Archers love personalized gear such as handcrafted bowstrings, and custom-colored arrows and fletchings. Archers also personalize their gear with accent paint that gives bows an eye-catching two-tone look.
Sara Lopez is one of the world’s best compound-bow archers, and her gear looks world-class, too. She achieves that look with paint markers that color the cut-outs on her bow’s riser. Lopez said oil-based and acrylic paint markers have pros and cons.
“An oil-based marker is harder to (remove) when you get bored with it,” Lopez said. “With an acrylic paint marker, you can clean it with alcohol. It doesn’t leave any marks or stains.”
Here’s how she does it!
What you Need
- Rubbing alcohol
- Paper towels
- Q-tips
- Paint marker with a medium point (Lopez uses a Sharpie or Posterman)
Prep the riser by cleaning it with a paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol.
Remove the paint pen’s cap and depress the tip. Put the cap back on and shake well. Remove the cap and depress the tip several times to get the paint flowing.
Paint the cut out with even strokes and let it dry. Apply a second coat if necessary.
If you make a mistake, use a Q-tip dipped in alcohol to clean up wet paint. Dry paint requires more elbow grease to remove.
“The color lasts two to three months, and then you just add another coat of paint,” Lopez said.
We all can’t shoot like Sara Lopez, but with a little patience and a paint marker, your bow will look just as awesome!
Before painting your bow, consider that you might void its warranty. Check its warranty information by visiting the bow manufacturer’s website, or consulting your archery shop or the owner’s manual.
