Painting on ripstop

[robotvox]

Great to meet you and your wife, LMG! Thanks again. Still don't know how you got that nickname, though?

So, now we have:
original image traced on kite, check.
masking tape, paint, and recycled brown bags for stenciling, check.
perfect backyard workspace, complete with no noisy racket of the neighbors fence building, um, not so much. ](*,) <-- imagine the wall is a fence, and the his head is the incessant hammering

Looks like I have to wait a day or two.

[robotvox]

Just past halfway finished with the first color. I spent four hours today masking, and two minutes painting.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robotvoice ... 736129648/

[Loscocco]

So your a Safeway Team rider now? =D> =D>

[robotvox]

haha
and coming soon, Trader Joe's Custom Kiteboards?

[robotvox]

This baby is ready to fly!

[Greg]

GREAT JOB!! =D> =D> =D> =D>
L.M.G. aka. LoudMouthGreg

[robotvox]

look, up in the sky, its a cartoon! :shock:

I definitely learned from some mistakes on this project. I didn't quite get the flatness I wanted on the green rays, came out a bit splotchy. Next time I would add very light coats and let it dry thoroughly in between coats. Also got some cool accidental effect of texturing on the tree, doing it in sections and the semi-wet paint crumbled with the bending kite, it came out cool looking. The translucency came out nice too, cant wait to see it in the air! Maui here I come! :supz: :partyman: :romance-hearteyes: :dance:

The next kite will be a simpler graphic design, I can't get crazy with colors since its a grey kite.

[thief]

i was contacted about the idea of painting on ripstop and wanted to put some more info out there (yes, i know that this is an OLD thread)....

Paint will wear & crack off fairly easily. Scott Hampton was mentioned in the OP and Scott uses Design Master Floral paints (some of his work is also used by DM to show the breadth of use of their stuff)....If you are lucky enough to get some of Scott's work he points out that you should never fold or stuff the skin....it should always be rolled....any folding or stuffing will crease the fabric and provide a point for the paint to come off...this is analogous to the idea that you are not supposed to refold a tent on the same lines everytime as you will crease off the waterproof coatings....

If you want a custom skin definitely look at getting one appliqued to your design. it might cost more than a few cans of paint, but it is going to look better much much longer....I would check out Windfire Designs for this. Tim and Ruth already are a full service repair shop of Paragliders and surfing kites, but they are top notch kite makers in their own right too....so...getting them to make something for you is perfect.

Good winds