If you are dreaming of a beautiful ballooning mural to accent your new trailer, van or chase commander - and if you're lucky enough to live in or near Albuquerque, you need look no further than the artist known as Bobbo (pronounced Bob-0).
If you are dreaming of a beautiful ballooning mural to accent your new trailer, van or chase commander - and if you're lucky enough to live in or near Albuquerque, you need look no further than the artist known as Bobbo (pronounced Bob-0).
Robert E. Dunn is working on his second career as an automotive airbrush specialist. It began four years ago when he relocated to Albuquerque from Grand Junction, Colorado where he had retired to live the good life. Not surprisingly balloons are playing a large part in his second go around.
Dunn has known he would be an artist from his early childhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A crayon on muslin painting he did of Indian chief Tecumseh at age 12 was displayed by an area museum and from then on he was encouraged to pursue art as a career. As a teenager he worked part-time for a commercial sign company airbrushing since he was 14. As a young adult he was a Disney illustrator working at Disneyland from 1954-56. He would leave Disney to open his own southern California paint shop where he painted t-shirts and hot rods and pin-striped motorcycles in the 50's and 60's moving on to van murals in the hip 70's.
Since his arrival in Albuquerque his clients have included balloon photographer Ron Behrman, Discover Balloons and many others.
Balloon Life recently talked with Dunn, Bobbo, for these tips on getting your trailer or van painted...
Balloon Life: What kind of artist should a balloonist seek out for a trailer or van mural?
Bobbo: "You want to find a good automotive airbrush artist. You probably can do that by calling on the local sign painting companies. Many of them will either have an airbrush artist on staff or they'll know of a local artist.
Second I would check out the local paint companies, paint and body shops, or even art supply stores, because airbrush artist are always going there to buy supplies."
BL: What does the customer need to supply in terms of a design? Is it enough to bring just an idea or do you need to see a preliminary drawing or sketch?
Bobbo: "All I like to see is the balloon - I can do the clouds and mountains or whatever background the customer wants. It doesn't hurt to have a design drawing but unless the customer or whoever prepared the drawing understands the scale of the trailer or van I might have to do some editing of the background to make sure the balloon is the standout feature.
This will vary from one artist to another because some like to work with very specific instruction, others prefer a free hand to use their own imagination."
BL: Can you describe the painting process briefly? Bobbo: The process I use is a base coat/clear coat process with masked painting - much the same as that used on all automobile finishes. The final art looks almost like a photograph.
Today most trailer's are baked enamel over aluminum. I begin with a 3-step cleaning process. Then I put on white base coat which is then sanded to rough the surface and give the other paint something to adhere to.
Next I paint in the background and this I may freehand or airbrush depending on the complexity of the subject. Then doing the balloon is a process of masking and painting, masking and painting one color at a time until each color of the balloon is done. Then come the shadows and highlights and finally a clear coat of acrylic urethane to protect the art."
BL: How much time should a customer allot for a work like this?
Bobbo: "That can vary depending on the size and complexity of the work. A small trailer job can take two to four days while a larger work might run seven to ten days."
BL: What about home built trailers? Do they offer any special problems?
Bobbo: "I almost won't touch a home built job because they haven't used the right material for the wood, they haven't sealed the wood or even used the right paint on top of it. There is nothing I have that will paint on top of plywood without damaging the surface.
If a customer with a home built comes to me I'll recommend a special wood that's a little more expensive but it won't be cracking and breaking down in a few years."
BL: What about lettering - are there options the customer can consider?
Bobbo: "Absolutely. I do lettering in vinyl, in paint, or even in three dimensional airbrush.
BL: What about cost?
Bobbo: Like anything else cost is a variable. It can depend on the process the artist uses, the materials involved, the complexity of the project, the scale of the project, and the speed at which the artist works."
If you don't live in Albuquerque or don't plan a trip there, chances are you can find an airbrush artist nearby your home. As Bobbo said consult your local sign companies for a start. Airbrushing is a technique taught in most college art classes so it's possible you might locate a local student anxious to build a portfolio of work who will tackle your project for the experience and expenses or only a nominal fee. However, Bobbo warns that you should beware a student who might begin the project only to find they are in over their heads. In other words, buyer beware - often you get what you pay for!
Finally Bobbo cautions that you find an artist used to working in the scale of the art you desire. Comic book illustrators, t-shirt artists, and others may be fine airbrush artists but the scale of a nine by twelve feet trailer can lead them into trouble. For best results, find an automotive airbrush artist.
For more information you can contact Bobbo directly at Bobbo's Airbrush FX in Albuquerque, New Mexico at (505) 884-1300.
