I failed at realistic...

[wickyman]

Well, after seeing people doing the "realistic" cranks, I tried it for myself...  I must say, that it is a lot harder than it appears.  I am working on the pictures right now, but the camera isn't really agreeing with me...  Late night last night, and I am beat!  But as far as the project goes...  It went horrible, to me anyhow...  I did everything as said, but still, my lure didn't come out shiney, as others have had...  What am I doing wrong?  I followed the direction of a member here, and a tutorial over at TU...  

It isn't the most horrible looking lure I have seen, I just want to soak off all the paper, aluminum foil, and try again...  It seems like such a waste, to have a lure I carved by hand, go down as my first failure...  Any info on what you have done, or heard done on this subject, would be much appreciated.  I am not at all afraid to say I failed, it's just so depressing!   :-/

[Grey Wolf]

Hang in there , give it another try , you will definately get better as you go along.

[wickyman]

It's a little irritating, as I can make the baits, I just can't paint, so I seen this as an alternative... lol  I am usually pretty artistic, but this time, seems that my excitement got the best of me!  I might just have to strip is back down to the wood, and try again...  I really like the lure itself, and think that it deserves a nice finish...  Thanks for the encouragement!  I appreciate that!

[Zel]

Why not try fishing it first before stripping it down.  Who knows, if it catches bass you can start your own line of avant-garde finishes.  

[BIG M]

Wickyman don't be so hard on yourself there.   You need to post a pic so we can help you figure out what went wrong.   Now photo finish is a royal pain and I don't do it for that very reason.   Painting, foiling, and photo finish takes practice.

I'm far from a rookie at building baits and I still end throwing some in the trash because I screwed up.   It's just part of the game.

Now let's see a pic.

[Daiwa]

Same here. Tried it, thought it would be easy, but man was I wrong.

[wickyman]

Ok got some pics, one is a little blurry, but you get the picture...  

[rfrazier]

You are being way too hard on yourself, that is a great first bait...

[-ebby-]

You are being way too hard on yourself, that is a great first bait...

x2

[wickyman]

I'm this hard on myself because I am supposed to be an artist, and I jacked this piece of art all up... lol  I have always been this hard on myself.  They say an artist is his/her own hardest critic!  lol  I am the worst critic...  I want everything 100% perfect.  It has potential, just going to take more work!  I didn't take a picture of the other side, but I ripped a small hole in the paper, not all the way through, but I was thinking about painting a red bloody mess on it, just to keep it looking like a bait...  I covered it up with some green paint, but it doesn't match, it's the wrong color...  The top and bottom are also the wrong colors.  I have to mix the airbrush paint, before I can shoot it...

I don't know, I guess I expected it to look, more shiny than it actually came out!  The paper didn't become translucent with the first layer of clear, so I stopped...  I guess it might work, on the lake, but it's not great...  I will try it, and see what happens!  Thanks for the comments, I appreciate it.  This thing is growing on me...  More and more!  I will try again, but maybe get some better paper...  lol

[.dsaavedra.]

i dont see wha the problem is.

the actual photofinish it self looks pretty good, maybe a little rough on the edges, but other than that its good.

the paint doesnt match at all, but that is easily fixable.

it doesnt even look like you clearcoated it. but if you did, put another coat on. the second coat wont make the foil any shinier, but it will make the bait itself shinier. (2 coats of epoxy is perttty shiny)

[Daiwa]

You should see mine!!!

[Munkin]

You should see mine!!!

I agree! My foiled baits look like I finger painted them? :-[ Guess what though? They are still in my tackle box as we care a lot more than the fish.

Allen

[wickyman]

That's true though, munkin!  Fish don't give a crap about the color combination, in a pattern of perplexity...  They really only see random objects, in random colors...  lol  I just know that I am throwing something, that I don't trust to be the perfect color...  I think that it looking more realistic, has more chance of being an attractant, than an irritant...  Just my train of thought.  

[BIG M]

I don't see a problem with the photo finish part of the bait.   You need to get the foil edges a little closer together and better paint on the belly and back.

Did you paint the back and belly after the first coat of clear?     A little trick brush some white primer on the back and belly before you do the first coat of clear.  

I need to dig up my first bait (looks like crap) caught 47 bass that spring.

Your next bait will be better.

[wickyman]

Actually, I did paint it before the clear.  I'm sure it will catch fish, just when, and where is the question...  We will see, I guess!  I don't know why the heck the foil came out of the edges like that... when I cut it out with the blade, it was all even with the paper...  Weird stuff.  I will probably sand the clear on the back and belly, and lay down some white primer, and try those again.  I have the colors, just need to get the old panasche airbrush out... lol

[BIG M]

Your an artist right, then get away from that photo finish stuff.   It won't draw any more strikes than your own version of a bluegill.   Get you a good Iwata brush and some wildlife colors, let that artist skill come out in some original Wickyman creations.    You'll be more pleased with the finished product.

[suede55bowtie]

Dude that looks awesome! I want it haha that thing would be KILLER around here

[wickyman]

You're right Big M!  I should do that...  I have been motivated to do new things, after seeing all of your custom baits!  You are a really big reason as to why I started making my own baits.  Along with many others!  Have I seen your baits in a local store?  They look kind of familiar!  Anyhow, thanks for all the comments and suggestions!  

[harshman]

Nobody starts out with a Mona Lisa as their first piece of art work. I think that looks great for your first bait. I look back at some of the ones I made and wonder if a third grader could have done better.

Harshman

[wickyman]

LOL!  That's true.  I have been painting, drawing, and such, since I was just 5.  I have about 20 years of it under my belt, so I should do ok...  I'm no where near as good as some of the other people on here, as I am still a real nooby air brush artist.  I have all the equipment though!  I was thinking about using brushes, rather than air, since my skills on that still suck, and I need more practice.

As far as the third grader art work goes... lol  I hear ya there!  I have had some things that have made me wonder, "why I even wasted so much time painting it!?".  Even with a ton of experience under the belt, with different media, comes a whole different line of work...  I can see that these smaller baits might be a little hard to get painted, but my new 7" swim bait is going to be a little easier!  It's nice being able to carve in the shop.  I can't wait until I am completely done with that one!

[fishfordollars]

FYI, I threw away about a dozen before I got the right look and balance on the Big Os i carve. Keep at it.

[wickyman]

I am definitely going to keep at it.  Have been trying to carve out some that look more realistic.  The one I did yesterday looks alright, not to my perfection, but it will probably work, once I paint it up.  It really takes a skill to just carve out gills, and scales...  Then I also did a mouth, talk about a PITA!  lol  But yeah, keeping at it, is always the key, I can see improvement over my first baits.  Need to work on the realistic stuff again, though...

[BIG M]

Wicky, a little tip.   Before you start all the fancy carving and finish work.   Make sure your design is sound and will have the action you are looking for.   Nothing hurts worse than to throw that beautiful bait, only to watch it roll back to you.    

Build it and test with a couple of clear coats on it.    Make sure you can repeat the process, then do the finish work.    Become the bait maker first then let the artist out.

Have you fished those baits yet?

[wickyman]

Not yet, just really been feeling artistic, but I also have a lot of faith, that they will run true.  I do everything per scaling, and drafting.    But, not always does that work great either.  I really just do it for the heck of it!  lol  I will be testing out, "Godzilla Thrilla" which is my 7" 4oz. swim bait.  I think that it should work great.  Got the lip set to run about 3-4 feet, or so I hope.  If not, it looks pretty cool.  I can always do something else artistic with it.  If I had the tools, I would reproduce things, at a later date, when I knew it would work.  I am limited to files, a dremel, and hand saws... lol  Everything is good old elbow grease...  

I will try out that swim bait next time I am out, and let you guys know how it comes out.