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Like a blank canvas, this beautiful instrument made the perfect backdrop for
a Cherry Blossom Sunset. I almost felt guilty for painting it. Almost.
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I chose 4 colors of Montana Gold acrylic spray paint for the sunset. Their paints are beautiful. Neat cans, too! Using frisket film, I masked where
the blossoms would go, so the subtly off-white paint would show through. After removing the strings and bridge,
blue painter's tape protected knobs and switches, the neck, pickups, and the working parts of the guitar.
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Spray paint faded nicely from one color to the next.
The narrow guitar neck and head were only wide enough for two
colors, but they worked well.
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Once the paint dried, frisket film was carefully removed. The resulting white puffs looked like popcorn, or maybe sheep.
Just a drop of napthol red medium was mixed with titanium white acrylic paint and the slightly pink centers of the blossoms
were brushed in. Burnt umber let the branches be brown, but dark enough to be almost black - like you would see at sunset.
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blossoms were touched with an "interference violet" paint, which is essentially clear, but has microscoping particles
that give a pink/violet irridecense when the light hits them just-so. Thicker applications add a touch of shadow and depth
to the blossoms, but then when the guitar turns, softly sparke in pink/violent briliance. Didn't come out in the photo.
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Before the guitar could be re-strung, layers of clear gloss paint were applied and allowed to dry. This sealed in the
deep colors of the sunset and protected the delicate blossoms from harm. Once everything
dried, the masking tape was removed and the guitar re-strung and tuned.
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The back of the guitar got the same treatment as the front, with layers of clear gloss protecting the work.
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The finished guitar was put back in its case and returned to Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center for their 11th annual fundraising
event. It will be sold at auciton, with the proceeds going to much-needed research. Since 2000, the Kimmel Cancer Center
and Paul Reed Smith guitars have paired up to raise over $2 million for Hopkins' Living with Cancer Resource Program. Thank
you to Johns Hopkins and Michael Hibler for this amazing volunteer opportunity. Sometimes the most rewarding projects
don't pay a dime.
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