Issue with Liquid Mask

[Wacker 2]

Hi guys, I hope somebody may be able to help...

A while back I got myself an airbrush to have a play around at spraying some shells... I got myself some liquid mask and all was great. But I wasn't doing any 'fading' with paint so only using solid colours with a nice clean design... as a result I sold the airbrush and have been painting with Liquid Mask and normal spray can paint.

The problem I'm having is that the paint doesn't seem to be sticking to the liquid mask very well... as a result, when you try and peel a peice of liquid mask off it doesn't break along the paint line and the liquid mask pulls out from underneath the paint. Starting to get on my tits as its causing a lot of inperfections in the end result.

I've tried Tamiya paint, and Fast Finish paint... tried applying thin coats and thick coats... tried drying with hair dryer, leaving on a radiator or just air drying between coats but nothing seems to work.

I've done a shell this evening and at one point I was able to peel a chunk of the paint off whilst leaving the liquid mask on the shell.

I've tried RCS Liquid Mask and Bitty Design Liquid Mask and both do the same.

Hoping somebody else out there has had a similar issue... any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong... or if its the paint I'm using is there any suggestions on which spray can paint is best to use... or a prefered Liquid Mask to use?

Many thanks for any help
Jon.

[bigred5765]

sounds like your applying to much paint or building it up two thick, I spray 2-3 very light coats just enough so the colour is constant, no need for it to be solid if its slightly transparent that fine remember your going to back it after

[Dr Fly]

yeah, i would go with your paint layers are too thick. I tend not to use spray cans as i always end up putting too much paint down per coat.

For solid colours, i am using a 0.3mm nozzle £10 airbrush from amazon. it spits to much for any detailed work, but just to get the paint on the shell i cant fault it. No issues with the masking lines either.

[Wacker 2]

Cheers guys... I'll certainly try the thinner coats.

I really didn't want to go down the route of airbrushing again... I know you can pick up some cheap airbrushes but its all the cleaning and having to buy all new airbrush paint. Plus I'll need to get either a cheap compressor or keep buying compressed air cans.

I tried spraying a shell last night... and I still think the issue is the paint not sticking to the liquid mask... I was able to peel a layer of paint off the liquid mask and leave the liquid mask still stuck to the shell?

I'll keep playing around.

Thanks, Jon.

[jonmiller]

Sorry for the delay in responding to your PM (although am just posting here instead now)

As others have said, sounds like your paint is going on too thickly. Especially if you are doing it with any brand mask you use.
Try going easier as Carl suggested and let us know how you get on.

[Wacker 2]

Will do, cheers Jon