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In using acrylic paints for my Bomarc missile project, I am considering what the look would be to use flat paints with a gloss cover. The purpose would be to find a medium between too little reflection and too shiny. An internet search does not yield anything on this topic. Anyone have any experience on thoughts on this method?
I use gloss coats over matte paints all the time. I use Future, and the mattes are acrylics, some lacquer-based (eg, Tamiya), and the rest water-based-Andrea, Vallejo Model Color, craft-store brands, Lifecolor. The matte colors do not knock back the glossy quality of the top coat.
If you're looking to get more of a semi-gloss, I think you should look at cutting your gloss medium with something to make it more of a semi-gloss or satin finish, or using a product that is a semi-gloss right out of the bottle/can. I know that Future can be cut with matte media to make it a little more of a semi-gloss/satin finish, but I'm sure that other forum members will be much better able to give you advice about the technique.
Hope that helps!
Best regards,
Brad
The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.
MRP has clear coats in 4 different sheens. Matt, Semi-Matt, Semi-Gloss, and Gloss. Those are all lacquers, but they can be applied with an airbrush over acrylic paints just fine. Like The Baron said, the sheen of the paint itself isn't going to have much effect at all on the final sheen after a clearcoat is applied. I'm thinking Semi-Matt would be a good match for the Bomarc if you wanted to give that a try. I know lacquers are smelly, but these require no thinning/mixing, and they gas off in minutes, with a full cure in less than an hour.
"You can have my illegal fireworks when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers...which are...over there somewhere."
Vallejo sells matte,satin and gloss varnishes to achieve different sheens
If you are using an airbrush, you can use either over either to get an intermediate sheen.
Also, Rustoleum Painters Touch makes semi-gloss clear acrylic overcoat in spray cans. I have used it and it is okay- you just have to be quick and accurate to keep from a very thick coat.
It would help to know your application method, brush, airbrush or spray cans.
Airbrush, with brush for details. Thank you.
Forti Nihil Difficilius Airbrush, with brush for details. Thank you.
With a brush or airbrush you could mix a little satin varnish right into your paint. Especially for the brush though because you're control for over coating is different.
Now with the airbrush you can also over coat with a semigloss varnish or a mix of matte and semigloss to get a semi matte finish ( really with large or small parts). I've also successfully many times used gloss lacquer with extra thinner and put down 1-2 mist coats to come out to semi gloss. If you build that up too much though you may come to or close to full gloss. I've found lacquer to go on ok over any of the acrylic brands I use, except that I have not tried it over Tamiya acrylic. On that I use acrylic varnish. Additionally like with the varnish you could mix gloss and flat lacquer then spray as normal a coat or two.
Vallejo varnish has been mentioned already. I personally use Liquitex varnish simply because I have big bottles of the stuff. I've used a few different gloss lacquers over the years, the key using that to the result you seek is very thin and just mist coats, works great and gives a hard surface when dry. Also flashes off very quickly. Hope any of this helps.
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