the process  begins with carbon fiber, which is a fabric made of woven carbon strips, that when layered with a hardening resin, sealed in airtight plastic and baked at 700+ degrees in a pressurized oven or autoclave, takes on the shape and texture of the material it is molded against and becomes one of the lightest, strongest materials known to man. For this reason it is used in the production of planes and other high performance vehicles like race cars, bikes, kayaks and bobsleds.

For Crigler’s work, the fiber is layered and baked on a sheet of glass to create a flat panel or ’canvas’.  The canvas is then sanded with a series of high-grade papers to give it a ’tooth’ that paint can adhere to.

Next a vinyl paint-masking material is applied and the image drawn on it, with an eye toward contour lines and then the shapes they define. Each shape is then cut out using an exacto blade leaving a stencil to protect the carbon fiber during the painting process.

Crigler paints with acrylics, and the sanded carbon fiber is both dark and porous, so it is necessary to prep the surface with gesso and/or paint as many as 15 layers for a single block of color;  to saturate the surface while minimizing brushstrokes as well as the buildup of paint.  When all painting is finished and completely dried, the mask is removed and lines cleaned up where necessary.

The piece is then sprayed, in an automotive paint bay, with 3-4 coats of a UV-rated urethane (a clear-coat) and left overnight to allow the coating to flow between the paint blocks and set.   The piece is then sanded down and re-cleared. This process may be repeated several times depending on how much paint is built up, the desired surface (smooth or ridged), or if there is any painting done between coats for layering effect or touch-up due to dust particles that get in under the clear.

Finally, it is baked, which protects the painting and gives it a shiny, clear finish which can be cleaned or waxed just like a racecar or standard automobile.   Properly mounted, this work can safely be installed outdoors, in gardens, pool areas, etc.