Tutorial: Easy Color Fades With Dyes

**Guerrilla Drum Making** · 03-10-2009, 01:07 AM

Here's a quick tutorial from my website...

Creating a color fade with stain is a good alternative to aerosol spraying, and is an easy way to get a cool look for an extremely low cost. In this case, my customer (well...more like a fellow drummer and great friend) described his vision as a "red to yellow fade over a dirty piece of wood."

Easy!!!
Here's the process:

A. Using three Transtint dye colors, I mixed each color with water in three separate containers: black (for the "dirty" undertone), Honey Amber, and Mahogany Red. I also have a separate container of plain water.

B. Prep the wood by sanding it with 320 grit sand paper over a sanding sponge... or something flexible like a regular sponge. This avoids sanding ridges cause by finger pressure when sanding roughly with your hand. Wipe the drum free of dust.

C. After sanding, use plain water and an old cotton t-shirt wad (old is better than new) to dampen the drum.

D. After the entire drum is moist, use a separate cotton wad to add a light coat of black color. As I stated, this is to give the drum a "dirty undertone." When dealing with more figured woods like birdseye, quilted, or flamed maple... this step is great for enchancing the figuring and making the wood "pop" for a 3D effect.

E. When finished with the black coat, let the drum dry to the touch.
F. Sand it down with 320 grit paper. The softer parts of the wood will retain the black dye and give me the "dirty" effect.
G. Use another cotton wad and apply your lightest color. While the drum is still wet,
H. start applying the second color, in my case, the Mahogany red. Work the edges with thick, dark coats of dye. Slowly work towards the center with less and less dye, until you reach a good stopping point near or before the center.

I. Before our harsh color line dries, quickly dip another cotton wad into your water bowl and use a good amount of circular pressure to work the red color into the yellow zone. From here on out... make small adjustments to add darkness to the edge or water to soften the transition or "fade" zone.
J. Done!

**JMSmithCustom** · 03-10-2009, 05:04 AM

Damn! You go through a lot of Cool Whip don't you?!?

Seriously though....Great tutorial!

Cheers and many thanks,

-JM

Aleksandr · 03-10-2009, 06:34 AM

I've been struggling with settling on a finish idea for my drum project. This looks outstanding and is seemingly easy as pie. Will have to use this "dirty" effect, I like it a lot.

THANKS!

**Guerrilla Drum Making** · 03-10-2009, 12:37 PM

Nope... the dirty effect was just what he wanted.
Usually, that technique (a dark stain and sandback) is rad for figured woods...
it really makes them pop when you go over them with the final color.

igetbored · 03-10-2009, 12:56 PM

Awesome! Thank you!

zildjian@consol · 03-10-2009, 07:42 PM

Since your using a water base stain ,does the top coat have to be water base also?

**Guerrilla Drum Making** · 03-10-2009, 08:18 PM

You can use any topcoat or finish on water based stains as long as the stain dries thoroughly.

Gretschem · 03-18-2009, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guerrilla Drum Making

You can use any topcoat or finish on water based stains as long as the stain dries thoroughly.

How about a 2pac high solid clear 2:1 ???

**drumstylee** · 03-18-2009, 09:48 AM

Nice tutorial....thanks for providing that. You're right, the dirty effect really makes exotic wood veneer pop!

DavSkorDRM · 03-18-2009, 12:14 PM

John...you're the BOMB, buddy!! Great lookin out for us guys who don't know all these tricks!!

YAY!!

03-10-2009, 01:07 AM	#1
Guerrilla Drum Making Pro Builders Asylum Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California, USA Posts: 244 Thanks: 65 Thanked 114 Times in 34 Posts Rep Power: 14	Tutorial: Easy Color Fades With Dyes Here's a quick tutorial from my website... Creating a color fade with stain is a good alternative to aerosol spraying, and is an easy way to get a cool look for an extremely low cost. In this case, my customer (well...more like a fellow drummer and great friend) described his vision as a "red to yellow fade over a dirty piece of wood." Easy!!! Here's the process: A. Using three Transtint dye colors, I mixed each color with water in three separate containers: black (for the "dirty" undertone), Honey Amber, and Mahogany Red. I also have a separate container of plain water. B. Prep the wood by sanding it with 320 grit sand paper over a sanding sponge... or something flexible like a regular sponge. This avoids sanding ridges cause by finger pressure when sanding roughly with your hand. Wipe the drum free of dust. C. After sanding, use plain water and an old cotton t-shirt wad (old is better than new) to dampen the drum. D. After the entire drum is moist, use a separate cotton wad to add a light coat of black color. As I stated, this is to give the drum a "dirty undertone." When dealing with more figured woods like birdseye, quilted, or flamed maple... this step is great for enchancing the figuring and making the wood "pop" for a 3D effect. E. When finished with the black coat, let the drum dry to the touch. F. Sand it down with 320 grit paper. The softer parts of the wood will retain the black dye and give me the "dirty" effect. G. Use another cotton wad and apply your lightest color. While the drum is still wet, H. start applying the second color, in my case, the Mahogany red. Work the edges with thick, dark coats of dye. Slowly work towards the center with less and less dye, until you reach a good stopping point near or before the center. I. Before our harsh color line dries, quickly dip another cotton wad into your water bowl and use a good amount of circular pressure to work the red color into the yellow zone. From here on out... make small adjustments to add darkness to the edge or water to soften the transition or "fade" zone. J. Done! __________________ The Guerrilla Drum Making DVD- An Uncommon Guide To Build Drums Like The Pros. «Get the To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. «Read The Blog: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Why buy when you can build?

03-10-2009, 05:04 AM	#2
JMSmithCustom Pro Builders Asylum Join Date: May 2006 Location: West Richland, WA Posts: 838 Thanks: 165 Thanked 398 Times in 138 Posts Rep Power: 46	Damn! You go through a lot of Cool Whip don't you?!? Seriously though....Great tutorial! Cheers and many thanks, -JM __________________ The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low prices dissapears To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Latz is just jealous.... To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-10-2009, 12:37 PM	#4
Guerrilla Drum Making Pro Builders Asylum Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California, USA Posts: 244 Thanks: 65 Thanked 114 Times in 34 Posts Rep Power: 14	Nope... the dirty effect was just what he wanted. Usually, that technique (a dark stain and sandback) is rad for figured woods... it really makes them pop when you go over them with the final color. __________________ The Guerrilla Drum Making DVD- An Uncommon Guide To Build Drums Like The Pros. «Get the To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. «Read The Blog: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Why buy when you can build?

03-10-2009, 07:42 PM	#6
zildjian@consol New Blood Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Katy Texas Posts: 95 Thanks: 8 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts Rep Power: 2	Since your using a water base stain ,does the top coat have to be water base also? __________________ ???

03-10-2009, 08:18 PM	#7
Guerrilla Drum Making Pro Builders Asylum Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: California, USA Posts: 244 Thanks: 65 Thanked 114 Times in 34 Posts Rep Power: 14	You can use any topcoat or finish on water based stains as long as the stain dries thoroughly. __________________ The Guerrilla Drum Making DVD- An Uncommon Guide To Build Drums Like The Pros. «Get the To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. «Read The Blog: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Why buy when you can build?

03-10-2009, 06:34 AM	#3
Aleksandr New Blood Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 35 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Rep Power: 0	I've been struggling with settling on a finish idea for my drum project. This looks outstanding and is seemingly easy as pie. Will have to use this "dirty" effect, I like it a lot. THANKS!

03-10-2009, 12:56 PM	#5
igetbored Solid Contributor Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 175 Thanks: 114 Thanked 47 Times in 32 Posts Rep Power: 6	Awesome! Thank you!

03-18-2009, 09:48 AM	#9
drumstylee Drum Labs Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 353 Thanks: 419 Thanked 81 Times in 41 Posts Rep Power: 13	Nice tutorial....thanks for providing that. You're right, the dirty effect really makes exotic wood veneer pop! __________________ Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! (John Belushi "Bluto" Animal House)

03-18-2009, 12:14 PM	#10
DavSkorDRM Solid Contributor Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 723 Thanks: 89 Thanked 82 Times in 62 Posts Rep Power: 11	John...you're the BOMB, buddy!! Great lookin out for us guys who don't know all these tricks!! YAY!! __________________ A.K.A "Daverotic"...learn it, know it, live it...

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