How to paint Filigree

[Tigertron]

This is something I have yet to really figure out.
I tend to get the shading wrong and I am wondering if people draw there own or is there a stencile?

 

[sevastra]

I can only answer from my own experiences, filigree is something in tattooing, i used quite a bit, and normal always free handed.
I'm sure you could easily make your own stencils though for airbrush.

 

[Tigertron]

I'm thinking a mask now that I have looked closer at some pics on line. Some edges need to be sharp. But no YouTube videos? If I figure this out I'll make one

 

[Madbrush]

I had no idea what this word meant, so I googled it to find out, it is actually something I've done in my sign-writing days since the technique is also present in heraldry and family crests and such.

To utilize this style for airbrushing I would imagine an excessive use of free-hand stencils would benefit the process greatly, since, depending on the complexity of your design, it could take forever to cut an appropriate stencil which would only be worth the effort if you plan on doing the same design more times.

The style reminds a lot of the the works of our very own Ace Kustoms/Rebelair and Red Baron, both of whom I think could offer you a lot more help on the subject, in the mean time it might be an idea to check out this guy https://www.facebook.com/ArtistikCreations , I'm sure since he's on face book he won't hold back with the tips if you ask nicely.

I've had a look through some images and I like the style so if you get a start on something i would love to see it.

 

[splasha]

Filligree was also an embellishment added to wrought iron work in the 18/ 19th century.
Was used to emphasize the property owners status etc, and in conjunction with iron lacework panels [the one's so popular now with home renovators.]
Look it up and you'll find many old and modern designs that might help you out.
Cheers.

 

[Mr.Micron]

man I thought you was trying the spell from bed knobs and broom sticks filigree apogee pedigree perigee LOL

I use frisket and layout the design free hand then cut the design out so I can keep the extra shape line. I have only be asked to use this style a couple of times and it is a pain .
The first time I tried it was all free hand and was not as sharp looking as it should be, It had that soft edge which made it look strange.

Mainly it is trying a lot of different ways and seeing which of those ways works best for you.

 

[Madbrush]

Filligree was also an embellishment added to wrought iron work in the 18/ 19th century.
Was used to emphasize the property owners status etc, and in conjunction with iron lacework panels [the one's so popular now with home renovators.]
Look it up and you'll find many old and modern designs that might help you out.
Cheers.

This is correct and it's that embellishment which I (and others) had to recreate with paint in my sign-writing days, as you say in the 18 century and even before then, people with money, lords and barons and basically anybody who was anybody all had iron gates and such made with their family crests and logos incorporated into them, they even sometimes reproduced it in plaster inside their homes.

I think Tigertrons original question is to find a way to recreate the style using an airbrush without having to cut intricate stencils, but I think myself freehand stencils are the way to go, if I had to do it myself I would do it as I did all those years ago with a hairy brush all freehand after some initial sketching.

 

[Madbrush]

man I thought you was trying the spell from bed knobs and broom sticks filigree apogee pedigree perigee LOL

LOL, Just goes to show where your minds at, I have admit even after having done it I had no idea what it was called, we simply referred to it as heraldry because it was always a part of or related to family history, always present in coats of arms and that sort of thing, usually I was given a design on paper to work from and reproduce.

I had no idea it was called filigree till I read the start of this thread, so basically while Tigertron was trying to learn something form us, I learned something from him, how cool is that?.

 

[Mr.Micron]

LOL, Just goes to show where your minds at, I have admit even after having done it I had no idea what it was called, we simply referred to it as heraldry because it was always a part of or related to family history, always present in coats of arms and that sort of thing, usually I was given a design on paper to work from and reproduce.

I had no idea it was called filigree till I read the start of this thread, so basically while Tigertron was trying to learn something form us, I learned something from him, how cool is that?.

Like you I had only heard it referred to as heraldry just goes to show how old we are...LOL

But I did try the shield method and I kept getting lost that is why I went with the cut out. Yes a paint in the arse but it got the job done... Now it I had thought of it I guess I could have laid it out on my plotter here at work ...Hind sight 20/20

 

[Madbrush]

Like you I had only heard it referred to as heraldry just goes to show how old we are...LOL

But I did try the shield method and I kept getting lost that is why I went with the cut out. Yes a paint in the arse but it got the job done... Now it I had thought of it I guess I could have laid it out on my plotter here at work ...Hind sight 20/20

LOL, "that thing that looks like a twisted feather" or " that curly thing there" were very technical phrases for me back then, don't forget 96% of my head was numbed from alcohol abuse while the other 4% stayed at home, my bosses never understood how I could function, but I told them "I don't get drunk, I get preserved".


To be honest, I don't think I'm completely cured or for that matter ever will be, because when I first saw the title of this thread, my eyes saw "Filigree" but my mind saw "Fiddlededee", of course I did return to, well lets not say normal but instead marginally functional after smashing my face on the laptop's keyboard.

 

[Mr.Micron]

LOL, "that thing that looks like a twisted feather" or " that curly thing there" were very technical phrases for me back then, don't forget 96% of my head was numbed from alcohol abuse while the other 4% stayed at home, my bosses never understood how I could function, but I told them "I don't get drunk, I get preserved".


To be honest, I don't think I'm completely cured or for that matter ever will be, because when I first saw the title of this thread, my eyes saw "Filigree" but my mind saw "Fiddlededee", of course I did return to, well lets not say normal but instead marginally functional after smashing my face on the laptop's keyboard.

Sounds like you suffer from too much blood in your alcohol system...That what we use to say when I was in the military ..
Defused lots of big bang items when my alcohol system was filled at 100%

 

[splasha]

As to Tigertrons original question, I think there is probably no solution other than to cut a stencil.
One thing I'd like to add here is that when you do finally get to paint this, remember where your light is coming from and shadow it as it should appear.
As for "bedknobs and broomsticks", so happens it's one of the wife's faves. Lmao!

 

[Russ Allen]

There's a great artist by the name of fern who does a lot of filigree on her motorcycle tanks by the name of Fern annf I believe shhe would be kind eough to share her techniques? I will put a link up once i get to my computer

 

[shadow2462]

Here is a good example of filigree.....Its the plumage on the background.