Does anyone have experience masking and painting fabric covering? I'm using Solartex covering. When I try to mask off an area, the paint tends to bleed under the mask because the weave in the fabric doesn't allow a perfect seal at the mask edge. I've tried various masking materials, including masking tape, frisket film, etc. Finally gave up and brushed the model freehand. Turned out OK but don't want to do it again.
Thanks in advance, keith
Paint your base color, mask, shoot around the edge of the mask with a little more base color to seal the edge, then paint your second color.
remove my-wife to reply :-)
The fabric should first be primed with several coats of filler sanding smooth with fine paper each time BUT beware of sanding into the fabric itself. After sufficient priming and sanding, you will be left with a perfectly smooth surface (no fibre grain showing) and bleeding will not be a problem. Its a lot of work and that's why I prefer coloured fabric but chacun a son gout.
Another option is to paint the masked line with clear. this will seal the masked area and let you get a crisp line for the color of choice with no bleed thru. This method still lets you avoid all the priming and retains the fabric weave look also.
I was building an Ace Seamaster 40 and was given the following advice about painting Solartex.
I was told to put on two coats of butyrate dope to fill in the weave (sand lightly with 220 sandpaper between coats) then paint (I used epoxy paint).
Worked fantastic!
The dope also has the effect of 'locking' the shrink of the solartex, it won't sag nearly as bad.
After you have filled the weave, masking works as normal.
Worked for me.
Ciao!
Andy
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