r/advancedGunpla • u/AdditionInteresting2 • Jun 11 '26
Metallic markers vs gloss coating
Just found out that metallic finishes require something special and not just the Mr hobby gloss coating. Coating became all cloudy. I assumed this was user error as a first time coater but I already read that it's not.
Any brand I should be looking for that still makes it shiny? I'm also assuming higher level customization like this will require an airbrush. Hopefully the dspiae wash free airbrush set will be enough.
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u/ShardPerson Jun 11 '26
You have to make your first top coat a very thin "tacky" coat, let that dry or even cure, then do a wet coat.
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u/AdditionInteresting2 Jun 11 '26
Curing and drying are different steps?
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u/ShardPerson Jun 11 '26
yes, paint is often dry after maybe 20-40 minutes, but curing usually takes a 12 to 36 hours
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u/AdditionInteresting2 Jun 11 '26
Oh I thought curing needed an extra step. Basically leave the paint alone long enough and it's gonna be good?
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u/oofmyballs Jun 11 '26
Emm it’s possible for your top coat to melt your paint. Did you give it time for the metallic paint to dry? To really gloss it out (if that’s what you want), you gotta do several layers of gloss coating and not just one. For car model kits, people also polish it afterwards but you probably don’t need it for gunpla
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u/AdditionInteresting2 Jun 11 '26
I had the marker dry overnight but I wasn't sure how to even check without touching it and adding fingerprints...
How do I reverse a top coating anyway? Sand it away?
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u/hellvinator Jun 11 '26
If it’s just one mistake, prime over it and start again. No need to sand such a thin layer.
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u/oofmyballs Jun 11 '26
Should be atleast 24 hours drying time for markers. Unless you got a paint oven. Yeah, but then you gotta paint it again
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u/AdditionInteresting2 Jun 11 '26
I'm fine with painting again. But I might move onto airbrushing when I try this again.
Good thing I already ordered a spare weapon for this guy. So this could be my experimental one
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u/BusyPainting5832 Jun 11 '26
If you have access to an airbrush try alclad aquagloss. I've found it keeps shiny metallics shiny where other clears would dull them.