Dr. Cranky

I don't know how you do that, Mike, but you got the bling to pop through. And to think that only has one coat of clear on there. I can't wait to get 3 or 4 more on there and get it really shiny. I still have to add a few more graphics though. I'm feeling it now . . . stay tuned in for more.

Man, I'd have about five of those sandwiches right about now, with the fries tacked in them for good measure. I also happened to buy the best chocolates in your town, Donn. I guess people in Pittsburgh sure do know how to eat. My other favorite sandwich places is on the West Coast at Phillipe's, roast beef with dip. Oh man . . . I am salivatin'!

Rom, thanks, actually just have been in a shiny sort of mood. I finished the year with quite a few rusty jobs, and then started 2011 with a couple more, so I needed to swing back and enjoy a few shiny paint jobs. Don't worry, eventually I will get too tired and stressed with these shiny paint jobs and come on back. The only way Donn can hold me hostage is if he keeps feeding me these Primanti Bros. sandwiches!

Beautiful! Bingo, you got it just right.

It's coming together . . . now a bit more smoothing and you should have it. Go, Ira, go!

Thanks, I think it's going to really sparkle in the sun. I'm letting it sit over night because I'm hoping to get a couple more ideas. I really like the name VAN-PYRE, but it's got a space theme and that has nothing to do with vampires, so I'll either have to change the name to something bland like SPACE VAN, or add something to the paint job. I sealed all the graphic work with a nice coat of clear so I can still work on it without risking ruining what I have already . . . we'll see. Maybe I'll have a Nyquil induced dream that will help it out.

I had to repair a couple of spots, but I remasked and shot more paint--it's the beauty of working with planets and space, you can always re-arrange things! This thing has a few layers on paint on it, as you can imagine, including some pearlized grey . . . around the framed borders. I'm going to let it sit over night and see if any other ideas come to me before I clear this . . .

All right, I've got some progress and have the build all the way up to the first rounds of candies and one pass of clear . . . this thing has a lot of bling on it, but it's not going to show until I put a few more coats of clear on there . . . Broke out some of my Steampunk Templates as well the the biomechanical set Mike Levalle put out . . . You can see the PEARL EX sparkle on this side . . . I wanted to have a mechanical/psychedelic look to it

Oh it hasn't arrived and I sure hope it gets here soon so I can wrap it up and get the done. The VAN-PYRE is getting the best of me now.

They've been nothing but nice and generous with me. I wish them both well, and I don't think anybody is going to step into the decal business any time soon, which is why I ordered a few rounds of more sheets.

I love this thread! :wub:

Thanks, Derrick. Yeah, I'm taking stuff, but I'm already infected, just gotta right it out, I guess. Stay tuned in for more progress . . . this thing is fighting me some, but I think I can beat it.

You sure are enjoying every step of this build, and so are we.

Thanks, folks. I've been fighting the flu AND working on this paint job. A lot of masking involved. Now that all the panels are done, I covered them up so no paint would get on them while I work on the rest of the body.

Here are some better angles:

Here are the side panels. They are all done for now, once I get the rest painted with the "different" graphics, I will come back in for final details and then clear.

What a beauty, John! Wow.

Thanks, Jim . . . I am getting the other side panels done with the space theme, then we are changing it up a bit.

Thanks, Vince. Let me see what else I can do. Still have a while more to go. Okay, off to the bench. Stay tuned in for more.

Here are a few more:

Just a couple more for now, stay tuned in for more . . . You gotta make sure you paint in dry every step of the process which is why the best paint for this is urethane, it dries so fast . . .

All right, my friends, the painting has begun and it's very tedious because although it is easy to paint planets and space scenes (circles and spatters and well anything else you can throw it) to get it to have some depth you gotta use candies and I am also using the PEARL EX powders to give it some bling. Working on the biggest panel (the top) and next I am going to move to the side panels, and then the rest should be free hand templates . . . I'm still holding my breath, as you should too. This stuff can go wrong quick. The panel frames (tape cut to size) will stay during the entire painting process . . .

I like 'em without rake. As low to the ground as possible, but that's just my taste.

LOL, it's coming. I've been sick these last couple of days. The pollen allergies are killing me, but then it's time to hit the bench. Stay tuned in. I gotta do one panel at a time on this one.

Beautiful work. Keep it going. Hey, Rob, I hope your headaches go away, buddy. Take care of yourself. We'll be here holding the fort!