Now it's time to suit up and put down three coats of a good high-solids clear. | 
Now that the clear has dried for 24 hours, it is time to wet-sand it with 600-grit paper. By doing this, it prepares it for painting the artwork. Don't ever go above 800 because you will have lifting problems, and never go below 600 because you will see the sand scratches. | 
Keep sanding until all the shiny spots are gone. This is a speck of dirt. You can still see the shiny circle around it; just keep sanding until it is gone. Editor's note: If all you want to do is the engine turning, then this is where you would stop and add a few more coats of clear. Mark is a seasoned vet when it comes to art, and now he is going to show off some other skills. He is going to paint his wife into this piece-he knows which side his bread is buttered on. |
Once all of the sanding is completed, the surface is cleaned with some pre-cleaner. Next, Coast Airbrush's Auto Mask is laid down over the whole panel to protect the ground candy area I want to save. I like theirs because it is solvent-proof and leaves no gluey messes like some others can. | 
After the outline of the main image is laid out onto the Auto Mask, I cut it out with an X-Acto knife. Then, two coats of HOK's Dark Teal pearl mixed with white is laid down. After letting it dry, I use a Blue Staedtler pencil to lay out my design. | 
Then, I mix up a much darker color using that same Dark Teal Pearl. But, this time I add black to it. This will be for my darker tones and shadows. You see, by doing it this way, you can get your paintings done much faster. The light color that I put down is the middle tone, and now I fill in all the darker areas with a dark tone, then later on I'll add in a light tone for the highlights. |
I just keep building up all of the dark areas. Make sure you have a good reference to work from. You can change things as you go, since you are the artist. | 
Pay close attention to the eyes. If they're off at all, it won't look like the person you're trying to paint. So, take your time and do a great job. | 
After all the dark areas have been painted, I can then take off the masking. Once I get it all off, I spray some water on the painting and wipe it down with 5-Star Grease and Wax remover. By spraying the water first, it helps it to not be so aggressive. You have to be careful; I've seen some pre-cleaners take artwork right off. |
The color I use now is a mixture of HOK Dark Teal Pearl and White. This color looks white, but it has a blue cast to it. By using the same base for all the colors, it will make your paintings look more realistic. I use this color for all the highlights and the lighting. Once this is done, I finish it with three more coats of a good high-solids clear. All this time I've been using RU-311 Reducer, since it is winter, and the temperature is a little low. | 
See More!
To see more of this artwork, check out the full feature of Marc Remling's 95 GMC in the Sept. '06 issue of Sport Truck. | |
The Final Word
Well, there you have it, my beautiful wife in all her glory. Look at how much depth you are able to achieve by doing your paintings on ground aluminum. I hope that I have helped a lot of you with some of the problems that you might be having with these paintings. If you have any questions or want some bitchen work done, you can always get in touch with me at Blasted in Anaheim, California, or check out my website.