Hyrdo dipping that ISN'T a swirl pattern

[Hollowway]

Has anyone seen any hydrodipping in anything other than swirl patterns? I'm thinking it might look cool if it were just large color blotches, or wavy stripes, etc.

 

[odibrom]

I like that Idea, but don't know of any example... maybe there are a few somewhere in this blue sphere...

 

[narad]

Ya, isn't that how they apply camo to gun stocks and stuff? Would be cool to do guitars in those finishes.

 

[tedtan]

It is, but that is usually a camo film floating on the water surface rather than paint.

 

[narad]

So there's a seam at some point? But otherwise could clear coat over it, like those Vai florals.

 

[Crungy]

Camo on guns, I've seen wheels for cars hydro dipped... It definitely does not have to be swirl.

 

[Crungy]

 

[StevenC]

As had been said, the hydro dipping on guns and car parts is a completely different technique to guitar swirling.

Hydro dipping is intended for wrapping complicated and irregular shapes in a single pattern, and has that pattern film floating on the surface of the water. That's what creates the intended regular pattern of faux carbon fibre etc.

Swirling is different in that the paint is just loose on the surface, which is what causes the huge variation in swirl patterns.

 

[narad]

Since the thread is hydro dipping that isn't swirls, seems like the right place? I'd like to see any of these patterns applied to a guitar body. The fake CF looked awesome on the wheel before they painted it.

 

[LiveOVErdrive]

I'd take a classical painting -wrapped guitar any day of the week.

 

[Crungy]

Since the thread is hydro dipping that isn't swirls, seems like the right place? I'd like to see any of these patterns applied to a guitar body. The fake CF looked awesome on the wheel before they painted it.

I'd love to try something like that, I have at least one guitar I'm going to experiment with this spring/summer.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

There are thousands of designs to choose from when it comes to actual hydrodipping from what I've seen. I've seen skulls, flowers, cf, holographic foil, camo patterns, and all kinds of other stuff.

It's kind of like vinyl wraps where there's basically anything you could think of.

just google hydrodipping film if you want to look at some of the options.

 

[Hollowway]

Yeah, so I'm not sure what the term is that separates hydro dipping of film transfers from hydro dipping into actual paint. I'm referring to actual paint on the surface of the water. But what I've seen is that everyone just does swirls. Typically, when one does a swirl, they add the paint to the water, and then use a toothpick or something to swirl it around. But what if, instead, you put the paint into the water (by pouring, not spraying) and made a pattern like stripes or something. Or one big blob in the middle of a different color. Or some other pattern. And then dip the guitar directly into it, without moving it side to side or in circles. In my mind, that could give some neat finishes. But I've never seen it. And I'm kind of bored with swirls, because they're everywhere.

 

[narad]

Yeah, so I'm not sure what the term is that separates hydro dipping of film transfers from hydro dipping into actual paint. I'm referring to actual paint on the surface of the water. But what I've seen is that everyone just does swirls. Typically, when one does a swirl, they add the paint to the water, and then use a toothpick or something to swirl it around. But what if, instead, you put the paint into the water (by pouring, not spraying) and made a pattern like stripes or something. Or one big blob in the middle of a different color. Or some other pattern. And then dip the guitar directly into it, without moving it side to side or in circles. In my mind, that could give some neat finishes. But I've never seen it. And I'm kind of bored with swirls, because they're everywhere.

Maybe, but I think the more structured your idea is (stripes) the less you want to leave it up to the semi-randomness of the liquid to apply it to the body. At some point it probably stops looking cool and random and starts looking like sloppy stripes? Some of the Vigier Rock Art looks like that though - more big blotches of color that's not so mixed together and swirled.

 

[Thesius]

Yeah, so I'm not sure what the term is that separates hydro dipping of film transfers from hydro dipping into actual paint. I'm referring to actual paint on the surface of the water. But what I've seen is that everyone just does swirls. Typically, when one does a swirl, they add the paint to the water, and then use a toothpick or something to swirl it around. But what if, instead, you put the paint into the water (by pouring, not spraying) and made a pattern like stripes or something. Or one big blob in the middle of a different color. Or some other pattern. And then dip the guitar directly into it, without moving it side to side or in circles. In my mind, that could give some neat finishes. But I've never seen it. And I'm kind of bored with swirls, because they're everywhere.

Shit this might be the way James Tyler does those ugly ass finishes on their guitars

 

[ThunderUnderground]

From my experience swirl paint is quite tough to deal with, you need to act quite quickly before the paint starts to set, otherwise it just ends up turning in to some messy gloop.

Even if you did have time to make some elaborate pattern or design as soon as the item touches the water it will most likely displace whatever design you made. I think Bonneville seem to have something going on with the paint technique they use but im unsure how they achieve that finish.

 

[technomancer]

From my experience swirl paint is quite tough to deal with, you need to act quite quickly before the paint starts to set, otherwise it just ends up turning in to some messy gloop.

Even if you did have time to make some elaborate pattern or design as soon as the item touches the water it will most likely displace whatever design you made. I think Bonneville seem to have something going on with the paint technique they use but im unsure how they achieve that finish.

View attachment 119451

Google marbling (like on hand made book end papers).

 

[ThunderUnderground]

Very interesting, i just had a quick look and ive found a method where you can get a bit more creative with the paint which is how i think Bonneville done that Pia.

Ive dabbled in swirls recently but im using oily solvent based paints as i don't have any Borax to try.

Here's an image i found on a marbling tutorial page and a few shots of my swirls. Im doing a few single coil pickup covers so il try produce something other than a swirl and see how it goes.

 

[Hollowway]

From my experience swirl paint is quite tough to deal with, you need to act quite quickly before the paint starts to set, otherwise it just ends up turning in to some messy gloop.

Yeah, but what gave me the idea is that I like the pattern in the water BEFORE people toothpick it around into a swirl. I think the pattern in the water would give a super unique, but also very organic, look.

 

[Hollowway]

Maybe, but I think the more structured your idea is (stripes) the less you want to leave it up to the semi-randomness of the liquid to apply it to the body. At some point it probably stops looking cool and random and starts looking like sloppy stripes? Some of the Vigier Rock Art looks like that though - more big blotches of color that's not so mixed together and swirled.

Yeah, I don't mean perfectly formed stripes. I just mean unswirling the swirl. I don't mind if it's wavy, or bled into each other. But I'm just curious what it would look like to put the paint in the water in some patter, NOT swirl it around, and dip the guitar. It's possible it looks like crap, because I've never seen anyone do it, and I can't be the first person to wonder about it. But I was surprised I couldn't find any google images of it.