Transparent paint - tinting Polycrylic?

[VanBass]

I'm just setting up for airbrushing and bought the two C'tex sets (Basic 1 & 2) not realizing that they are all opaque paint. I am waiting for my compressor and polycrylic to be delivered so I can't try/test this myself. 

I'll eventually order some but in the meantime I'm wondering if anyone has tried making a transparent paint by tinting polycrylic with C'tex?

Any other suggestions on how to make transparent paint? 

Van

Edited July 10, 2021 by VanBass

[mark poulson]

I've never tried adding Createx to polyacrylic, but you might be onto something.

Get some clear, white, and black plastic spoons and experiment.  Using plastic spoons will give you results similar to painting plastic lures.

It'll be good practice and help you figure out how to paint.

[ravenlures]

One thing that I found out that not stirring the poly helped me in using it as a medium for glow paint. I just bought a pint and poured it into another container and washed out what was left in the bottom of the can. You might have to do it several times to get all of it out. I never mixed Createx with it, but it worked with the glow powder.

Wayne

[mark poulson]

4 hours ago, ravenlures said:

One thing that I found out that not stirring the poly helped me in using it as a medium for glow paint. I just bought a pint and poured it into another container and washed out what was left in the bottom of the can. You might have to do it several times to get all of it out. I never mixed Createx with it, but it worked with the glow powder.

Wayne

Do you mean you transferred it back and forth between containers, to mix it?  When I used to paint we called that boxing the paint, by using 5 gallon buckets to mix several individual gallons of paint to make sure they were all the same color.

[ravenlures]

Mark

No what I was saying that I would let the poly settle and just pour the poly into another container, while I flush out the whatever settles in the bottom of the pint can and wash that out so I have a clean container to pour the poly back into. Do not stir the poly up just let it settle. Then I could use what was needed to mix my glow powder into a plastic cup and it was ready to spray. When you first open do not mix pour it out then wash out the pint can then you have a clean can, the poly works as a medium for mixing.I have not mixed anywith Createx but will try that out. 

Wayne

[VanBass]

@ravenlures

Interesting that you would pour off the polycrylic ("decant" it ?) to get rid of the "sediment".

My first thoughts would be that the stuff on the bottom of the can was part of the product and had just settled out in storage. But then, I am thinking it terms of a paint medium and pigment.

...I just checked my (new) can of Minwax Polycrylic and did find a bit of sediment but there was also instructions to stir the product. 

@mark poulson

Lots of views but few comments, guess that there's an interest or a curiosity about tinting polycrylic. 

Since I asked first, I'll volunteer to do some testing. As you suggest Mark, it will be a good learning experience. 

I have 4 water based products that have potential...

Pledge "Floor Gloss" - it's crystal clear with a 30 minute drying time. 

Holloway House "Quick Shine" - it's milky, 1  hour drying time. 

Minwax "Polycrylic" - Gloss (Interior) it's milky, 2 hour drying time (probably less drying time when thinned to spraying viscosity) .

Varathane "Diamond Wood Finish" - Gloss (Exterior) it's milky, 2-3 hour drying time (probably less drying time when thinned to spraying viscosity). 

 

Was thinking about using opaque black Createx Wicked (mixed and thinned as required then) sprayed on white paper (with printed text) to gage the transparency.

Any thoughts/suggestions? 

Van

[Anglinarcher]

Createx opaque is pigment mixed into an acrylic medium, so using MinWax polyacrylic is essentially doing just that.  The one they sell as the original intercoat is the acrylic.  The new one that is better for Candy is one I have not used.  

I do know that to spray MinWax Polyacrylic you need to mix in 15% water.  It does dry extremely clear.  It will protect chrome paint and prevent it from turning gray when you clear coat it.

The original Pledge is so much in demand it is demands up to $50 a bottle, a partial bottle, in the internet.  The new Pledge has a cleaner in it so it can/does turn chromes and silvers grey.  The original Pledge did/does protect chrome before clear coating.

Holloway House "Quick Shine" dries super clear, and will also protect chrome from becoming grey.

I see no reason that any of the above would not work.  I don't know about the others.  Hope this helps some.

[VanBass]

@Anglinarcher

Thanks, this does help! It's the exact kind of information (experience) that helps us newbies! Made notes 

The  Varathane product is very similar to the Minwax. The same color, viscosity, tackiness and even smell is (almost) the same. I had a can of the Varathane for other projects so I thought I would test it as well - bonus is that it is "Exterior" use rated so it's more water proof and UV resistant. 

Bummer about the Pledge, the bottle I got says "Original" on it but I doubt it is the original original. Hate when "new and improved" products don't work as well as the original one. I like how clear the Pledge is but I suspect that word "Cleaner" on the label implies extra chemicals that may not play well with pigments and chrome or bright silver finishes. More testing to be done. 

I'll probably end up buying proper transparent paint for general use but tinting a clear base sounds like an interesting experiment. It might be useful to add a tiny hint of color to an intercoat to mimic the sheen you see on a lot of bait fish. 

Van

[mark poulson]

23 hours ago, ravenlures said:

Mark

No what I was saying that I would let the poly settle and just pour the poly into another container, while I flush out the whatever settles in the bottom of the pint can and wash that out so I have a clean container to pour the poly back into. Do not stir the poly up just let it settle. Then I could use what was needed to mix my glow powder into a plastic cup and it was ready to spray. When you first open do not mix pour it out then wash out the pint can then you have a clean can, the poly works as a medium for mixing.I have not mixed anywith Createx but will try that out. 

Wayne

Thanks.

[Nathan]

Vanbass,

just saw this…Pledge can work great as a protection coat for your paint if your chosen top coat doesn’t want to play nice..just dip..let dry and then top coat…As for the old and new formulas on the Pledge..It’s probably been 8-10 years since it changed…I believe if you google you’ll find more information on it..Nathan

[Anglinarcher]

Remember that Pledge was designed for floors, so a cleaner works better for floors when you do your floors over and over.  We are using Pledge "off label".  So, in reality, the modern Pledge is better, for floors, but not for hobbyist.

 

[Sonny.Barile]

Mix Createx clear medium, a small amount of paint, and some thinner...The medium is nothing but the acrylic paint minus the color......the thinner is to help pigment break down......and to get it to flow on in thinner coats.

 

I would start with 4, 1, 2.....(parts respectively) 

Edited August 7, 2021 by Sonny.Barile

[VanBass]

@Sonny.Barile

Thanks for your comments!

I've just started experimenting with a couple of clear acrylic products and your suggestion for the ratios will be a good starting point.

I'll post the results once I am done. 

Van

[Chuck Young]

Like Sonny said, Createx makes a "transparent base". It is actually a pigment free paint, so it is 100% compatible. It appears milky white in the bottle but dries crystal clear. This can be added to opaque (or any other Createx paint) to make it more transparent. It does not thin the paint, so viscosity is not affected. Use a reducer with the mixture for the right consistency.

It is cheap and has many other uses. I also use it over foiled baits or epoxy to make a nice base for paint to stick to.