Didn't know liquitex made inks, was looking into FW.
Though I'm still not sure if I need to mix it with prosaide, or do a prosaide base by itself and straight ink on top. Are you mixing the ink with the varnish or putting it on as a coat after? Also do you mean the gloss medium & varnish stuff or the varnish flexible surface? Both descriptions seem to be "flexible", is that enough to help the ink not crack?
Been though many many posts on here about it, and it seems there are many options, not sure on which I want to do yet so just askign those who have some experience.
yeah i think everyone has there own technique. Basically the fact is that no matter what anyone says there is no way to make paint last for ever on a latex suit that is being worn so youre never gonna get 100%.
But this is what ive done. after prep and clean down I basically do what others do, my own way maybe, but use the liquitex as an alternative to prosaide for us in the UK.... as recommended by Lee (Usurper) in other topics. *thanks.
Cover the whole piece in a good even layer, it goes on really easily with something like an oil paint brush, or just a 1inch brush and dries thin and almost invisible. The matte varnish when dry is almost as if it evaporated so its really good to avoid over 'shinyness'. just be sure not to let any well up in the little details.
After that initial coat I use a mixture of white acrylic, white ink, thinner and the matte flexible varnish run through an airbrush to build up a few of base coats. I mix them approx equal parts, but just do it by eye in the airbrush hopper. This will vary for everyone but i personally cant too much of the varnish through as it blocks my airbrush, but as long as i give it a good clean out between coats its okay.
Then its just paint that bad boy! i use nothing but the liquitex inks for colour, and every few layers cover the whole thing with another coat of varnish. to this point in the progress pics for example ive probably stopped and let the whole thing thoroughly dry and given a varnish layer about 5 times if that helps?? Once ive finished with a colour/area is basically when. It helps give depth aswell as providing a barrier between coats for when your airbrush decides to fart black ink all over your detail work all of a sudden. You'll stand a better chance of being able to rescue such disasters.
N.B allow the painted area to dry THOROUGHLY before brushing on another layer of the varnish and work as quickly as you can working your way from one point to the next, not going back over the varnish as its drying. Agitating the varnished surface after the varnish has reached a tack stage will seriously disrupt the paint work below. On the flip side this can be done on purpose to achieve textured effects!
I think apart from that the only other thing that i can say to hopefully help is if you JUST CAN'T QUITE see the paint going on, then you're doing it right. The more thin layers, so thin you cant even see one, the better the final effect.
And never under any circumstances try and airbrush latex in the DARK!
