A few issues back, we brought you an inside look at the water borne technology by PPG Industries. We decided to go even further in depth this month, as we hooked up with Paul Stoll, paint proffesor at PPG, who was kind enough to set up this yearly Lowrider paint panel bash. In this section, we aim to show you the endless possibilities that you can create with this exciting new painting system.
We all know that Lowriders are all about paint. Without the right paintjob, your automotive masterpiece is just a rough draft. From Candy to Flake, Lowriders have been at the forefront of automotive paint technology for years, it just comes with the territory of being the talk of the Boulevard and Shows. This innovation is something that is environmentally friendly, and is still able to give you the luster found in some of today’s most sought after paint finishes.
It’s not new technology; it’s been around for years in Europe. This technology has also been in play at the OEM level in America. Current air quality regulations have led to safer paints, in order to promote a cleaner environment and a healthier world. The local body shops have followed suit, making their own transition into the waterborne paint bases. It’s been a learning experience for everybody, but it is not as bad as some initially thought the transition would be.
In this tech article, we teamed up with the Pros of PPG and a few invited guests for this annual bash, which proved to be quite a Lowrider painting experience, as the room was filled with endless talent and chemistry that captivated each and every builder on hand. The selected few came from as far East as New York, Kentucky, and from Western hubs like Phoenix and Sin City. These guys are going to show us how some of today’s technology works, so follow along as they pull out all the stops at PPG’s Los Angeles training center to show us the endless possibilities of waterborne technology.
Sources
PPG Industries
11276 Fifth St., Suite 500
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
909-987-0924
www.ppg.com
1. The PPG course started off with Paul and Frank talking about safety training before any spray guns and masks were handed out.
2. Paul showed the guys some examples of pieces that were painted in waterborne format.
3. These metal panels were ready to be worked on.
4. Everybody had to scuff down their own panel to make sure that the paints would adhere to the panels.
5. The panels were sealed and left to dry for the next step.
6. Frank helped the panel dry using the air dryer gun which seems to be one of the additional steps in the new paint system.
7. Paul mixed some base clear to mix with some flake which will serve as the foundation for the panels.
8. The flake was stirred into the clear and ready to be shot onto the panels.
9. The panels were flaked out and left to dry in the heated booth.
10. After lunch Gilbert got his panel ready for his designs.
11. Marvin (NY) started laying out the art work on the panels.
12. Josh (KY) laid out a variety of styles on his panel.
13. As you can see, graphics take a lot of masking up and time before the first color can be laid out.
14. Paul mixed several colors that were ready for paint.
15. The paint started to flow in the booth, as did the creativity.
16. This paint could be used for mural work as they showed us on this panel.
17. The water borne paint adhered in a similar fashion to the old style, so the painters adjusted quickly.
18. As you can see, this panel wasn’t complete and the colors were already vibrant.
19. Louie of Louie’s Kustom Kolors sprayed his scallops that featured an old-school fade.
20. Some of the panels received a touch of pinstriping.
21. Zack applied Gold leafing to his panel.
22. Josh felt no pressure, as he applied some fine lines on his panels.
23. Bugs (AZ) was able to deal with the pressure of his peers.
24. These panels looked good after they were cleared.
25. Paul Stoll of PPG industries showed us his old school panel after it was cleared.
26. Josh Culver, of Culver Customs in Kentucky, laid out some cool graphics that included flames and a roof panel.
27. Zack "The Kid" Felix, of Felix Designs from Las Vegas, showed us a modern Lowrider graphics style which featured pinstriping and a touch of Gold leafing.
28. Gilbert Melendez, of Gil's Kolorworks of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, showed us his flaming panel.
29. Marvin Shivnarain, of Artist Technicians in New York, showed us how the old school painters influenced his style.
30. Efrein "Bugs" Gonzales, of Bugs Auto Art and massage parlor in Phoenix, AZ, showed us his tail gate design with a Lowrider style touch.
31. Danny "Danny D" Galvez, of Baldwin Park, CA, showed us his old-school panel that was done and featured with no pin-striping.