Bizarre! Oil wash penetrated Future coat

[Dukat, S.G.]

The subject line kinda says it all

Fortunately, this wasn't a disaster for me (2 test pieces), but it did leave me very puzzled. If I recall the details correctly, these are the stages of painting I used in each case:

*airbrushed MM enamels thinned with lacquer thinner, which was allowed to cure for at least 5 days

*hand-brushed 1-3 coats of Future; cure time, 2 days minimum

*applied the oil, thinned with Grumbacher's:
Odorless thinner on test piece A
Gum Spirits of Turpentine on test piece B

Both showed wear and tear when I tried to remove excess oil; i.e., you could see bare plastic, albeit only in small areas.

I'm a little puzzled by this. Shouldn't a thick Future coat prevent any oil/enemal interaction? Does it have something to do with the fact that I thinned the enamels w/ lacquer thinner, making them less durable or somesuch? *shrugs*

I'd really like to try some oil washes again, but after this little experiment I'm unsure how to avoid this kind of mishap.

[TREKKRIFFIC]

Maybe it was the use of lacquer thinner to thin the enamels. Normally, I use airbrush thinner when airbrushing enamels; it's a finer grade of regular paint thinner. I generally thin my enamels with reguar old mineral spirits/paint thinner for brush application. I only use lacquer thinner for lacquer based paints not enamels.

[Kylwell]

Well.... the only thing I can think of is the brush coat wasn't 100% coverage.

That would expose the underlying paint to the oils.

[Lt. Z0mBe]

I have had the same problem - without lacquer thinner. On the rare instances I still use oil washes, I use turpatine instead of turpentine.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

[Dukat, S.G.]

I have had the same problem - without lacquer thinner. On the rare instances I still use oil washes, I use turpatine instead of turpentine.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

Interesting stuff, Kenny.

I was really just messing around with the oil wash; I love to use them for small figures and very tight areas, but I'm in love with your pastel/water/rinse agent method. That and watercolor/water/rinse agent washes make up the bulk of my ... err, washes. (I feel like Austin Powers here: "Allow myself to ... introduce ... myself " .)

One thing, and off-topic to boot, that I'm wondering about though: does anyone still do enamel washes? Would, say, Model Mast. paints thinned with mineral spirits eat the heck out of a lacquer coat?

I'd try it myself, but I'm out of mineral spirits Might have to get a big jug just to try it out.

[TER-OR]

I haven't used an enamel wash in years. Oils seem to do much better, even for streaks.

[Scanam2006]

Anything is possible. It could be the unique combination of paints and adherence issues combined with an aggressive thinner. Hand brshing future sometimes results in hairline cracks through which the thinner can wreck havoc.

[TER-OR]

How long did you wait to remove the excess? If glossy, you should wait until the thinner has completely evaporated. The excess paints will easily be removed with a cotton swab, not needing thinner.

[Sci Fi Smoker]

Anything is possible. It could be the unique combination of paints and adherence issues combined with an aggressive thinner. Hand brshing future sometimes results in hairline cracks through which the thinner can wreck havoc.

I hand-brush Future all the time, never had hairline cracks but you have to keep an eye out for air bubbles. It takes a good 3 coats or more to fully seal the paint with this method. I use Turpenoid-thinned oil pastels as a wash and Future takes it fine, I even apply my washes straight to dried enamel with no fuss.