Thank you 😊
You said you wasnt very good at drawing at 1:29 SO... whats this then! 8:00 That is awesome!
Thank you. I can ink out a couple skulls, but that’s about it.
Damn, look at those biceps
Down, girl.
Great videos and I will be painting my first guitar soon in this manner. Question - The guitar body is finished in clear gloss over wood, no paint. Can I primer over that or do I need to sand it down to the wood?
You do not need to sand to the wood, but you do need to sand enough to abrade the clear coat. Paint generally doesn’t stick well to gloss.
@@BradAngove Great job! Thanks for the inspiration and advice.
Hey Brad you’ve got a new subscriber. I’ve watched a few of your videos. You explain things clearly without being too pretentious and boring. I appreciate that. Is it possible to do this on a guitar without sanding that already has a finish?
It’s much safer to sand lightly first. Otherwise the new paint with have difficulty adhering and could delaminate.
I was thinking of going the paint route until I learned that with acrylics there are fugitives and others that are lightfast. Most cheap acrylics are fugitives, which means they do fade after a while. Maybe not next year, but they aren't as lightfast as say one of the more professional brands like Liquitex. So with my first ukulele painting I went with Liquitex, and even with that I'm checking the label to see just how lightfast things are.
The clear coat you use also matters. Some have more UV protection.
I’ve never heard the term fugitive used in that context though…
Hi Brad thanks for this video! I was wondering, my acoustic guitar is black and glossy finish, I want to do this to it but I've only seen people working with guitars that arent pre painted (like just bare wood).
Would I still be able to sand my guitar down, put on my own black acrylic base coat and then go in with white acrylic markers + clear top coat? Is there any way I can just draw with the markers straight onto the guitar as it is and add a top coat or is this not going to last? I am very lacking in knowledge on these things! I would really appreciate any advice!
Well, you just saw me do it on a guitar that was painted haha.
If you go straight over the gloss it won’t stick properly, but, you don’t need to remove the paint. Just sand the guitar lightly with 600 grit to give the new paint something to grip onto. Then do your drawing, and finish off with your new top coat. I caution you though, paint has an impact on how an acoustic guitar sounds, unlike with a solid body electric.
@@BradAngove Thanks so much for the reply that helps clear it up! Yeah I have heard people say it can affect the acoustics although I have seen some videos of people showing proof of no sound change in their circumstance so I'm going to take the risk! Thank you for mentioning tho!
Brad you ever tried those stick on body tattoos? I did a quick search with your name and tattoo and this is the video that came up. The sole guitar I did and have a video on had two tattoos put on. We are not good at drawing so we chose the easier approach.
There were a few issues. That was about the third time she ever used that type of tattoo so she was no expert on it. She got paper stuck and didn't clean it the best. I didn't interfere in that part. Her guitar so he call when its good enough for her. I did the clear coat. Put it on a little thick to try and make up for the slightly raised profile of the tattoo.
If its not something you've done before have a look at the video or I can send you some pics. Do something on this on your channel. With your experience it will come out better and maybe others can benefit.
+Manick N I’ve seen it done a few times. I’m not even sure where to get those though haha.
Brad our miscellaneous party stores carry them. Kinda popular with the kids who want a look when they go out but will not get permission to get a tattoo.
We just chose flat black ones because the red background of the guitar seemed like it would have messed up any coloured tattoo. Came out way better than any drawing we could have done.
One question: can you draw your design with a graphite pen on the white body of the guitar and then later draw over it with the paint pen you are using in this video? That way you could at least get some guidelines
+Fran Rukavina I would try using a stabilo pencil instead in order to avoid potential adhesion problems caused by the graphite.
Brad Angove thanks for the awnser, i will try that out. This video is very helpfull, educational and you deserve more subs! Great work
+Fran Rukavina Thanks for watching. Feel free to share the video if you enjoyed it haha.
Hey, That one Skull is given me the stink eye!
Great video as usual. Have you ever seen the video of Joe Fenton drawing/painting a Mark Tremonti PRS? Worth checking out if you haven't.
+Grant Black I've seen it. He's incredible. Nice variety of techniques on that one too.
Great work!
+lorearna Thank you!
I just bought a solo diy kit, it has a flamed maple top and I was planning on coloring it dark gray and then drawing on it in white, what will I need from start to finish (from primer to Finish)
Second if I wanted to draw on an acoustic guitar (that's pre finished etc..) what would I need to do
Thank you for this video. I picked up a used strat (squire) that I have take apart and want to get it ready for my son to paint when he is home from college (fine arts major) over the holidays. He and I were talking about it, and we were not sure what to use (he brought up acrylic, india ink, or oil). You've cleared up a lot of questions I had, and I now have an idea how I should prep the body for him. Just to clarify, use similar base coat AND clear coat to what he wants to do design in? Also, do you know anything about india inks and how they would hold up? Finally, will I be able to polish the clear coat once cured?
Sticking to a similar paint type throughout is a good idea. India ink is gray if you want to sand back to bare wood and do the design on that for a natural type of look.
You should be able to sand and polish most clear coats. Have a look at my video on how to get a professional looking clear coat with spray cans.
I will! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply
Thanks for the video!
I'm trying to finish a guitar for the first time, and I'm having a bit of trouble understanding. I want to spray a primer, then spray paint it base white, and then use a paint pen to draw stuff onto it like you are in this video, before sealing it.
Are most spray paints water based?(I was looking at Rustoleum and Krylon) And with that, I should be using acrylic marker, right?
Once everything is set, do I need to use clear spray paint? Or use spray lacquer?
I bought some oil based Sharpies, but after hearing this video, it sounds like I should replace them.
Thank for any help you can provide!
The Rustoleum painters touch is a solvent based acrylic that works well with those acrylic markers as long as you let it dry and sand lightly. I would stick to the same type of clear rather than switching to a lacquer, which may react poorly.
@@BradAngove Thanks for the reply!
Followup question: How do I tell whether the paints are the same type? I was looking at some other options, and most times the can doesn't say whether it's solvent based acrylic, lacquer based, etc.
@@BradAngove For those dupli-color automotive paints, would an oil based pen cause any problems?
The duplicolor paints are mostly acrylic lacquer, which should work well with the acrylic pens (unless the can says enamel).
hey man nice job. So my question is, by the end of the video is this guitar ready to play or did you have to do any other work to the body IE buffing or polishing? How many coats is enough?
+Joel Vaillancourt If your using a matte clear like I did, generally you wouldn’t polish that. If you want a gloss finish then you would typically have to go through the buffing and polishing process.
I’d use three coats of the matte.
Hello, great video. I really liked the song at the end. Do you know the title?
I don’t. It’s from epidemic sound but I change the titles so I know how to search them when I download them.
Hi @Brad Angove,
I have a friend who likes painting cartoon
characters and I challenged her to paint a guitar. Assuming I'm starting
with a completely unfinished body, obviously it would need to be sanded
and primed, but what would be the best way to paint the characters
against a coloured background? Obviously she'd know how to paint a
great picture, but she's never painted a guitar before, and I'm aware
that painting a guitar is a slightly different ballpark as there are tonal considerations and you could
ruin the tone if you had too much paint on it. So what would be your advice?
If it’s a solid body electric guitar you can ignore the tonal considerations. The paint won’t change anything.
@@BradAngove Thanks a million dude 😊
Brad, I'm going to with Posca pens. Can you please recommend a base coat spray can paint that will work well with posca, also I plan on wet sanding the clear coat; can you please recommend a clear coat for this?
+hnremak I'd consider using a liquitex base coat. Ideally I'd use a 2k polyurethane clear coat.
great video as always brad & nice "doodling" ;) :)
+terrybear Thanks Terry.
Hey Brad, what about filling in a larger area with color...how do you not get paint/brush lines but a solid looking colored area?
I use something other than a pen, like an airbrush, paint gun, or spray can.
Hi Brad, thanks for the video. I have a quick question for you:
I did something similar as you in this video (primed and painted in white and made a design with black and green paint pens). I left the design to dry for about 4 days and then went to clear coat it. When I started the clear coat, the paint pen design started to run/bleed. I stopped clear coating right away; thankfully I had only got the side of the guitar with clear, so minimal impact to the design - it is still salvageable.
Wondering if you have any tips on how to proceed with the clear coat to keep the design from running. Let it dry longer?
For what it's worth, I may have shot myself in the foot by using Painter's Touch for primer, paint, and clear coat, and oil-based paint pens - couldn't find the colors I wanted in acrylic.
Thanks!
So you used the same type of clear that I did here?
@@BradAngove It was gloss instead of matte, but otherwise the same.
Let it dry longer and then try spraying fixatif over it before clear coating.
@@BradAngove Right on, I'll leave it for a couple of weeks. Thanks for the advice and quick response 👍
@@BradAngove Hey Brad, quick update for you on this. I was able to get the guitar clear coated. However, when I sprayed the fixatif I ran into the same issues - ended up having to hold the can pretty far away and get a very light coat on it a couple of times before going over it with a regular spray.
Thanks again for your help, looking forward to finally getting this guitar finalized and playable.
Cheers
Question: Are there schools for learning how to hand paint guitars? And I don't mean just paint but the whole process from sanding to different by hand paint options, to sanding to the different finishes, etc. etc. Thank you!
Not that I’m aware of. There are luthier training courses that may cover that to some degree.
Brad Angove That's what I thought but wanted to check. Thanks for replying!
Thanks for watching.
Great video, thanks! I wonder, can't you first draw it with a pencil, and then draw on top with the marker? I mean, with a pencil you con correct mistakes :)
There are specific types of pencil that can be used for that, but a normal pencil can impact adhesion.
Hi Brad. Thanks for the paint marker tip. (Sad pun.) Here’s something I’ve been asked about but I have no clue... Is there a way to put clear over an old sharpie autograph on a guitar to protect it? Maybe a waterborne clear or something like that?
I’ll have to do a video about that at some point. A waterborne clear would work fine.
Don't laugh too loud at this question but maybe you can give me a tip or 2. Here-goes:. I want to drip paint a guitar that already has clear coat on it and I can't remove the clear coat as the rest of the guitar has cool wear on it that I don't want to get rid of. Will the paint stick to a finished guitar ? Is there anything I can do to ensure that it sticks on top of let's say an already "finished" guitar ? Any and all tips or (don't do this dummy) would help.
What type of paint is on there? What type are you planning on adding?
Great work Brad, I have been given a Bass that has been signed with a permanent marker and they would like it clear coated to protect the signature. Problem is we don't know what type of permanent marker was used, do you have any suggestions for a clear coat?
That's a tough one. If you can't test it, it's pretty tough to say.
I guess if it were me, my first thought would be to try to protect it with a light coat of fixative and then hit it with some acrylic urethane. I really don't know if that will work for you though.
Thanks mate
+carl leech You're welcome.
Hello Brad. Thank you for the video!
I have a question: we would like to use white tele with gloss polyester finish as our wedding guitar. The idea is to sing couple of songs with it during the wedding and then give it to all guests for signatures. Unfortunately, we won't have time for scuffing it during the wedding and we want it to look good during songs, so doing it before is not a quite a good option as well I guess.. do you think if it's ok to give it to guests to sign with acrylic paint markers on a factory gloss finish and then clear coat it after several days?
You may be able to improve the chances of success by spraying with an adhesion promoter before clear coating. But I think if you try to clear coat over the gloss the risk of delamination is high. If you don’t plan to play it after it’s signed you may be better off not clear coating.
@@BradAngove Thank you so much for the response!
Yeah, given that information I would just probably hang it on the wall.
That’s probably your best bet.
@@BradAngove hey one more question. In this case what's the better long term solution - acrylic paint pen or just a regular permanent sharpie? Even if it's just on the wall?
I’d still go with paint pen. Sharpie work too, but is a touch more likely to fade.
Hey Brad, what kind of primer did you use before you added the paint? Also, is there a brush-on wood sealer/primer I can use that’s compatible with the acrylic paint?
I just used the original finish as my primer on this one. But yes you can use shellac or those bin primers by Zinser.
Can i use automotive clear over that marker
Brad thank you again for the video I'm actually trying to plan out a paint job for my next project and I'm defienlty going to take this path, but would it any different if you use more then 1 one color ?
That shouldn’t change anything.
Brad Angove did you already have a clear coat on the body before the paint ? Or do you paint before the first clear coat
It’s an old body. It’s had various layers of paint and clear on it.
Could I start out with pencil on the guitar so I know where my lines are without messing up the guitar?
Ideally you start with stabillo pencil. They’re designed to be painted over.
Brad Angove Thanks! I want to customize my future guitar bc I’m a geek but I have a shaky hands.
I’m looking to draw colored flowers around the edge of my bass. But I want the base color to be a light blue. Will the colors get screwed up when I start drawing on my design? Also what should I get for the base coat light blue? Thanks for the video!
The markers are generally pretty opaque, so it shouldn’t be an issue.
You can use essentially any base coat if you’re drawing in acrylic like this. What type of paint do you want to use?
Brad Angove I’m not 100% sure on what kind of paint I should use. I’ve been looking around at different suggestions but you’re video makes sense to use an acrylic type base as well
Yeah, that’s logical.
Thank you for this video, but I have a finished acoustic guitar. Any suggestions on that type of surface?? I've been holding out bc I don't want to ruin it. And nice hands, Sir.
I’m basing my suggestion here on the assumption that it’s finished in lacquer. Sand it with 800 grit so your paint pen will stick. Then let the paint pens dry thoroughly for a couple days. Make sure the pen is water-based and not oil based. Then you should be able to seal it in with another couple coats of lacquer to finish off. Make sure it’s actually lacquer and not some other clear coat.
Thanks! It'll take me a bit, but I'll tag you in my Instagram if you want to check out the results :) @sports.samanager
Sounds good. I hope it goes well for you.
What happens if a mistake is made? Can it be erased (how)? Also, what if my guitar is already finished… Should I still use acrylic pen? Thanks!
You can remove the paint or paint over a mistake. Just do so very carefully. I like to use a razor blade for that.
Yes I would generally use the same type of pen if the guitar were finished.
i was looking for drawing a guitar, not drawing on it but is still good
Yep I suck at drawing so I'll just whip out three amazing skulls and various perfectly proportioned fill thingys. Oh please
+Dane Nichols I guess what I mean is I'm not good enough at drawing to actually teach anyone about it. I'm just trying to show the proper tools and process. There are lots of people out there who put me to shame when it comes to actually drawing stuff.
Brad, if I had read any of the comments first I would have seen how redundant my remarks were going to be. You're a humble guy my friend.
I’m planning on painting a wooden guitar with acrylic paint as a Christmas present for my dad, would you recommend sanding it down first? And what top coat would you recommend?
Thanks!
What kind of acrylic are you using?
Hey Brad I have a red satin finish Jackson soloist slx, could I get away with drawing with acrylic pens and adding liqueur after. I like the red to be there in the background or should I sand everything first?
Just sand it lightly with 600 grit before using the markers. Then clear coat overtop.
Your painting is good bro.
Thanks
Hi there Brad! What kind of primer should I use before I start painting an electric guitar with acrylic paint? (I want to make a scene painting with brushes).
Acrylic is fairly widely compatible. I usually just use a typical acrylic enamel primer for that.
Brad, have you worked with stencils to create designs on a guitar? I'm curious how that would work out.
I have. What kind of designs are you considering? I’ve used them for airbrushing for example, and spray can work for that matter.
@@BradAngove Thank you for your reply, I haven't chosen anything yet, but I'd like to try adding a design of sorts on a future guitar finishing project. I'm about to enter the buffing phase of my first refinish project and I'm already thinking ahead! I'm probably getting ahead of myself but I'm enjoying the process; aside from sanding...For what it's worth, I've watched a ton of your spray can videos and have learned a lot! They've been very helpful, thank you!
@superlead1002 I’m glad to hear you’ve found the videos useful.
how smooth did the fully shaded in areas turn out? I’ve been wanting to draw on my bass but with color
How smooth in terms of physical texture? Or are you asking how good a job I did at coloring it in?
Can you paint it with acrylic? And maybe a sealant spray?
Yes
yea horns up for acryllics! \m/
Hi. Does the marker have to be water base ? Or ok with oil base too? I m playing to sand the guitar body s paint down abit to make it mat . Then use oil base marker pen to draw and use some kind of clear coat on top . Do you think that will work ? Will the clear coat destroy the drawing ? Thx . Sorry for many questions .
It will work if you give the marker lots of time to dry and use a clear coat that is compatible with it.
Thx for the reply . Any type of clear coat will work ? Will it come off easily ? Thx
Any type of clear coat that is compatible with oil based paint. It shouldn’t come off easily.
great video man! I got a question though, could I use a paint pen on a guitar with a stain? specifically silver on a black-stained guitar
If you seal after you stain, then absolutely.
@@BradAngove awesome, thanks!
@@BradAngove I am doing something similar. Im getting an unfinished body and my gf is doing the painting. After I stain, what sealer do you recommend? Im looking to go gloss for the final top coat after the paint job.. your vids are awesome bro!!
Thanks Gerald. I’m a big fan of the EZ Vinyl sealer from Mohawk. You can see me use it in a bunch of my videos (formerly branded under Behlen).
@@BradAngove thanks for the quick response man!!
that is the most beautiful thing i ever saw 😪
Thanks.
Hi man, looks really nice. QUESTION: I made a drawing on my pickguard with permanent marker. How can I make sure it will stay as long as possible? I saw people using clear coat? Is that good enough? Or do you have any other advice? thanks
Did you scuff up the pick guard properly first so that you can get clear coat to stick to it?
Brad Angove no, I did not do anything. Just the drawing in permanent marker. It isn't a masterpiece that I wanna keep for the rest of my life. But it would be nice if it would stay for a long time. So next time I should scuff it first?
Scuffing it would have helped. For now you can try spraying adhesion promoter and then a couple coats of clear coat.
Brad Angove thanks man, really appreciate it. Have a nice day.
AWesome Thanks !!!
Look for Darren Green tribal style guitar spray love to see if you can improve
Improve what?
Hey Brad - do you do any swirl painting tutorials? I tried to do it on an SG, I gave up on it, the videos make it seem easier than it is! But most of those video's they don't really explain very well what they are doing. It seems that I have asked you about swirl painting before.
I don’t have any tutorials doing it to guitars. Just a ghosted swirl tutorial with spray cans for small items.
I’ve had difficulty getting it work properly on guitars, so I can’t really teach it.
Yeah I can relate lol. I even bought some of that marbling paint and it still messed up. I watched one guy do it using Testors model paint and he made it look so easy. Them again, I watched another guy do it who has done it numerous times and it kept messing up on him, he showed the viewers each attempt. sped up of course. It's a cool design but seems rather tricky to do.
I keep thinking there must be some secret, but I have no idea what it is haha.