Survey: Which painted guitar would YOU like to play?

[naneek]

Thank you, naneek. The pictures aren't “random”. I'm guessing that you and other guitarists have heard of Leo Fender, so I thought it might be cool to feature him as one possibility. The cyclops is a “shock value” entry (it’s actually my own selfie that I then manipulated), and the girl is -- frankly -- about sex.

What I’m trying to do here is find an image that will “read” well at a distance. Most of the hand-painted guitars that I’ve seen have small images like flowers and birds; or they have easily-recognized iconic images like Frankenstein, Jimi Hendrix, the US flag, etc.; or they’re abstract designs. I don’t want to paint in any of those categories, but I’m not committed to the three pictures that I put up in this survey. They’re just layouts to get a conversation going. Better to spend a small amount of time on a photo mock-up that doesn’t appeal than spend a LOT of time to finish a painting that also doesn’t work.

Yes, the area on a guitar top IS awkwardly arranged. There isn’t much space to begin with, and that’s cut up with the weirdly-shaped scratch plate and that rectangular bridge. So, it’s tricky to find enough room for a large image that can be seen and understood by an audience.

Now, it may well be that most guitarists don’t want ANY image painted on an instrument -- which is a perfectly respectable opinion to have. (In fact, I added a fourth choice option: “None”.) After reading all the negative comments, I started to think that no one liked ANY of the images, but that isn’t true, either. Just look at the vote counts.

So, that’s where things stand. I’ve got a guitar body here and I want to paint it. If you or others have some ideas for me, let me hear ‘em. Alternatively, if you think that I shouldn’t “defile” an instrument by painting any kind of image on it, well… say so. That’s information for me, as well.

To quote the old Latin phrase: “De gustibus non est disputandum”. (There’s no disputing taste.)

I never said you shouldn't paint a guitar. The point of my critique is that I don't see the point of using a photo that doesn't suit the shape of the instrument.

Rather than blaming the shape of the instrument for the awkwardness of your layout, work with it.

I think you should create a design from scratch that is suited to the medium (paint) and the canvas (an oddly shaped guitar).

I don't think you will be likely to find an appealing layout with this photo mockup method. And personally, I think it would be more interesting to create a new concept or design than one from an existing photo.

I can tell the selfie is a mirrored iphone type effect, and I think when you paint it, it will still look like a cell phone picture. It's a fun idea, but the method used to create it is clearly visible in the design itself.

Why not dream up a cyclops self portrait with your imagination instead of using something so recognizable as a cell phone picture as your reference image?

 

[ClashCityTele]

OK, Telecaster Friends --

I need your help. For starters, I'm not a guitar player, but I am a visual artist.

A buddy of mine has been urging me to paint on a guitar body and then sell it... somewhere. (Probably Reverb.)

So, I bought a G&L ASAT Classic body, and then worked up three rough layouts for my future oil painting. Let's call them "Honoring Leo Fender", "Clops", and "Smooth Ride".

You would do me a great favor to look at the three images below, and then tell me which one YOU would like to play.

Let me know. Many thanks.

Steve

I think that you have discovered how conservative Telecaster players are.
Including me.

 

[bottlenecker]

I for one am not concerned about snowflake feelings. That is one absurd ugly idea that while may entertain the OP has disturbed the rest of us. Our feelings matter as well, and he needs to apologize to us for those things that cannot be unseen.

That said, if you like it please for the love of god and sparing the children, only play that in the dark, or a windowless basement with a locked door.

Why is it always the guys who throws out "snowflake" who needs an apology. If I got an apology from everyone on this site who posted pictures of some hideous thing they did to their guitar I'd never have time to get through my inbox. I'm just wondering why this guy is the exception to all the things on this site that people must be keeping their mouth shut or lying about... unless- wait, am I the only one?

 

[northernguitar]

Fugly! All of them!

 

[NC E30]

A buddy of mine has been urging me to paint on a guitar body and then sell it... somewhere. (Probably Reverb.)

Might need some new friends, this one is going to make you go broke.

On the constructive side, photos do not lend themselves to the guitar. You may want to consider cartoon characters, anime, or even superhero comic type graphics. That would be much cooler.

 

[radiocaster]

I think that you have discovered how conservative Telecaster players are.
Including me.

I don't think it's even about being conservative. I wouldn't mind a blue tele with no pickguard and a spaceship on it, but I wouldn't want a huge face like that.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

How are you at whittlin'? [Edit: I don't know about that upper bout ]

 

[paulblackford]

As an illustrator, I feel that guitars and illustration don't mix. I feel that guitars lend themselves to creative graphic design, or even more folk-ish decoration rather than realistic portraits. I'm in favor of making a guitar your own through artistic expression, but I think it generally looks better when decorative rather than something too representational. I see objective realism on guitars a bit like I see airbrushed murals on vans. It comes off a bit tacky.

 

[ponycar]

I'm allegedly an artist. I've taught art for 30 years. I sometime express myself in lacquer guitar finishes, via quality, not with representative images.
If I were to undertake painting a body it would be abstract or more likely a non representational design.
None of the images that you are contemplating have any appeal to me whatsoever.
The cover of the King Crimson album, In the court of the crimson king is perhaps worthy to someone, but unattractive.
I really have nothing specific that i could suggest.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

As an illustrator, I feel that guitars and illustration don't mix. I feel that guitars lend themselves to creative graphic design, or even more folk-ish decoration rather than realistic portraits. I'm in favor of making a guitar your own through artistic expression, but I think it generally looks better when decorative rather than something too representational. I see objective realism on guitars a bit like I see airbrushed murals on vans. It comes off a bit tacky.

Tacky?! That is shaggin-wagon pefection!!!

 

[bottlenecker]

OP, I'd avoid asking most guitar players for advice on art. It's like asking gardners how to build and launch a moon mission. You would think there's a connection, but only in the right context.

The leo one was funny, the cyclops was also jostling awkward outsider-ish art. I thought the girl was ironic and crass, for reasons I'm not sure I wanna get into. They all defiled the instrument. If that was your goal, you roused the roost here with the Guitardom Old Guard. Ha, I like it.

But if it's about celebration and honor, then as you can see, it's not quite there.

I'm a painter and artist of sorts, and it runs in the family. I was given a painted guitar by said family that's a piece of art in its own way, within its context. The painting is only on the back, nothing on the front. Trying to go for something different on the front has it's own set of challenges. TBH, the only guitar as art (besides the one I own) that I feel nailed something of a function/form balance was H.R. Giger's partnership with Ibanez, and some rockabilly/tat crossover Gretsches that I see around from time to time.

James A Willis does some stuff I like, but I like his cases better.

Sarah Ryan's stuff looks pretty good, but some of them remind me too much of chalkboard menus at hip cafes. Some look perfect to me though.

 

[naneek]

James A Willis does some stuff I like, but I like his cases better.

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I like that one, sort of an old fashioned pulp novel cover style.

It also reminds me of the old cowboy stencil guitars, like the gene autry guitar, etc.

 

[bebopbrain]

I like the Xi Jinping one.

 

[Tricone]

Hey OP. You are the artist so follow your muse. To sum up the negativity, portrait paintings of any ilk are not popular among the guitar players of today. That style went away after the super strat 1980's.

Girl Brand guitars use some pretty hip mediums to produce guit-art. Imho.

Sushi bar

 

[TeleBackelaer]

As an illustrator, I feel that guitars and illustration don't mix. I feel that guitars lend themselves to creative graphic design, or even more folk-ish decoration rather than realistic portraits. I'm in favor of making a guitar your own through artistic expression, but I think it generally looks better when decorative rather than something too representational. I see objective realism on guitars a bit like I see airbrushed murals on vans. It comes off a bit tacky.
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Very well put. I'm not a fan of any pictures or graphics on my guitars, but if you put a gun to my head: I agree with Paulblackford. Either abstract or folkish. Pin-ups also sort of work on a tele.
But most importantly: if your gonna paint the guitar, be sure to use nitrocellulose. Everybody knows oil paint is a tone killer

 

[northernguitar]

Pinup girl guitars RAWK.

 

[Fretting out]

Could you put smooth ride on the back of the guitar?

Boing!

 

[naneek]

Boing!

69!

 

[TwangerWannabe]

I could tolerate looking at the Leo Fender one for a short time. The other two, nah.

Looks less like Leo and more like Telly Savalas sans lollipop.

 

[BorderRadio]

James A Willis does some stuff I like, but I like his cases better.

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Sarah Ryan's stuff looks pretty good, but some of them remind me too much of chalkboard menus at hip cafes. Some look perfect to me though.

View attachment 1057075

Oh hell yeah, thanks for introducing me to these!