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  1. #1
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    Hardbait Color Book

    Since there seems to be some interest, here goes:

    This is a demo of painting a white crappie pattern on a LuckyCraft FatCB.

    The airbrush used is a Harbor Freight special, the paints are Kustom Shop urethanes. Everything I am showing can also be done with water-based paints like Createx.

    First, our reference photo, this is on the screen of my IPhone under my bench so I can refer to it as I paint:




    Next, make sure your work area is scrupulously clean



    The body has had the factory finish removed, coated in adhesion promoter, white and then a couple light coats of pearl white.



    The first color is a light pass of candy yellow/gold coming up from the tail and a hint along the cheek.



    Next, I mix a green from the same yellow and a blue candy with a touch of black, trying to get it a little on the bluer side. I very lightly establish the stripes along the back.



    Next, I paint down the stripes, fading them out at about the center line. I also start working a little more around the eye and gill.



    I now take the previous color and make it much darker and bluer. This is the last color needed to complete the pattern. I paint a ton of little dots along the stripes and continuing down a little past them, and a few more on the belly and gill.



    Using a stencil, I shade very lightly under the gill plate to give it a little dimension. Go easy here, a little goes a long way




    The color I've been using is plenty dark enough in mass tone to do the ear, so that comes next.



    Now I just move around the bait, gently darkening areas until I think it looks like a fish. I put the eyes in and lightly shade them as well. This really helps unify them into the bait and keep them from looking so stuck on.



    Then it's three coats of 2-part urethane and up on the rack until morning



    And then our finished bait



    I hope this was of some interest. Who's gonna post the next one?

    Happy fishing!


  2. Member
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    #2

    Re: White Crappie painting demo (tomsljr)

    Since you mentioned it, here's a picture of that punkin'. I kinda liked how it came out.


  3. Member
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    #3

    Re: White Crappie painting demo (tomsljr)

    First for a paint list. Base coat white, purple, chart. ,orange, medium bass green, shimmering blue ,shimmering purple , shimmering gold , shimmering blue green , red , black. I used Lacquer paint. It can be bought at taxidermy .com
    The shimmering colors are pearls.
    First a white base coat.


    Next some purple chart. and orange


    Add a few medium bass green stripes shot through a comb then add some green to the back




    Next I add some shimmering blue pearl over the orange. The bottom bait is before the pearl and the top is with the blue pearl. The pearls are hard to catch with a camera.


    Next I add smimmering purple on the shoulders. Right bait is before the pearl left bait is after.


    Next is shimmering gold scales shot through a minnow net. Top bait with scales bottom bait without.


    Next a little shimmering blue green on the back. right bait before, left bait after.


    Then red gills shot over tape. Spray the paint half on the tape and half off.

    A black body dot.

    Almost done. Just add some eyeballs and 2 part urathane clear coat.

    And the last but not least the best photo I have of this color.



  4. Member
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    #4

    Re: Hardbait Color Book (tomsljr)

    Ok I throw this one out, not as hard for someone to think out as the first 2(theirs were awesome mines a little generic ) but maybe it will help someone new to painting also I don't have pics of the process but will on the next one I post.
    Original Tennesee shad(along the lines of the old balsa b's and bombers)

    White basecoat
    Pearl white body
    Black the back and shoulders
    Scale Gold over entire back and sholders covering all black
    Come back with black across center of back
    Orange center of belly or not I have seen this both ways
    Shad spot side of bait(opt)



    These are createx paint, Iwata brush, 40psi

  5. Member
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    #5

    Re: Hardbait Color Book (Ky 521)

    Ok...here is sexy shad. Its a very easy paint job and a very popular color

    Pearl white body
    Transparent medium gray scales on shoulders and back
    Transparent caribbean blue on the back of the bait.......fade it down the sides just a touch
    Shad spot on the side of the bait
    Transparent brite yellow stripe down the side
    Flourescent orange under the bill or throat area of the bait
    Mist pearl white over the entire lure to tone down the colors a bit.




    Modified by mercury97 at 7:11 PM 12/19/2010

  6. Member shaggy1081's Avatar
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    #6

    Re: Hardbait Color Book (mercury97)

    Sexy Shad Painting Demo

    Primer the bait then base coat white

    Wrap the bait in mesh

    spray grey just on the top half

    then take off net and spray the back a light blue

    add your black dot i use a stencil

    then your line i use a sharpie for this


    Then clear the bait





    Modified by shaggy1081 at 8:06 AM 2/27/2010

  7. Member PII Magnum's Avatar
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    #7

    Re: Hardbait Color Book (shaggy1081)

    I hope this helps some people pic's are not very good sorry

    to start with I primered a clear blank



    I then came back in and base coated a yellow createx



    To start the joint pattern I use the lid from one of my storage jars



    I use the lid for the frist joint and from there back I use a pop sickle stick makes a nice pattern



    Once I get both sides joints painted I spray a orange on the belly



    and then come back and put the joints on the belly



    for the back I put a hunter green on the back and fade it down the side just a trace



    come back and layer a copper brown over the green not totally covering the green, but just enough so you can still see the green color.



    add what ever color of eyes you want and you are done



    I know this might be hard to follow but it is really pretty simple

    Cheaper to keep a kid in tourney fishing than paying attorneys to keep them out of jail !!

  8. whittler
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    #8

    Re: Hardbait Color Book (tomsljr)

    One of my favorite techniques is light on dark, kind of a pain to do but I like the final results, sort of a snakeskin effect. All the paints will be waterbased and the one color that requires a really good paint is the white, highly reccomend Wildlife Colors/Smith paint touch-up white. This paint job also requires two sizes of mesh be used.

    1. Starting with a sealed and primed bait shoot coat of white over the entire bait, heat set, plus I also like to dry at least 2hrs. before going on.
    2. Paint over the back and 3/4 of the way down the sides with Opaque black. Heat set.
    3. Using the larger scaled mesh wrap the bait and shoot with a coat of touch-up white. This paint has more pigment than standard white and will cover the black with one coat.
    4. Remove the mesh and spray from the belly up to clean up any areas of black overspray, plus I like a pure white belly on most lures, makes the bending of colors easier. Heat set.
    5. Here You can start with whatever colors you like but on this bait it was shot with a very light coat of transparent green. Heat set.
    6. Now strech the finer scale mesh over the bait and spray with transparent yellow, building the color up slowly. Remove the mesh. Heat set
    7. Using a transparent light blue, very slowly spray the upper half of the bait, the blue blended with the yellow will start giving you your second green value, This coat can be blended up untill you are satisfied with the final color. Heat set
    8. At this point I will usually spray a little darker color across the back, blending it with the lower colors, also if you want a little darker color behind the eyes now is the time. Heat set.
    9. The gills are shot through a stencil along with the fins. On the fins I shoot a very light yellow background then just darken the edges with orange. The throat is sprayed with Flo. orange. Heat set. The rays on the fins are done with a pencil. The black dot and the eyes are done with pencil erasers.
    10. Sign and date and your ready for your top coat.



  9. Member
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    #9

    Re: Hardbait Color Book (tomsljr)

    Well, here goes another demo. I warn you that this one can get a little tough. You don't have to do everything the way I do, and there will be steps you can skip. If you enjoy standing in the yard beating your head against the swingset, this is the pattern for you.

    We are going to be doing a pumpkin seed. Here is the reference photo:



    Here are the lures we are going to be painting on:



    After sanding, priming in white, coating in pearl white and shooting metallic silver on the back and fading down the sides we have this:



    Our first color is a bright transparent yellow green, shot on the back and fading down to about the mid line.



    Next part is were it starts getting tricky. A transparent dark brownish green is mixed up. We shoot pairs of thin stripes down along the sides, taking them about half to two thirds of the way.



    Next we shoot a billion little dots along those stripes, working in a zig-zag pattern. This is hard, not gonna lie. Thin your paint, then thin it some more. Work with the pressure as low as you can go. Removing the crown cap on your brush can help too.



    After you have done this and had a beer or two, it's time to carry on. Using the same green from the stripes and dots, darken along the back and the upper part of the gill area. Put a few more dots on the gill for the hell of it.



    Now for an easy bit. Shoot some orange on the belly. Don't go crazy here, we will be doing more to this later.



    Now lets shoot some thinned down transparent blue along the shoulder and the mid part of the gill. The blue along the shoulder is to make the yellow we shot in the first step turn a bright green. Again, tread lightly here.



    Hope you're rested, cause now it's time for more dots. Mix up a red-orange, and continue the stripes down from above with this color. Pop some around the lower part of the gill. If you need to, go get more beer.



    Here's what happened between the orange dots and the beer and the next photo: I have shot everything with a mid-coat clear. Those using the acrylic based paints can skip that. I covered the bait with netting and gave it a light coat of translucent white pearl. Then I shadowed under the gill, put on the ear and darkened around the under side of the eye with thinned black.



    Now all we have to do is take a brush and put a little red at the end of the ear (I know you were all waiting for that part)



    Now put in some eyes (I shoot mine a transparent dark brown), give it some nice shiny stuff on top and let 'em dry. Here is a shot of this batch drying, I will post a better shot when I have one all put together.



    So there you have it, a pumpkin seed.


  10. Member
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    #10

    Re: Hardbait Color Book (tomsljr)

    <u>This was submitted by Rob aka Bassakwards</u>....


    Here's how I foil. The baits being used are my Famous Lake Monroe Pin Fish baits. Up until now they were My Secrete Lk Monroe P.F. Baits

    I start off with an old Devils Horse.


    Clean it up


    Whittle it down to Pin fishy-ness


    Glue some foil down, I use a glue stick, shinney side out


    Wrap it tight


    Burnish out the wrinkles


    I use a ratchet handle to roll the impressions in the foil


    Finish....Flavor to taste


    Some times I'll put a lace or garlic bag glued down first


    Wrap the foil over the lace and press down hard


    Flavor to taste






  11. Member Fishwhittler's Avatar
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    #11

    Re: Hardbait Color Book

    Here's a Warmouth pattern I came up with. The bait is one I made myself out of PVC, styled after the Lucky Craft RC and BDS series crankbaits.

    The colors you'll need (All of these are Createx paints):

    Opaque White
    Opaque Black
    Transparent Black
    Pearl Satin Gold
    Pearl Silver
    Opaque Yellow
    Fluorescent Sunburst
    Transparent Dark Brown
    Fluorescent Purple & Blue, or Pearl Purple

    First, lay down a white base coat. The belly is sprayed pearl silver, and fade the silver part way up the sides.



    Spray the rest of the bait with Pearl Satin Gold.



    The back is Transparent Dark Brown. I like to leave some residue from the gold paint in the bowl to get a very slight gold accent in the brown. You can't tell much when the bait is done, but I do it anyway.



    I spray stripes on the sides through scale mesh using the same brown as the back.



    Add two or three drops of transparent black to the brown to get a darker shade. Use the scale mesh again to spray a slightly darker pattern over the stripes. I also spray dark scales on the shoulders, and then cover the rest of the back with the darker brown.



    Use Opaque Yellow to spray the gill plate through a stencil. Here's the stencil I use:



    And the resulting paint:


    Spray the throat Fluorescent Sunburst, and spray some head details using Opaque Black.



    Hang in there, we're almost done. Now mix some Fluorescent Purple and Fluorescent Blue with Pearl Silver to get a purple pearl color (or just use Pearl Purple paint; I didn't have any so I mixed it myself). Spray scales on the top of the head, and you can also use this color to mist the sides of the head <u>very</u> lightly through scale mesh. All you want is a very slight accent, not a pronounced scale pattern.



    Now all that's left is eyes and topcoat. Here's the finished bait:





    I added a couple new pics.

    Thanks for reading. I hope you like it!

    Ben

    Modified by Fishwhittler at 10:01 AM 12/10/2010


    Modified by Fishwhittler at 10:02 AM 12/10/2010
    "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."- John 3:3

  12. Member
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    #12

    Re: Hardbait Color Book

    Sorry i don't have step-by-step pics, i don't have my camera with me. i will put step-by-step pics in sometime. till then...

    PALE BLUEGILL:

    **i am using Smith Wildlife Colors unless otherwise noted**

    step0: have a detailed reference photo close at hand. i used this one:



    step1: paint/prime the bait white

    step2: spray black down the back and onto the shoulders of the bait, about 1/4 the way down the sides

    step3: spray the belly and sides with a nice heavy coating of pearl white

    step4: netting over the bait. mix up Createx pearl silver and camouflage and lemon yellow in a ratio of 5:1:1. spray this through the netting onto the back/shoulders and fade down the sides so its just lightly visible near the belly.

    step5 (optional): apply an intermediate clear coat at this point, because it is easy to mess up the next steps, so you might want to wipe off any mistakes without ruining the paint underneath.

    step6: remove the netting and then re-apply it, making sure the holes don't line up with the scales you painted in step 4. mix up camouflage and marine blue in a ratio of 4:1. spray lightly through a comb or other stencil for your desired stripe pattern. lightly is key here, i can't tell you how many times i've had to start over because i sprayed the stripes too dark and it looked dumb. here i use a comb where i block off every third gap with hot glue to give a double stripe pattern.

    step7: lightly spray createx pearl copper around the chest/chin area.

    step8: remove netting. mix up metallic brass and camouflage in a ratio of 4:1. spray it heavy down the back and lightly on the shoulders/sides. somewhat heavier on the face.

    step9: mix camouflage and black in a ratio of 4:1 and, using a stencil (or freehand if you're that good), spray the gill. you can also spray this lightly around where the eye will go to give it some depth.

    step10: straight black for the gill spot.



    &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
    Modified by dsaavedra at 5:39 PM 4/27/2011


    Modified by dsaavedra at 9:13 PM 6/16/2011

  13. Member shaggy1081's Avatar
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    #13

    Re: Hardbait Color Book (Dave Ervin)

    This is a very popular pattern thought id show how its done

    First Sand and prime your blank i use krylon fusion

    Here are the paints im gonna use

    First color down is pearl blue

    Wrap it up in netting i use bath puffs use a little heat to draw it tight to the bait a hairdryer work best for this

    Pearl purple is applied here covering the blue

    Then add a little pearl gold to the gill area and top of the head

    This is what you have after that done the purple is hard to see in these pics

    On this bait i sprayed it white from lateral line down

    Kill spot added and eyeball shaded with black

    Gold stripe added use a stencil for this also sprayed over the white with pearl white


    Final product i added some glitter in with the epoxy may be hard to see



  14. Hawg Catcher!! Big Bass Man's Avatar
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    #14

    Re: Hardbait Color Book (tomsljr)

    Here is a step by step for painting a craw pattern. You can adjust different colors for different colored craws. This is a pattern I call "Purple Haze Crackle Craw"!!

    1st. Sanded and primed in Krylon Fusion


    2nd. Spray the back in deep purple color


    3rd. Spray a nice coat of Crackle Medium on the back, followed by Greenpumkin.




    4th. I mix orange with magneta for the belly color


    5th. Next I paint the craw patterns on the sides, in black. Draw out the pattern you like with a big sharpie, then cut out the pattern. Then you have a craw stencil that can be used many times!!


    6th. Next I spray a light coat of chartreuse on each cheek


    7th. Next I add greenpumkin dots to the cheek areas and electric blue dots to the rest of the sides


    8th. I add lines accross the belly in black, shot on the edge of a popcicle stick


    9th. Add the eyes you prefer and the clear, then hang on the drying wheel and you have the Purple Haze Crackle Craw!!




    I hope this helps with understanding craw painting. Good luck with your painting and be sure to post some pics!!

    Patrick

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    #15
    Pearl Threadfin


    1. Start with an opaque white base.
    2. Spray pearl silver on the back and sides.
    3. Use medium scale netting on the back.
    4. Use over thinned pearl blue to spray the upper 1/3 of the body, back and shoulders. Lighten the spray from nose to eyeline.
    5. Mist pearl gold over the nose/mouth area and around the eyes and gills.
    6. Mist purple over the nose & between the eyes. Very lightly mist the purple down the back…shade not color.
    7. Use small scale netting on the sides
    8. Spray pearl white over the sides staying below the blue scales. Reverse the netting and spray the belly.
    9. Remove the netting
    10. Use a line stencil & spray pearl gold. Keep the line even with top of eyes and tail hook hanger.
    11. Paint a black kill dot just behind the gill plate. Use a fine line stencil to spray a shadow over the gold lateral line.
    12. Optional: Lightly mist translucent black over the back from tail to head stopping before the gold across the head & eyes.

    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by boisarc; 01-29-2015 at 08:25 AM.

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