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ARTOOL INSTRUCTOR SERIES: SKULLMASTER SERIES:

MASTERING

BULLET
RIDDEN Part 5
“Everything you wanted to
know about your new
stencils,…but were afraid
to ask.”
By Craig Fraser

I
’m proud to say that the previous issue’s coverage on the Pin Up Girlie Stencils from Deborah Mahan was, by the strong
reader response, a huge hit. For newcomers to this column, we systematically instruct on the use and techniques
recommended for all the Artool stencils I’ve created over the past six years. From Skull Masters to FX, to anything else we
have laser cut out of plastic, we’re going to show you how they work, and a few tricks that we discovered accidentally along
the way!
This issue’s featured stencil is Bullet Ridden, a relatively simple design that has been known to baffle an airbrusher or two
with all it’s little gadgets. It’s a member of the FX five-stencil series, and is very popular in the bike and helmet painting arena.
Using a black panel to simulate a pre-existing colored paintjob, I’ll show you a few of the tricks that make Bullet Ridden a very
versatile stencil.

Step 1: Mixing up some white, I Step 2: Using the correct hole size to Step 3: With the same basecoat black, I
demonstrate one of the three sizes of match the chipped circle in step 1, the airbrush a slight shadow to give the
bullet holes the stencil has to offer. This actual bullet hole is airbrushed using illusion of depth. Prior to airbrushing
design is the entrance hole, and it HOK BC-25 basecoat black. Using the this surface, I lightly fogged a thin wash
allows you to render the broken paint transparency of the stencil, it’s important of HOK BC-26 white over the panel.
chip that would fly out from the to keep the hole centered with the paint This allows my rendered shadows to
indentation caused by the entering chip. stand out against the black background.
bullet in the side of a painted surface.
On a car, you might want to use a
silver or ghostchrome to mimic the
underlying bare metal.
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Step 4: With an Eclipse CS and the Step 5: The same hole for the entrance is Step 6: A little bit of shadow work with
white, I airbrush the exit hole, with the now used for the exit. Notice how it my HP-CH really makes this one stand
metal being slightly furled away. really stands out against the fogged out.
Remember to always include a few exit black background. The stencil has
and entrance holes in your paint job. I three entrance sizes and exit holes for a
like corresponding them on opposite nice variety.
sides of a tank for authenticity.

Step 7: Using the corresponding “half Step 8: Both sides of Bullet Ridden offer Step 9: Freehand airbrush the ends of the
hole,” I mask off the bottom edge of the a nice smoke stencil. This simple stencil smoke contrails that are breaking up.
bullet hole to prevent the rendered with a bit of freehand white work gives Keep your hand very light, and your
smoke from overspraying onto the black a killer smoke effect. For long contrails, paint very reduced to prevent spitting.
and killing the depth. feel free to drag the stencil quickly in
the smoke’s direction as you airbrush.
This gives a great effect.

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Step 10: The final step in the smoke is a Step 11: With white, I create a stipple Step 12: With a little black, the cracked
little black to cast the drop-shadow effect to mimic stone. bullet hole works well with stone, wood,
against the background. Remember, concrete, or pretty much any surface
less is more and you’ll end up with a that tends to crack on impact.
photo-realistic smoke effect.

Step 13: A few cracks between existing Step 14: The white highlights really punch Step 15: On the same stippled stone
bullet holes adds to the effect. the edge to top off a great technique. background, I use the shotgun section
of the stencil to demonstrate a nice blast
pattern with the black.

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Circle Reader Service no. 6 Circle Reader Service no. 2

Step 16: Here’s where your freehand Step 17: And what the heck is a buck-shot Step 18: Last but not least is the
skills pay off. It’s a pain, but these little blast without a little furling smoke. spiderwebbed window effect. I added
highlights are great up close and Again, the individual edges of the a bit of white first to make it pop, and
personal. stencil allow the realistic smoke effect. I then sprayed the radial pattern with
taped off sections to render the smoke black basecoat.
cleanly from the individual holes.

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Step 19: With the black finished, a little Step 20: The final step and stencil trick As you can see, there are quite a few
freehanding brings out the small are, as usual, the highlights. These uses for this little stencil: rendering
spiderweb cracks, and really completes small random highlights give the photorealistic bullet holes on the side of
the design. I imagine this stencil haphazard look of reflecting safety your bike, tricking out a friends leather
could also help in rendering a glass; exactly what I was going for. jacket, or even hiding a few flaws in a
spiderweb. paintjob, and much more. The Bullet
Ridden stencil from FX-1 is definitely a
must for any kustom painter’s arsenal.

In the next installment of this column, we’ll introduce the Craig Fraser, author of Automotive Cheap Tricks and Special F/X, has been
much anticipated arrival of Artool’s new Kustom Kulture airbrushing for nearly two decades. The owner and operator of Air
stencils. If you have any comments, suggestions, or Syndicate, Fraser has also been the in-house airbrush artist and designer for
requests, please submit them to Craig Fraser at Kal Koncepts since 1992. Located in Bakersfield, Calif., Kal Koncepts/Air
Syndicate specializes in custom graphics, automotive airbrush, and the fine
[email protected] (Heck…why do you think I did the
art of the custom culture. Craig divides his time between working in his
Bullet Ridden stencil out of sequence!?! Until next time,
shop, writing magazine articles, and instructing. He has also appeared in a
number of instructional videos, and is credited with pioneering the original
Paint to live, live to paint…and sometimes automotive custom paint workshop for the Airbrush Getaway more than 10
with stencils! years ago. Craig works directly with a number of manufacturers to develop
new and innovative custom paint products. You can check out his artwork at
Fraser www.gotpaint.com.

AIRBRUSH GETAWAY SEMINAR

Craig Fraser’s Kustom Master Series
Four-Day Automotive Kustom Class
The only constant in the custom industry is the need to change. To help you adapt
and excel, this new four-day automotive custom painting workshop offers elite-level
sessions geared toward special effects and specialized techniques using the latest
tools and materials. Not restricted to murals or graphics, this workshop caters to the
painter as an artistic technician. The methods taught here can be incorporated into
any aspect of custom painting. Craig Fraser will guide you through a number of
the newest and most innovative trends in the custom culture , including painting with
chrome, Kameleon pearls, the latest House of Kolor products, and more. You’ll also
learn about spray equipment, how to marry stencil, and free-hand, and loose-mask
painting as a complete system. And in addition to the new, Fraser will reinvent the
old, reviving forgotten techniques modified to work with today’s products.
Locations and dates:

For more details see pages 40-48, or call 800-232-8998 Las Vegas - September 12-15, 2005
and February 7-10, 2006

24 AIRBRUSH ACTION / MAY-JUNE 2005