Truck pinstriping can be done in four ways. The most expensive, elaborate, and time-consuming one involves doing it by hand. You obviously need to know what you’re doing to pinstripe by hand, and therefore many truck drivers hire professional pinstripe artists for the job. Hand drawn pinstripes by professionals will yield the best results, and most of the designs seen in truck shows would be hand drawn.

For those who can’t afford an artist, you can opt to have the pinstripes drawn mechanically, via stencil tapes, or you can get decals. Mechanical pinstriping is the method of choice if the design is simple – such as straight lines along the side of the truck – and this method ensures precision and uniformity of the line. Many auto shops will have the equipment to carry out mechanical pinstriping.

You can also pinstripe your truck using stencil tape. Although this method does require some skill, it is relatively simple, and with practice most people can draw simple pinstripes using tape. Find a practice surface, and practice on it until you are confident enough. Stencil tape comes in a range of colours and widths.

The simplest, cheapest and most convenient method for truck pinstriping is using decals. Pinstripe decals are stickers carrying a pinstripe design, and are applied to the truck either through transfer aided with water or heat, or though a simple peel-and-stick process. Truck pinstripe decals require no skill to apply, are fairly durable (they generally last between 5 to 10 years) and are easy to remove. They are the best choice for people who might think they’d like to change the pinstripe graphic in the future, as you’d simply need to peel the decal off and stick the new one on. Make sure you clean the truck’s surface down to the paint before applying the decal, as residue will show up as bumps in the pinstripe and may cause the decal to come off.

To come up with a pinstripe idea for your truck, think about what you want to convey with the design and what kind of persona you want to give to your vehicle. Pinstripes can also be used to accent the truck’s dimensions, for example straight lines running along the sides of a truck make it look longer. Barbed wire is used to give trucks a rough image, and skulls are pinstriped to give the vehicle a dark and evil aura. You can also pinstripe a message or motto; other popular pinstripes include the outlines of animals (such as panthers and snakes), wings, flames, and logos of bands, sports teams, or automobile brands.

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When choosing a pinstripe decal for your motorcycle, think about what you want to convey and how you want your motorcycle to look like. Most motorcycle decorations are associated with speed and fire, and many motorcyclists also like to have their names drawn onto the bike. Other popular pinstripe designs include barbed wire, tribal signs, and lightning bolts.

Think about which parts of the motorcycle you want to have decorated, and the size of the design. Get inspired from your own personality and look for objects in nature and scenery for ideas. Attend a motor show to see some excellent examples of motorcycle pinstripe art. You can also look online for websites of companies producing pinstripe decals for motorcycles – some will have an online catalogue which you can browse.

Many companies offer the ability to have custom made pinstripe decals for motorcycles. If you want to get a custom one, make a drawing on a paper or get a friend to draw what you have in mind. When it comes to colour selection, you want colours that will create contrast and work with the motorcycle’s body colour and contours.

When sticking on the decals, make sure you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, especially with regards to ideal surface temperature. It is tantamount that you thoroughly clean your motorcycle before applying the decals, as any dust or dirt will show up as bumps in the decal, and can also cause the decal to come off.  Isopropyl alcohol is an excellent cleaning agent to get rid of any wax, tar or greasy residue. When the time comes that you want to remove the decal, simply use a hair dryer to heat the pinstripe, and peel it away using a small spatula. Dampen a wash cloth with isopropyl alcohol and rub over any residue that may be left from the pinstripe.

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Pinstripe graphics are drawn with special paints and brushes. The most commonly used paint is Sign Painters’ 1 Shot, a durable enamel with excellent coverage. Thinners or thickeners are often added to the paint to achieve the required consistency, depending on the temperature conditions. Other good brands for pinstriping paint include House of Kolor, Alsa and PPG.

Pinstriping brushes are often made with squirrel hair, and tend to have long hair (2 inches or more) to hold a lot of paint. Mack is perhaps the most renowned brand of pinstriping brushes, and produces a range of differently-sized brushes. Thick brushes are used for drawing thicker lines and thinner ones for drawing more delicate lines, but this will also depend on the pressure applied while drawing. Indeed, pinstripe artists can draw lines of different widths with a single sized brush. For proper cleaning of a pinstripe brush, you should use mineral spirits or reducers. Keep the brushes well oiled in storage.

Of course, hand-painting is not the only way of drawing pinstripe graphics. Many auto shops have machines which can lay down simple pinstripes, and this is the preferred method when drawing on long vehicles as it ensures uniformity of the lines, and it is usually cheaper than hiring an artist. If you want to have a go at pinstriping but do not have an artistic hand, pinstriping stencil tape comes in handy and you can obtain basic designs even if you don’t have much skill.

The simplest, most convenient and cheapest way to decorate your vehicle with pinstripe graphics is using pinstripe decals, which are basically stickers. You simply need to peel and stick these on the vehicle. Another advantage of decals is that they are easy to remove, and therefore are ideal if you are not sure you will like the pinstripe design on your car/motorcycle. They are also an excellent choice for those who like to change the pinstripe graphics on their vehicle frequently, as you simply need to peel the old one off and stick on the new one.

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The viscosity of pinstriping paint can be adjusted by a pinstripe reducer and hardness can be increased by a pinstripe hardener. Pinstripe reducers can be added at up to 10% of the paint’s volume without affecting opacity. Pinstripe hardeners too can be added at up to 10%, and they will increase the gloss and durability of the paint, as well as reduce drying times.

A wide range of pinstriping paint colours and shades are available, but you can also mix paints together to achieve unique shades. Use a colour wheel to help determine the colour you want to obtain – the wheel will indicate the primary colours needed to achieve the colour you want. Next, pour the can of base colour (the colour closest to the one you wish to obtain) into the mixing cup and then gradually add in the lightening/darkening colour until you achieve the tint you desire.

One of the most widely used pinstriping paints is 1 Shot enamel paint. 1 Shot Enamels are oil based and are excellent for pinstriping on metals, wood and glass. 1 Shot has been an industry’s favourite for over 50 years, and is renowned for its flow characteristics, single stroke coverage and vibrant durability. 1 Shot also produce a full line of hardeners and reducers. 1 Shot Enamels can be applied via brush, roller, spray or airbrush and are best used at temperatures above 65 F. Typical drying times are 2 to 5 hours to touch and 8 to 12 hours to handle. If you want to recoat, you should wait at least 12 hours. As with all oil-alkyl enamels, 1 Shot Enamel paints should not be mixed with latex or acrylic latex paints as there will be adhesion issues and different expansion/contraction rates. This can result in cracking of the paint.

It is extremely important that the surface you are working on is thoroughly cleaned before you apply the pinstriping paint as any residues will show up as bumps under the paint and can later come off leaving ‘spots’ in your design. You should first clean the surface with regular water and soap, and if some greasy residues remain, rub the area with isopropyl alcohol.

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Choose wheel heads according to the line width you are looking to achieve. It is extremely important that when using the Beugler Pinstriping Tool, you  do not twist the tool and keep the wheel flat on the surface at all times. A double wheel head is also available which is ideal for painting single colour double stripes.

When painting with the Beugler Pinstriping tool, keep your body comfortable and your arms loose. Remember that speed of application has no effect on line width with the Beugler tool, so you do not have to rush into it. For easier drawing of perfect designs, you can use the Beugler Flexible Magnetic Guide to help you in painting straight lines or curves with precision.

Checklist before you start striping with the Beugler Pinstriping Tool:

• Beugler Pinstriping Tool and the appropriate wheel head (see below for sizes)
• Paint (make sure you have enough to complete the whole design)
• Thinner
• Clean up tissues
• Optional: masking tape or magnetic guide

The choice of wheel head will depend on the width of the lines you want to draw:

Wheel Head # – Line Width

#16 – 1/64” (.4 mm)
#25 – 1/32” (.8 mm)
#43 – 3/64” (1.3 mm)
#57 – 1/16” (1.7 mm)
#73 – 3/32” (2.3 mm)
#93 – 7/64” (2.8 mm)
#115 – 1/8” (3.2 mm)

There are a number of manuals and instructional DVDs which deal with Beugler pinstriping and can be very useful if you haven’t used the Beugler pinstriping tool before or if you are new to pinstriping graphics in general. For ideas on pinstripe designs, you can do a quick image search on the internet or attend a motor show, as customized vehicles will often feature intricate pinstripe art.

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The Beugler striper consists of an apparatus with a wheel head that distributes paints evenly on any surface, including metal, glass, wood and cloth. It is non-pressurized and therefore safe, and because it does not rely on gravity for paint flow, it can be used to pinstripe in any position. Its wheel head design means that you do not need to use tape for clean edges, and with this tool you can say goodbye to vinyl tape or messy paint brushes. The Beugler pinstriping tool is renowned for its precision and ease of use.
Loading of the Beugler tool involves detaching the wheel head, pulling back the plunger, and pouring the paint from the can and into the tool. Once filling is complete, re-attach the wheel head, making sure that it is aligned with the guide bar. Holding the tool vertically, press the plunger upwards until you can see paint on the wheel. Wipe off any excess and you are ready to start striping!

To start, prime the Beugler striper by giving it a couple of short strokes on a practice surface, to coat the wheel with paint. Now, place the wheel firmly on the surface you wish to paint (making sure that the surface is thoroughly clean and free of any dust or greasy residue), and roll along the direction of the line you want to draw. To curve, simply twist the wrist. Speed of application is not important with this tool, as it has no effect on stripe size. If you want to taper the line, simple tilt the tool to its edge.

Note that the best way to hold the Beugler pinstriping tool is not like a pen but more like a utility knife with the fingers to the side. Keep your hands and wrist loose. When pushing the Beugler tool forward, use a steady motion. If you are drawing multiple lines, you can use the Beugler adjustable guide arms to ensure that the lines drawn are parallel. You do not have to use masking tape to achieve great results pinstriping with the Beugler tool, but if you are a beginner, it is probably a guide idea, especially if you re painting large vehicles.

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One of Kafka’s most famous pinstriping tools are the Kafka Scroller brushes. They are especially designed to pinstripe curves, as they easily can turn corners with elegance, and help the painter avoid flare-outs during painting. Kafka scroller brushes are available in six sizes, and all perform best when used at 55 to 80 degrees to the surface of the vehicle. Size zero brush is the smallest of the series and is ideal for very fine pinstripes and for turning very tight corners. Size one brush is slightly larger and size three is designed to give the painter better control in application and makes painting easier for pinstripe beginners. Size five is best used for heavier designs and it can hold more paint. Line thickness with this brush ranges from 1/4″ to 1/16″, according to the pressure applied. This brush is generally used for outlining larger layouts. Size 6 is the largest of the series and is mostly used for initial layouts.

Another renowned Kafka pinstriping tool is the Kafka Longliner series. These brushes are regarded to have changed the world of long line pinstriping; they have an ability to hold more paint and to stripe finer lines than most other brushes. The handles are deliberately long, and they may be cut to fit inside your hand. Five sizes of the Kafka Longliner brushes are available. For more delicate work, Kafka has designed the Kafka Scriptliner Series, which are best used for fine designs and script lettering such as signatures.

Apart from brushes, other Kafka pinstriping supplies include Kafka design brush oil (scented with patchouli), Kafka design smooth stroke (helps to eliminate ‘fish eye’ from oil based lettering), Kafka design paint bottles featuring a large orifice, self-cleaning caps, and an agitator marble), paint bottle holders, and cup holders. For pinstripe beginners, Kafka has assembled the Steve Kafka Pinstriping Pinstripe Starter Kit – a kit containing all you need to get started with pinstripe: a Kafka instructional DVD, 30 patterns, 50 clear vinyl sheets, mixing sticks, cups, clip board, practice board, and lettering enamel.

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Vinyl pinstriping involves buying vinyl pinstripe decals and sticking them onto your vehicle. It is a very simple process and can be done by anyone as it requires no skill. You only have to make sure that the surface of the vehicle is thoroughly cleaned and be careful when sticking on the vinyl. Vinyl pinstriping generally has good durability and can last about 5 to 7 years. The thinner the vinyl the better, as thick ones can get dirty around the edges and tend to be less durable than thinner ones.

There are a number of different vinyl pinstripes available. If you want simple lines along your vehicle, then you should get one colour vinyl pinstriping, which is available in a range of colours and widths. A popular such design is one involving a straight line (or two) running along the side or top of a car or boat. If you want to use two colours, then pick colours that contrast each other or match. In addition, you have to make sure that the colours look well with the colour of your vehicle’s body. For the more adventurous, you can use tri or multi colour vinyl pinstriping; this is a sure way to make your vehicle stand out!

There are different levels of quality of vinyl pinstriping. If you don’t mind spending a bit more, you can get speciality premium vinyl pinstriping decals, that are specially designed with more detail. These tend to be very thin and have long durability. You can even order custom made vinyl pinstripes of your own design and specifications.

In addition, although most vinyl pinstripe tape is generic and can be used on a range of surfaces, you can find vinyls which are specific to different vehicles such as cars or motorcycles; some are even specific to particular brands of vehicles. These will take into consideration the shape, contours and design of the vehicle, and will yield better results. For ideas on vinyl pinstripe designs, you can do an image search on the internet or visit car/motor/boat shows, as show vehicles will be customized and many will feature intricate and complex pinstripes.

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Perhaps the best known Von Dutch pinstriping works are those involving flames and pinstriping that attenuated a machines’ curves and lines. He was also known for his flying eyeball logo, which is still the Von Dutch Kustom Cycles official logo. He got the idea for this logo from ancient Macedonian and Egyptian cultures, and is a symbol of an omniscient presence in the heavens. Von Dutch himself was a believer of reincarnation.

Von Dutch carried most of his work in California, and he had customers from all over America. Interestingly, customers would not ask him to paint a specific design but merely indicated how much of his time they wanted to pay for. Von Dutch would then use his creative imagination to create a unique design on every vehicle.

Von Dutch did his last pinstriping job in 1958, by which time he had a huge number of followers who found his art to be an expression of a free life philosophy. Von Dutch himself was never interested in money, and choose to keep himself borderline poor to stay focused and driven. He felt that one cannot make a good job if they are worried about money.

“I make a point of staying right at the edge of poverty. I don’t have a pair of pants without a hole in them, and the only pair of boots I have are on my feet. I don’t mess around with unnecessary stuff, so I don’t need much money. I believe it’s meant to be that way. There’s a ‘struggle’ you have to go through, and if you make a lot of money it doesn’t make the ‘struggle’ go away. It just makes it more complicated. If you keep poor, the struggle is simple.“ – Von Dutch

Kenny “Von Dutch” Howard died in 1992, and is survived by his two daughters. Nowadays, there is a whole philosophy of living referred to as the Von Dutch lifestyle, and it is all about freedom, power and motion. Many pinstripe artists imitate his style, and his designs can be found not only on vehicles but also on clothing and signs. Authentic Von Dutch pinstripe works sell for extraordinary prices, as does Von Dutch memorabilia. In fact, his paint box has recently sold for US $270,000!

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If you have never used boat pinstriping tape before, it is a good idea to practice on another surface before laying it down on your boat. Make sure you get enough tape, as there is nothing more annoying than running out of tape during application!

When applying boat pinstriping tape, clean the boat’s surface thoroughly to remove all dirt and dust particles, as these will cause bumps in the tape if they are not removed. Next, you need to measure the length of tape needed; after you have decided on the location and design of your pinstripe, use a tape measure or some string to find out the length. Use a pencil to mark out your design – this will help you when laying down the tape.

Next, apply masking tape just above the pencil marks. The masking tape will serve as a guide when laying down the pinstripe tape. Work from left to right if you are right handed, and vice-versa if you are left handed. Once you have laid down the masking tape, it is time to lay down the pinstripe tape – simply follow the masking tape, being careful with curves and dents in the boat’s surface. If you are laying down a second stripe, repeat the process but on the other side of the masking tape; i.e. if you placed the first stripe above the masking tape, place the second one below. Once you are finished trim the edges cleanly with a knife; alternatively, some people stick on arrowheads on the edges. If you get bubbles under the stripes, pop these with a needle and press the surface with your fingernails to flatten. Many boat pinstriping tape rolls will carry instructions for use on them, so make sure you read these carefully and follow them accurately.

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