Showing his true stripes
After studying the vehicle color, he mixes paints to arrive at colors that will provide both complement and contrast to the base paint of the car. The brushes that he uses are handmade with Siberian squirrel hair and trimmed to resemble a curvy combination of a knife and an airplane propeller. Dougie explained that these instruments are critical to his craft. When he mentioned to his supplier once that a new brush that he bought wasn't just right, he learned that the lady who made the previous brushes in her kitchen in England had retired, and the new brush had been crafted by an apprentice. Now, his brushes are made to his specifications by Paul Quinn, a Pennsylvania pinstriper/sign painter, via the Mack Brush Company .
When the mixed paints are to his liking, Dougie then applies a thin strip of masking tape onto the car where the lines will be painted, and then he lays a flexible magnetic strip underneath that. These are not templates for his painted line; he will apply that line totally freehand. The tape and magnetic strip serve as a rail to guide his sensitive fingers as he lays the paint down on the car.
This skillful artist strives for perfection, and as a human, Dougie isn't a stranger to mistakes. He cleans up any errors with a modified table knife wrapped in paper towel. Though he uses a fast-drying paint, he doesn't fret over anything that's less than perfect. A rag with solvent is always at the ready to wipe off a line or a drip in order to start over, if necessary.
When he's satisfied that he's finished, the artist signs his work. There aren't many craftspeople out there who make a living with pinstriping, and Dougie generously imparts his knowledge of the craft to others. He spends time teaching his skills to pinstriping students at Gillete Collision Center in Waukesha, Wisconsin. From what I witnessed the other day while he demonstrated to me what he does, Dougie is an excellent instructor.