[bonneville Joe]

So I am going to hand paint the bird on the hood of my '78. Don't want to use decals. I need to find someone that might make a mask of the '76-78 birds. I remember seeing someone selling cheap birds on ebay but I was wanting more of a full negative mask. I want to do something similiar to the Year One car so I just need the basic bird to go off of. I might be getting in over my head here but I have an idea that I think might look awesome.

[Mr_GTO]

Sounds like a LOT of work.....

[crider]

I don't know where to get them, but I would be interested in a set if you find any.

[bonneville Joe]

I want people to look at the car and go Holy Sh*t.....

I've been painting stuff for years so I don't think it's over my head, I just want to do it right. It's hard to explain what I have in mind. I don't want that gawdy look you used to see in the early 80s with the hand painted birds. This is going to look suttle but very impressive if that makes any sense lol.... I think I might get one of those cheap $50 birds off ebay, like I said Im not using it for the decal, just to paint a base coat and use that to mask the color in and then start painting the other hues around it.

[78savette]

I'd defnately talk to this guy, he's an artist and a TA guy, I bet he can help.

www.kevinmorgandesigns.com

[J-Train]

Your idea sounds awesome! I love the YO bird!

[1971/455/HO/4-SPD]

Originally Posted by bonneville Joe

So I am going to hand paint the bird on the hood of my '78. Don't want to use decals. I need to find someone that might make a mask of the '76-78 birds. I remember seeing someone selling cheap birds on ebay but I was wanting more of a full negative mask. I want to do something similiar to the Year One car so I just need the basic bird to go off of. I might be getting in over my head here but I have an idea that I think might look awesome.

Give Phoenix Graphics a call, maybe they can do a reverse bird????

[360Rocket]

Originally Posted by 1971/455/HO/4-SPD

Give Phoenix Graphics a call, maybe they can do a reverse bird????

Nope! I tried that, wouldn't give me the time of day outisde of buying a regular bird. They advertise "custom" work on thieir website but thats only if you want premade- Auto Zone type decals.

Try P.M. ing Jason (Rack776). He's doing a custom bird for me right now and may have a mask up kit. Amazing artist.

[johnta1]

Make your own?

I have an EPS file for a Bird.
It could be made as big as you want, then modify it to what you want?

I'm no artist so I wouldn't be able to do it.

Looks like this I think:

[dwallace]

I think that I can help you out. I've got a vinyl graphics business, Fast Graphics, and probably could make you a "low tact" vinyl reverse imaged bird, where you would be able to paint on the inside of the mask. In other words, I would cut out the bird and leave the outside as the mask. It would be low tact, so that you would be able to pull it off easily after you've painted the bird.

I've done a lot of flames for area painters and it's works well. But, painters also know all of the techniques for lifting the mask off when the job is done without pulling the edges, so, you would be wise to talk the project over with a local painter (definately not me, that's why I'm in Vinyl Graphics).

Let me know if I can help. If the bird design is what JohnTA has shown, I can get it from him to re-draw.

[Rack776]

I have access to a vinyl plotter at my job but I can't get the low tac vinyl mask material
used for painting stencils,
Dwallace has the right idea though It sounds like it would work well.

Anyone want to foward me the .eps bird file? I could use it to make some decals for
model cars I am building.

Rocket 350, I did not forget about your bird, How did the photo shoot go?
If your still interested in having me make a paper print up to try on your car
PM me, I'll run one off and send it to. If not no big deal.

Good luck with the painted bird!

[dwallace]

Just to keep everyone up to date, Bonneville Joe and I have been talking about making a '77 Bird mask. I've attached (I hope) a preliminary image with the blue areas being the mask material, the white areas will be cut out to paint in. I wanted to get everyone's input of the mask areas and the open areas. The reason that I ask is since Joe's and other's cars are black, they may or may not want the inside bird area cut out, they may want them masked to remain black. Either way, it should be OK, it will be easy to mask off this area with masking tape if need be.

Joe has agreed to be the test project to see how things go. He's promised to keep us up to date on his progress with step by step instructions.

Please let us know if you have question, concerns or suggestions.


Thanks, Dave Wallace

[bonneville Joe]

Man, that looks really good. I think this afternoon I am going to pull my new hood out of storage and start prepping it and getting it ready for the black base coat. If anyone out there has this style bird on a '77 or '78 can you please measure the bird from the tip of the tail feather to the top of the head so we know how big to make these?

[dwallace]

I think the bird that I based this drawing on is to scale. It measures approximately 18" from tail feathers to top of head, 38.55" from tail feathers to top of wings tips, and 40.55" from one wing tip to the other.

It would be good to verify this, for those of you that have the bird. Please let me know.

Thanks, Dave

[bonneville Joe]

I'm picking up a '77 tomorrow evening that has the correct bird on it. I'll measure it Sunday morning in the light so I can get accurate measurements.