Not happy with my painting technique

[adk hunter]

Best I've found…

 

[southpa]

I did this recently. I feel like less is more and I recommend seas sponges. I like more of a swipe than a dab myself. My daughter helped me so it didn't turn out exactly the way I'd have hoped but it was fun for us.
4-5 coats of flat black, let cure for 24 hours, then did my sponge job and then 4-5 coats of flat clear.

 

[stazmania]

I would rather have the paint jobs shown on this post by forum members than most of the commercial offering I've seen. Good job. I will have to try my hand with a couple of odd colored stocks I used on builds because of price or availability. Thanks to all that posted pics.

 

[lancetkenyon]

This stock only had the Olive spots from Manners. I added the grey and light green, plus a matte clear coat.

This stock only had the Dk grey from Manners. My buddy wanted a LOT of orange, and some lighter grey spots.

This was originally a Manners GAP camo, but there was a lot of black left. So I added the darker tan and the lighter sage green to fill in some of that black. Then matte clear overcoat.

This had the Manners Tan/grey. I added the orange for some "pop" on these next two rifles.

I have a bunch of rattle can paint jobs too, if you want reference.

 

[drabdrew]

Cheap natural sponges on Amazon. Gives the least consistent patch of paint making it look fantastic and not cookie cutter blotches.

 

[William W.]

Go to Hobby Lobby and buy their sponges. Build up the finish in a 3-D effect by a layer of sponged top coat, a sponged layer of your bottom coat and then a modest sponge coat of your top layer. While orange is not a camo color, please consider that a deer "sees" your rifle against your required blaze orange vest.

 

[skipglo]

The left side of your stock I think....looks real good....the right side you went too small and too aggressive.....but I suggest you hold it closer to that nice T/A parked there.....and give it a good long spray with the O/D green paint!

 

[wdrjr]

I'm trying to figure out how to do a decent camo paint job for my new rifle. I tried sponge painting and a Bob Ross approach with dabbing a round brush but I'm not really happy with either one. I'm trying to get close to something like a Manners sponge paint like the one I have a picture of but can't seem to get the bigger blotches. I tried trimming the natural sponge into different shapes but it's just not working out. I tried different pressures but if I press too hard it turns into a smudge and too light it's more like speckled. Any advice on how to get closer to a Manners?

I like it.

 

[Blacklab1]

This stock only had the Olive spots from Manners. I added the grey and light green, plus a matte clear coat.
View attachment 599907
View attachment 599908

This stock only had the Dk grey from Manners. My buddy wanted a LOT of orange, and some lighter grey spots.
View attachment 599909
View attachment 599910

This was originally a Manners GAP camo, but there was a lot of black left. So I added the darker tan and the lighter sage green to fill in some of that black. Then matte clear overcoat.

View attachment 599911
View attachment 599912

This had the Manners Tan/grey. I added the orange for some "pop" on these next two rifles.
View attachment 599913
View attachment 599916
View attachment 599917
View attachment 599915


I have a bunch of rattle can paint jobs too, if you want reference.

That's the look I'm going for but can't get it right. I bought natural sponges from Amazon but the pattern ether ends up real small or a big smear. Would you mind sharing a picture of the sponges and the size you use?

 

[Blacklab1]

Exactly this.
Get the natural sponges from a craft store and soak them in water to soften them.
Pick out some different irregular shapes and sizes.
Practice on the cardboard first!
I added a clear coat after the sponge paint to protect it. Attached photo is before clear coat.
Good news is you can just paint that stock black and start again.

Ahh no one ever mentioned about soaking them in water to soften them up first. That may be the trick I'm looking for.

 

[coueskiller43]

Don't need to soak them overnight. It just like a kitchen sponge. It's soft almost instantly.

 

[Rick Richard]

Might be informative to list the paint brand or type being used on some of these paint jobs. My experience is that most "rattle can" paints are effected by barrel cleaning products and leave a gummy mess. Just my experience anyway.

 

[lancetkenyon]

That's the look I'm going for but can't get it right. I bought natural sponges from Amazon but the pattern ether ends up real small or a big smear. Would you mind sharing a picture of the sponges and the size you use?

Just the natural sea sponges available from a craft or art store. I cut them into smaller pieces so I don't waste an entire sponge. Find one with some good texture and holes.

Foe sponge paint jobs, I use model paint like Testors or Tamiya. There are some other high end brands too.

I use rattle cans for other camo jobs though.

 

[crazymonkey]

Might be informative to list the paint brand or type being used on some of these paint jobs. My experience is that most "rattle can" paints are effected by barrel cleaning products and leave a gummy mess. Just my experience anyway.

I went with the model paints and clear that was recommended by Lance . His stocks look cool. The testers paint was just a few bucks at hobby lobby and a can of rustoleum from home depot. I had a old stock for practice and color selection before I committed to my stock.