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There are many choices available for painting a desired pattern onto lures. An airbrush is most favored. For occasional painting, you can inexpensively obtain an airbrush with canned propellant. For some applications, even aerosol paint can work out. A few items are necessary for painting, including airbrush paint thinner and acetone (for clean-up). |
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For this demonstration, an airbrush powered by compressed air will be used. The amount of pressure to operate an airbrush is very low, about 10-15 psi. However, with the variety of airbrushes available, it is impossible to give universal instruction. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines, and practice! |
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Now we continue with our Rebel Jumpin' Minnow project from the last chaper (see CH2). The sides have been foiled, and the entire lure has two epoxy coats - ready for painting. Begin with the lure bottom. |
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Apply a paper "drop cloth" above the lure, and spray the desired amount of paint onto the paper. To avoid unexpected spatter, never begin to spray directly onto the lure. |
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"Walk" the spray down the lure vertically. It may take several coats to provide full coverage. Start with a narrow spray stream, and with subsequent coats widen it. |
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A couple more well directed passes are needed to blend the paint over the foil. A vertical line is still visible where the foil terminated. |
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After the bottom is coated satisfactorily, move to the top side. Again, the areas where the foil terminated must be well coated in paint, as well as any prominent wrinkles in the foil. |
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The initial passes are narrow and concentrated on covering the foil edges. Subsequent passes can now be sprayed "lighter" and wider. |
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The desired effect is to blend the paint with the foil, leaving a "transition zone", where the foil is "frosted" with paint. Both black and white are very difficult colors to work with, as they show flaws easily. Developing this effect will take some practice. The epoxy coating is impervious to Acetone, which is a good solvent for wiping clean the paint and starting over, if necessary. |
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Being a proven saltwater bait, this lure will be painted to resemble a juvenile Speckled Trout (Spotted Sea Trout). A spot pattern is quickly added by dabbing a small drop of paint with a rigid wire. An alternate method is to lay a clear sheet of plastic over the lure, mark the desired pattern, drill holes in the plastic template, and then spray through. However, in order to get a concentrated, pronounced spot, the dabbing method is prefered. |
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Now is a good time to autograph the lure. There are no others exactly like it. It is now a custom lure deserving of such recognition. A No. 2 pencil works well, and will not smear with the next epoxy coat. As shown in CH1, the lure must be coated with epoxy (this is the 3rd coat). However, with this coat, a little glitter was mixed in to add more flash. |
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After the epoxy coat has sealed the paint, it is time to add the eyes. They could have simply been painted before epoxy coating, but we desire this project to have the "MirrOlure" look. Some beads were found at a local craft store. They are red, prism shaped and have a reflective backing. A dab of black paint to the center of the bead gives a good iris effect. |
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Recessing the eyes into an eyeball socket will make these oversize eyes fit well and appear more natural. First, mark the location of the eyes. Then with an assortment of burr tools the eye socket can be machined. For this application, only the first three epoxy coats and foil were uncovered, exposing the original plastic exterior. Attach the eyes with super glue. |
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The third epoxy coat, being mixed with glitter left a rough exterior. For this reason, and for sealing the eyes, one more epoxy coat (4th) should be added, as instructed in CH1. |
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The "bug eyes" turned out well, as well for the new lure appearance. The glitter brought out a green hue in the black paint and a pearl hue in the white. |
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You can further customize lures by adding text or images. Simply print (inkjet or laser) onto a transparency, and trim as necessary. Add the decals during the third coat (with signature). Apply a layer of epoxy to the lure, place the decal, and add more epoxy over it. Check frequently, as the decal will migrate until the epoxy starts to harden. The fourth final epoxy coat will further seal the decal in place. This lure is deserving of a special name - introducing M.O.A.B. 1, the "Mother Of All Baits", that is. |
| Next Chapter - Replace a broken lip. Go To CH 4 | |
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(since 11/29/03) |
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- Presented for Alamo Area Anglers - |
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Copyright © 2003 River City Tackle Crafters. This copyright grants reproduction for personal, non-commercial use only. |
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