notebook "artists" I am looking for some painting tips.

I bought my wife a dell 11 3000 2 in 1 in white. I want to paint the dell logo rose gold and maybe the hinges etc. Just to give it a little bit of match the craft room/iPhone. Any tips to complete this without messing it up. I have painting experience and air brush etc. Just looking for tips so I can complete this properly! thanks!

I am also thinking about taking the keyboard, and paint the sides of the keys rose gold and keep the tops white. Little details will make a big difference. Can you paint the touchpad and have it reliable?

 

I have painted many Toughbooks. They are magnesium so it's a little different.
I found that using a finish clearcoat makes the finish much more durable. Also that allows me to choose if I want it flat, satin or gloss.

I have painted touchpads and they worked fine.

Here is my thread showing some of my work.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/cf-31-mk3-construction-site-edition.785766/

This is one I did in safety yellow/green and added reflective powder to the lid badge.


Here is one I did with a custom gold glitter badge.


I have also used a vinyl cutter to make touchpad covers. They work great also.

I suggest an adhesion promoter when painting plastic items.

 

Oh yeah, I paint motorcycles, snowmobiles, atv etc. I know all about adhesion promoter! ha ha.....Love the safety yellow. I will have to see about the touchpad. Maybe get some metallic rose gold vinyl for that....I got the new laptop, it came in grey....I was very pissed...but the rose gold will still offset it nicely.

 

Then you already know that it's all in the prep work.

 

Go get some rose gold leaf at a hobby store, mask off the front letters, or if you can pinstripe apply rose gold leaf, have what you want to not be leafed lightly rubbed with a gray scotch brite, cover what you don't wan't clear coated, and just outline, apply rose leaf, let set up, carefully with a face make up brush knock the not addheared parts off clear, scuff, clear, scuff, wet or dry micro fine sandpaper across letters, if allot of texture, scuff, clear, scuff, clear, make sure urathane is set up between coats or you'll have buggers rolling up all over, if it levels out in ten strokes, clear again, this sounds like allot of work, but they do whole cars like this still, but buff the yard deep shine on the machines, if her name's rose, get some green, and her favorite rose color, throw a couple of those on there, I did a european colored, but not actual color shapes, first toughbook i rebuilt, and had the paint

how do you post pictures, i like the bright green one, you can see a fool running a mile away, that's also why i like the tough books, they stand out by shape

 

I use an external photo site. photobucket works for me, but there are others.

I did my CF 19 in bright safety orange.