Custom Painted Car Graphics

These steps are not for your mom's minivan, maybe not even for the Geo you drive to and from your cubicle everyday.

If, however, you need to attract some attention or are participating in a motorsport that would benefit from you making a scene, there's only 8 steps, that's not many steps.

These steps are for a removable body panel but they work the same for anywhere on the car (it's just a little more comfortable to be painting indoors).

Follow along.


Supplies Used:

2" Masking or painter's tape
X-Acto Knife (new blades, watch your little piggies)
Spray paint (I used Montana, quality paint, quality tips...less swearing)
Oil Based Sharpie Paint Markers

Step 1: Masking the Area

There may be easier and more efficient ways to do this but it's my Instructable and I said FOLLOW ALONG.

Cover the area you intend to work on with a large amount of masking tape. It gives you a surface to draw on (especially if the actual surface is a dark colour), it also acts as a stencil once you start to paint.

The iced coffee is optional but recommended.

Step 2: Drawing the Image

You can draw the image directly on the tape. Watch the pressure as you don't want to damage the car's paint.

I generally do things freehand but you have the option of using an overhead projector to blow up a smaller image or to give you an image to trace.

Once you're happy(ish) with the image, it's knife time.

(The image is faint, but everything will be clear in the next couple of steps)

Step 3: Cutting the Stencil

This is the fun part simply due to the fact that you can ruin the paint and lose all your fingertips in one bloody go.

Using a sharp knife, begin cutting out portions of your image. Anything that is going to be the same colour should be cut out at the same time.

Step 4: Painting!

My favorite part. Make sure this is done in a well ventilated area or with proper protection (a decent respirator is recommended).

Spray well taking care to not overload the surface with paint (avoid the runs, no one likes the runs).


Make sure the paint is no longer tacky to the touch before you mask off the painted portions to start on a new colour.

Step 5: More Different Painting!

Systematically cover the dry, painted areas and expose the next area to be painted. If the stencil gets too covered you may have to re-mask.

Paint all the sections!

Step 6: Outline and Detail

Remove all the masking tape. You are officially at the ugly stage.

All your blocks of colour  have uneven gaps between them. They'll be floating waiting for everything to be tied together. Luckily, you have your black Sharpie ready to go.

Start outlining. The paint marker can be messy, keep your hands up and off the marker. Smudges are a pain.

Step 7: You Did It! Geez, What Did You Do?

Stand back and admire what you've done. If this was unsolicited paint work, start running.

Sign your masterpiece!

(It should be noted that there are spots of bondo and primer on this hood from unrelated work, because drift car)

Step 8: Outro

Thanks so much for following through. This is a lot of fun. Just take your time, take some care and make something fun...like a robotic old time-y hobo.

Just release something rad into the world, you never know where it will end up.


Thanks bigboymedia.net for the best photos, always.