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So I have done some reading on tape vs. liquid masking and am trying to figure out the best method for my needs. I'm not planning to do any crazy designs, rather I just want to be able to curve my pin striping lines slightly. It seems that trying to curve various forms of tape never works out well.

I'm wondering if a combination of pin striping tape and a cut curve would yield decent results? So basically I would take a larger piece of tape and cut out the curved line (so I wouldn't have to bend/curve tape) and then use the pin striping for the areas that require a perfectly straight line.

There had to be a way to get curved lines before the advent of liquid masking

I totally recommend liquid mask, especially for curved lines and/or lines that go through corners or difficult-to-reach niches. I've used the best pinstriping tape money can buy (3M vinyl fine line tape in various widths) and they ALL let paint bleed through, especially when you try to curve the tape...no matter how clean I prepped the Lexan beforehand. It's very frustrating to have to remove paint bleed every time you undo a mask!

For curved lines, I'd first apply liquid mask (FasMask or Bob Dively's, though I haven't used the latter as it's not easily available here in Canada) as per the directions. Then, apply the tape with the curved line you want. You don't have to really stick the tape down onto the masked surface, just enough to give you a guideline...then with a light hand, gently score along the tape line. Remove the tape and finish scoring all the rest of your lines, then after painting, there should be little or no paint bleed after removing the liquid mask sections.

Oldskool trick of avoiding paintbleed under tape is to seal the edge with clear before shooting colour.
PS Matte Clear would work.

I've been laying my tape in straight lines and using a sharp exacto knife to cut the curves. After you lay the tape you will have to make two passes with the exacto knife to ensure a clean cut. Once you've done that spray a light coat or if it's a fade spray the edge lightly to seal it. I haven't had any bleeding using this method vs trying to curve the tape which will always bleed threw. Cutting the tape will also leave you with a cleaner line as there always seems to be lint and things caught in the edge of the tape, I even have started cutting my straight lines too so I get a better line.

Yeah I know, 2014, old thread, yadda yadda..

..but I’m glad I landed on this it’s really helped me out, awesome, always something to learn on here, loving it.

MadZero wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:47 pm Yeah I know, 2014, old thread, yadda yadda..

..but I’m glad I landed on this it’s really helped me out, awesome, always something to learn on here, loving it.

To follow along, basically apply a thin layer of clear paint, then paint over that?

JosephS wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 7:21 pm

MadZero wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:47 pm Yeah I know, 2014, old thread, yadda yadda..

..but I’m glad I landed on this it’s really helped me out, awesome, always something to learn on here, loving it.

To follow along, basically apply a thin layer of clear paint, then paint over that?

The clear is to lock in the edge…personally I prefer blue fine line myself…tape off the area you do not want to paint right up to the edge then apply blue fine line over your masking tape…be sure to press it in firmly so the color doesn’t bleed under it…if I’m running a two tone I apply the lighter color first and then tape that off after it’s dried then apply the darker color…lighter colors will not cover a darker color but a dark color will always cover a light…so that’s the reason for doing light colors first…