General help

[Jonny Dexter]

Hi folks, just wanted to get you thoughts on a few things i would like to clear up.
What is the cheapest paint i can get away with for doing a solid color background, i mainly paint onto cheap canvases and tend to use a single solid color or occasionally a blend. I don't really want to use the Createx i have if i can get a cheap(er) alternative.

what is the recommended method for large area fill, i have a side feed AB with a .5mm ( i think) which is ok but it is still quite slow and doesn't cover a wide area in a single pass. would a cheap HVLP gun help here? i have a cheap one i bought from abroad but need to get the correct connectors to try it out.

What is the best method to stop the black being so dull, is there anything i can spray under or over to give it a bit of a gloss finish? i have a gloss top coat but it appears to be more for fabrics so doesn't seem to do a lot.
Will base coats help here at all ?

I recently ran very low on reducer and decided to use water for the time being and am finding it as good as the reducer for my needs. is there any major advantage to using the reducer that justifys the extra outlay ?

as always, any help or advice greatly appreciated.

 

[foreveryoung001]

when I have a large area on a back ground, I'll generally use something out of a rattle can. Flat black is what I use most, but I've used other colors. On automotive pieces or helmets, etc... I'll use something geared towards automotive use in my hvlp, but for general painting, I've never had any problem with good ol' Rustoleum or krylon.

I just use water as my reducer, but that is what E'tac recommends. When I use auto air or wicked, i always use their reducer, just cuz it works better for me. I can't really see any major issues using plain water, but I'd just be worried about the adhesion properties being affected, but that shouldn't really matter on canvas work.

 

[RebelAir]

What is the cheapest paint i can get away with for doing a solid color background, i mainly paint onto cheap canvases and tend to use a single solid color or occasionally a blend. I don't really want to use the Createx i have if i can get a cheap(er) alternative.

Many options really, anything opaque, you could try Spectra tex, has pretty good coverage, reduces fine with water and doesn't cost an arm and a leg..

what is the recommended method for large area fill, i have a side feed AB with a .5mm ( i think) which is ok but it is still quite slow and doesn't cover a wide area in a single pass. would a cheap HVLP gun help here? i have a cheap one i bought from abroad but need to get the correct connectors to try it out.

Distance is the key, I wouldn't spray from any closer than about 10-15 cm away doing flat background type coats, heavy passes but not to the point of being wet (The distance will control that) and of course overlap your passes by about 40-50%..or as ya mention a HVLP or mini touch up gun may be more appropriate pending on canvas size.

What is the best method to stop the black being so dull, is there anything i can spray under or over to give it a bit of a gloss finish? i have a gloss top coat but it appears to be more for fabrics so doesn't seem to do a lot.
Will base coats help here at all ?

Black will look dull until fully saturated, especially on Fabric, consider if painting fabrics using a screen printing dye instead, penetrates the fibre better which may help darken it as the white base will be obliterated due to the penetration ability of the dye..but hard to gloss something on fabric due to its absorbtion nature and the material itself..You could try a silver or metallic type base to give it some sparkle or even add some metallics to the black..

I recently ran very low on reducer and decided to use water for the time being and am finding it as good as the reducer for my needs. is there any major advantage to using the reducer that justifys the extra outlay ?

Depends on paint brand, I only ever use water and its worked well enough for my needs as I hate paying for a special reducer..

Just to add there are products out there that will assist in Fabric painting, laying a trans base so your work kinda sits on top and it seals the fabric a bit can at times help, never bothered myself but if you suss a few paint brands out that are aimed at the fabric market, see if they do have any additives to assist in pre-prep or after care needs..Best of luck..

 

[Squishy]

I think it depends on the paint you use, the surface you are painting on, and how much fine detail you want to get for using a bought reducer. I use Wicked paint, and I always use the W500 reducer because it works for me. I find it works better than water to give me a good clean paint flow, better atomisation, making it easier for some pretty fine detail, and helps with tip dry, but also it helps paint to dry really quickly and gives a tougher cure without having to heat set, (I never do unless on fabric) which I find helpful if I'm doing automotive stuff. It does a couple of other things like reduces the surface tension of paint to help avoid fish eyes on hard surfaces, and allows for a bit more coverage in a pass if needed, and gives more transparency without pigments seperating from binder - though it will eventually, but better than with water.

These properties may not be of any relevance to you depending on the paint you use, and working on canvas, so if water is working well for you, why pay out for reducer. For my needs, I couldn't paint without it.

 

[Jonny Dexter]

sorry folks - i did read all your replies but totally forgot that i had not said thank you - my apologies fro the over sight.