# What do you use to paint enclosures?



## Pauleo1214 (Apr 28, 2022)

I just completed a Stockade overdrive in a pre-painted enclosure. I want to do some hand drawn art on the enclosure and wondered what others on the forum used to do this. Links to products would be helpful! Thank you!


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## benny_profane (Apr 28, 2022)

For hand drawn stuff, I typically use posca paint pens and finish with with Montana clear spray.


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## jeffwhitfield (Apr 28, 2022)

I use Sharpies and then clear coat it with some clear semi-gloss spray. The semi-gloss is really only used to insure that the Sharpie doesn't get smudged off. Pretty effective.


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## szukalski (Apr 28, 2022)

Posca PC-1MR is my go-to. Any other is just too big to be useful for anything except niche art.

Then sealed with clearcoat, at least 2 good layers. I typically do 3 outside in the sun, waiting 30-40 mins between coats.


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## vigilante398 (Apr 28, 2022)

I'm not an artist so I use computers for my artwork, but I will add another emphasis that you will want to clearcoat over it to protect it. Make sure your clear coat doesn't interact with the art tool though, I've used clearcoats that make sharpie run and another one that seemed to melt acrylic paint and made it look sloppy.


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## benny_profane (Apr 28, 2022)

vigilante398 said:


> another one that seemed to melt acrylic paint and made it look sloppy.


A good trick here is a very light ‘flash’ as the first coat. It’s quick-drying and prevents reactivating paint and making it run on subsequent coats. To reiterate you point, ensuring chemical compatibility is key as well.


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## Pauleo1214 (Apr 28, 2022)

Ditto on the clear coating and compatibility with the medium. I was wondering what brand paint pens people had success with.


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## swelchy (Apr 29, 2022)

Literally just left the sink putting this waterslide on.... I use gimp for working up the art... I steal clip art best I can and modify it to my needs... add text viola... print with injet waterslide and top coat with gloss Mohawk lacquer a few decent coats..


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## jjjimi84 (Apr 29, 2022)

I use posca paint pens and various paints and brushes. My go to is using an airbrush with enamel paints to do backgrounds and then i clear coat it and then hand paint with acrylic paint.


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## Feral Feline (May 1, 2022)

@jjjimi84 Do you ever add another clear-coat after you've finished the hand-painted acrylics?


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## jjjimi84 (May 1, 2022)

Feral Feline said:


> @jjjimi84 Do you ever add another clear-coat after you've finished the hand-painted acrylics?


I did one time but it ruined the hand painted image because I used clear coat enamel. I have yet to see the hand painted image get too beat up it is usually the background on the sides and corners that takes the beating. 

Plus my method does not lend itself to doing another clear coat after the final image is painted. As some of you may know I live in a winter hellscape called Wisconsin, so come fall (Late August-early September) I drill about 30 enclosures and take them outside for the primer coat. Then they get put on a rack in my basement until I get around to doing the background art. 

When I do pull out the airbrush, I get about 3-5 done at a time and will hit them with clear coat inside when no one will be home so it can air out, ish. Once that is done the finished enclosure goes on a different shelf in my office where it taunts me mercilessly until I actual build it. THEN it sit on one of the shelves you see in my videos until I letter it. Once lettered it finds a nice comfy spot on the lettered portion of the shelf, which as of writing, has 28 other pedals on it. They all wait for the idea to pop in my head and a sticky note to be placed underneath it. Now from there it is anywhere from one week to six months before I paint it. Occasionally one will get done all in one day but that is rare, currently have a half painted reverb pedal staring at me. 

With my work schedule and filming editing schedule the hand painting has taken a bit of a back seat and with the method I build to put another clear coat on I would have to take the whole thing apart and blast it on there. 

Which I have done, but I have found that with epoxy coats it takes away from the detail of an image and with certain clear coats I will have less than stellar results since I use enamels for the backgrounds and acrylics for the lettering and images. 

Lets do a video about this, what do you all think? A video discussing my method and hand painting and what not? I really want to show off some of the shitty art that doesn't get seen.


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## Feral Feline (May 1, 2022)

Man, I have a whole new mega-level of appreciation for what you make look so easy, as you seem to seamlessly pump out pedal after pedal, video after video. 






Bravo, Bravo! An extraordinary pedal-painting procedure!


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## jjjimi84 (May 1, 2022)

Feral Feline said:


> Man, I have a whole new mega-level of appreciation for what you make look so easy, as you seem to seamlessly pump out pedal after pedal, video after video.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks mate, its all for the love of the game. 

Certainly aint making no money or getting any chicks.


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## benny_profane (May 1, 2022)

jjjimi84 said:


> Certainly aint making no money or getting any chicks.


Yeah, but what about all the internet dudes that think you’re cool?


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## jjjimi84 (May 1, 2022)

benny_profane said:


> Yeah, but what about all the internet dudes that think you’re cool?


Dudes think I am cool? Well now we are getting somewhere!


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## szukalski (May 1, 2022)

You’re leaving a legacy and leading a culture!


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