Model water

[rarehareHHH]

hi all,
Just a thought as I am reading through this.
With using mod- podge over acrylic paints, has any one tryed sealing the acrylic with a thin coat of poly or some other sealer Prior to setting the final coat of water. I have not tried this in modeling but have done simalar sealing processes on other projects. You just need to allow plenty of drying time between steps. The paint may be dry to the touch in a matter of hours but it takes longer for a full curing process on many paints (You can never rush drying time on paints). Add it to the list of one more method to try? May give it a try on my next diorama.

Karen

[rebel]

Hi Bernie,

This is a very timely topic. As Dave Frary mentioned, he and I have worked on several projects where this has become a problem. I noticed on Jimmy Deignan's layout on Saturday, that the area of water that I replaced with Mod Podge is starting to bubble again. Same thing...Mod Podge over acrylic craft paint. My guess is that it's the craft paint that is causing the trouble, as this is the constant that occurs through all the water Dave and I have done. I could be that the paint is off-gassing over time, or that it is reacting to the change in temperature/humidity. Perhaps, because it is still somewhat porous, the sub-surface is causing the problem.

Dave and I talked about this yesterday, and he mentioned that he was going to do some additional experimentation.

Scott

What brand paint ? Once got some paint that bubbled as it dried, this was in 1to1 scale.

[alkemscalemodels]

The problem with experimenting is that the problem, at least in my case, took several years to develop. I am not sure how one could accelerate the process.

I have not have problems with Liqutex Gloss Acrylic, so I think I would use that in the future.

As far as acrylic paints go, I have never seen any acrylic paint bubble. It is supposed to be designed for long term stability for use in art works.

I suspect that the foam insulation board I used under the water surface might be the source of the bubbles, but I really don't know.

[CVSNE]

The problem with experimenting is that the problem, at least in my case, took several years to develop. I am not sure how one could accelerate the process.

I have not have problems with Liqutex Gloss Acrylic, so I think I would use that in the future.

As far as acrylic paints go, I have never seen any acrylic paint bubble. It is supposed to be designed for long term stability for use in art works.

I suspect that the foam insulation board I used under the water surface might be the source of the bubbles, but I really don't know.

Bernie,

There's a big difference between "artists" acrylics - Liquidtex and the like sold in tubes for use in paintings, and craft acrylics (Apple Barrel and the like) - I suspect the issue may be with the specific brand of acrylic paints and their interaction with any gloss agent placed on top of them.

Marty

[Night Train]

I had the problem of Realistic Water bubbling over a Styrofoam base, Masonite and plywood. So it's not the sub-straight. I think it has to be the reaction between the acrylic paint and the acrylic gloss medium.

A chemist told me that most acrylic colors are made derived from metal-based pigments like zinc, cadmium and chrome. Maybe the metal compounds need to out-gas.

Oil colors on the other hand use pigments derived from organic and rare earth compounds. I may try oil colors and see what happens.

[deemery]

Oil colors on the other hand use pigments derived from organic and rare earth compounds. I may try oil colors and see what happens.

This might be a good opportunity to try those Alkyd oils that have much faster drying time than conventional oils. I got some but I haven't had a chance to play with them yet.

But maybe you should just apply a layer of varnish (or polyurethane) over the acrylics...

dave

[rebel]

You can always add a drier to oils.

[jsiekirk]

Can anyone offer some new information on the bubble problem? I'm about to start a large water area on my layout. My water area has a plywood base, covered with plaster and painted with acrylic paints. I have a large supply of Woodland Scenics EZ water ( the pellets that you heat and pour) but I'm not sure if I should use it.

[deemery]

But adding a drier to oils might cut the 'cure time' from months to days (multiple), and for some of us that's longer than we want to wait

dave