Someone wants a couple words painted On a wall maybe thirty feet long, Directly on a building with a sort of rough masonry. It seems fairly solid, as in little pieces don't seem like they would fall off if masked. How would you guys hardly this, these days ? 1) OLD SCHOOL... just put the pattern on the wall, (pounce or opaque) Cut in the edges, fill in the middle of letters with a brush. 2) just cut masking on the computer, apply to wall, Use hair dryer on masking and press down well into crevices... Touching up and small overspray area... ..hoping background paint layers withstand removal of masking....test first of course! 3) Spray liquid paint mask on wall, cut pattern, spray or roll
[ April 25, 2014, 08:45 AM: Message edited by: shon lenzo ]
Posted by Curt Stenz (Member # 82) on :
Old school. You don't want to mess with masking on anything that big or unpredictable. This sounds like it would be fun and I urge you to enjoy it, these don't come around much anymore.
Being thirty feet long I would make a scale drawing and snap horizontal lines and layout directly on the wall with charcoal. Unless it is a complicated logo or something similar you most likely do not need a pattern.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
at 30 foot long....you dont say how tall.......but iam guessing maybe 24-36" tall letters. use a simple block style letter, preferably with no slant, makes it easier. will it have a shadow? layout on the computer at full size. so you can see where the letters lay and find center, work to right, then do the left. i would split it again into 1/2 of the 1/2 or quarters, draw letters on to building. i would use 1-SHOT/RONAN or a good high gloss oil paint. just make sure the area you are going to paint has a good base coat.....find a good straight edge the highth of the letters and lay it out ...all straight letters first, sorta compass the C's, S's O's P's & R's. remember to make the round letters a tad taller then the straight...if you dont the rounded will look smaller when your done. cut in with a good fitch or i have used those foam throw away brushes or rough surfaces with good results. hope its in BLACK, cause most other colors are gona take 2 coats for sure. once you got the edges cut in, fill it with a 3-4" roller, or a 3-4" house painting brush. DO NOT THIN you paint anymore then needed. get it to thin, and it wont last. here is a photo of a old ford dealership near where i grew up. we bought a 1953 ford from here, i was 8 years old when this pic taken, so i did not paint this.)))) this is why i say straight letters.make this easy... [IMG][/IMG]
[ April 25, 2014, 10:50 AM: Message edited by: old paint ]
Posted by Len Mort (Member # 7030) on :
I agree with Curt all the way.
Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
I did a concrete wall, not long ago, and used latex on it. I did the outline of the letters with a foam brush, and filled them in with a 3" roller. The stroke of the letters was around 5-6 inches wide.
The latex covered good, and I'm fairly certain it won't fade/bleach out as quickly as regular sign paint would. It's also more run-resistant and dries faster.
Posted by Ricardo Davila (Member # 3854) on :
Shon,
SHORT ANSWER:--
POUNCED PATTERN ON THE WALL, OIL BASE PAINT, FITCH AND CUTTER....OR, IF THE LETTER STROKES ARE WIDE ENOUGH, USE A MOHAIR, SHORT NAP, 3 INCH ROLLER, TO FILL INSIDE OF THE STROKES.
LONG ANSWER:--
1_ What is the height of the wall, from the ground level?
2_ What is the total length of the copy of the sign?
3_ At what height, from the ground level, is the bottom of the copy of the sign?
Once you have the answers to these questions, I would make an accurate scale drawing of the sign area, on the wall, and, then, I would incorporate the sign copy on the scale drawing....which, automatically, will allow you to determine the size of the letters, length of the overall sign and/or the size of anything else inside of that scale drawing.
Now,that you know how the sign is going to look like, on the wall, by looking at your scale drawing, and the space that it will occupy,on the wall, you can decide whether you want to transfer the copy, directly, from your scale drawing to the wall.
...or, you could choose to draw a vertical center line on the center of the wall and, also, on your scale drawing and, then, make a transparency of your art work and project it on the wall, by matching the two vertical lines.
Once the copy is laid out, on the wall, whether with charcoal or pencil ( depending on the roughness of the surface of the wall ), I would cut the letters with a fitch or a cutter, depending on the width of the strokes, an fill the inside, either with a cutter or a short nap, felt, 3 inch roller.
If you are going to use latex paint, get the right fitch and/or cutter for latex ( china short bristle ) or if you are going to use oil base paint, then, get a short bristle fitch for oil base paint and a good cutter for oil base paint.
GOOD LUCK, SHON!
RD
[ April 25, 2014, 04:10 PM: Message edited by: Ricardo Davila ]
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
And remember ... the higher that you have to go to do the job ... the higher the price!
Big difference in price between standing on the ground and having to climb to get it painted!
Posted by Preston McCall (Member # 351) on :
I have done a number of these for car dogs. I use Sherwinn Williams metal latex (or the replacement they sell today...metal latex is still available, though) It is grossy and holds up well on any masonry. Got one up now that is 15 years old and even the red is still bright.
Amazingly, I use a roller...a fluffy 3/4 nap roller. With concrete block or brick, it does a fine job of making a decent edge. I go back with a 2" latex brush and tuck the corners as bit, but I use the roller mostly. Easier to pull straight lines and it speeds things way up compared to a brush. Using a manlift is easy, but be careful. Just because it can go way out extended, the wigglewoggle will give you quite a thrill. Go back down and move it as needed and do not take the chance of dropping a bucket of paint from 30 feet up...or yourself. Always good to have some of the background color as well for any heres-and-theres for drips and mistakes.
Try the roller trick and you will be amazed how fast it goes....that is if the letters are at least 3" wide per stroke. For smaller stuff, I try to avoid them. Easier to use vinyl on attached dibond for the areas where small lettering goes.
Preston is right on! Rollers are the way to go! These were done on asphalt (same technique on a wall). 1200 sq. ft. Zippo painting took 1.5 hours after layout was down.
Posted by Ricardo Davila (Member # 3854) on :
Hey, Paisano, have not heard from you in quite some time.....That is some kick ass work, you got there......Nice and beautiful gig !...Outstanding!!
Tony, I know the rollers are the way to go..... for an experienced "handler", like you.........But, the man is asking as if he had never done this kind of work, before......So, why not start him with the basic and simple old school method?........When walls were lettered with fitches and cutters, most of the time.
You know that when you are lettering on a wall, with a roller ( especiallly, when the wall is in the vertical position.....not on the pavement ),if you press too hard, on the wall, with that roller, you take the chance of squeezing the paint out of the roller and it will run down on the wall....especially if the paint has not been thinned properly....and that paint is going to land,exactly, where you don`t want it. All it takes is one wrong squeeze, to ruin a wall job. So, why tempt the devil?
Of course, the rollers are the way to go, if you are an experienced handler of the roller........Don‘t ask me how I know, please.
Just trying to help...
RD
P.S.--- Love that green tape for walls.
[ April 29, 2014, 01:13 PM: Message edited by: Ricardo Davila ]
Posted by shon lenzo (Member # 1364) on :
Thanks, everyone. Yes, I am experienced. Have painted signs 'old school' since 1982, And also use computer, etc. There are several ways this could be done, as seen in the replies. I thank you all for your insights in this matter. One thing I will say, is that for spray applications, cheap.... Krylon spray paint, in cans is very under rated. I know this seems like 'ghetto tech' But on a few cheap jobs I did try this stuff. It dries in 15 minutes, and also will stick to vinyl or about anything.,..but, I am not using that here. I had one (krylon fade on vinyl) in Seattle done that way, it looked great for at least 15 years. You can't ask for much more than that. But, usually, yes, I use oil based paint, cut in the edges, and roll or paint the centers. The roller tech does sound quite good. My hand is steady enough to paint the sign painters test... 'FOR SALE" I say, if you can paint that perfectly by hand, You know your stuff. At least the beginning of hand painting lettering. That was my test in a sign shop in 1982. I thought it would be super easy, after all, I was an ILLUSTRATOR and a SERIOUS ARTIST , not a mere sign man. I learned a lot of respect then. Sign guys, REALLY know how to use the brush, with accuracy...and I have become one of them over the years. Also, I do appreciate all suggestion.. I definitely am aware that round letters are above and below the line. I guess I do ask in the most basic terms, Because I do not take for granted that I know everything.
[ April 30, 2014, 06:30 AM: Message edited by: shon lenzo ]
Posted by shon lenzo (Member # 1364) on :
Nice work, everyone! Thanks for the suggestions!
Posted by shon lenzo (Member # 1364) on :
One other thing....this masonry has blocks that are rough cut, have a sort if 'chipped' texture, and the stones bulge in the middle....not like painting on flat cement or asphalt...
Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
I learned to do my basic sign painting on rough stucco walls in Florida, with inexpensive fitches, about 2 or 3 inch width.
worked well!
Posted by Ricardo Davila (Member # 3854) on :
