Shells that don't have the outer protective film?

[QuackingPlums]

What do you guys do when painting shells that don't have the protective outer film on them?
I've tried cling film, which does a good job of keeping my fingers from smudging it, but isn't a very good surface on which to scribble my design with a Sharpie.
Also, do you tend to put the window masks on the outside and use them as a guide, or on the inside and spray/sponge the liquid mask over the top of them?

[jimmy]

If there's no overspray protection then it's just a pain really but I just deal with it. There's vitually nothing you can paint or draw on that shell that won't come off very easily, so it's not really a problem.
Deodorant (not anti persperant) works well even if you have nothing else to hand, and makes the shell smell MANLY - lol

I use that - or pure alcohol or tamiya thinner or surgical spirit. All work well - solvent paints might take a little more rubbing to get rid of, especially if you've got a thumb print on there instead of some light overspray but it'll come off.

[DCM]

Deoderant for me to!! works a treat, and as Jimmy says.... leaves it manly

[jonmiller]

what do i do...swear at them!

but yeh, as others have said, marker pen as usual and isopropynol alcohol to wipe it off.

[blitzboy]

just give some of the old lynx deo guys smells sweet and the birds love it too oh yer

[QuackingPlums]

Wow seriously?! Consensus seems to be Lynx or isopropyl then - I guess I'll try whichever is the cheapest!

So this is fine for marker pen, overspray, whatever I can throw at it? Somehow I feel that you're all winding me up so I'll be trying it on some scrap first if you don't mind!