What tips do you use for centering multiple masks?

[MikeC]

2 hours ago, themongoose said:

Forgot to mention this, do you spray a clear coat over each mask edge before you spray color? If not that’s a great thing to start. 

Why do you do that? Not challenging it, I'm interested to know.

[themongoose]

8 hours ago, MikeC said:

Why do you do that? Not challenging it, I'm interested to know.

No worries, happy to share 

2 reasons, it seals the edge so even if the edge of the tape isn’t down solid no paint will seep under the edge and mess up what’s already done, and then on the edges between colors that have already been applied you won’t get a fine line of color that seeps between 2 pieces of masking that are butted up against each other.

for instance, on the starts and bars when you cover the white and the red with the mask there is a joint between the two. Blue paint can wick between the masks and end up messing up the two colors already sprayed.

[Furie]

Oh no, I never spray gloss varnish on masks first.
It's imperative to do this before painting with paints and airbrushes?
What's the point of this first coat of gloss varnish?
On the other hand, before applying my masks and painting, my entire model has already received a coat of gloss varnish.

[themongoose]

I only spray the edges of the mask as i apply them for the reasons listed above   And i spray whatever clear i have handy since it will be covered either by color coat or whatever the final clear coat is.

in general i don’t clear anything before masking. My usual order of operations is:

primer, color coats, then mask up and paint the lettering or stars & bars type insignia, then wet sand gently to take down any paint edges that built up around masking, then gloss clear, decals, and final clear coat.

 

[quang]

Look no further, when you have paint seeping under mask, it means that you’re doing something wrong: either your paint is too diluted, your mask doesn’t stick properly or your spray angle is not vertical to the edge of the mask. You got to resolve one (or all) of these issues first.
Sealing the edges with varnish is like putting a band-aid on a flat tire.

But it’s only me 

[mozart]

3 hours ago, quang said:

Look no further, when you have paint seeping under mask, it means that you’re doing something wrong: either your paint is too diluted, your mask doesn’t stick properly or your spray angle is not vertical to the edge of the mask. You got to resolve one (or all) of these issues first.
Sealing the edges with varnish is like putting a band-aid on a flat tire.

But it’s only me 

Not only you Quang, your analogy is spot on.  Sealing edges with varnish is a total waste of time, as is gloss coating the surface (sorry Denis).  The key factors are careful positioning of masks, spraying at around a right angle to the surface, getting spray pressure and distance right and quite possibly most importantly, analysing when and if it's absolutely necessary to replace the masking piece or whether a few bits of masking tape will keep an area clear.  I try to get away with as little precise work as I can, thereby limiting the chance of overspray, gaps, edges or whatever.

Edited February 7 by mozart

[themongoose]

8 hours ago, quang said:

Look no further, when you have paint seeping under mask, it means that you’re doing something wrong: either your paint is too diluted, your mask doesn’t stick properly or your spray angle is not vertical to the edge of the mask. You got to resolve one (or all) of these issues first.
Sealing the edges with varnish is like putting a band-aid on a flat tire.

But it’s only me 

More like an emergency brake. If anything else escapes your notice, you have no problems because paint can’t get under or around the clear. If you paint alot of low viz camo probably little to worry about but when you spray colors an insurance plan saves lots of wasted time later for little to no effort up front.

[themongoose]

5 hours ago, mozart said:

Not only you Quang, your analogy is spot on.  Sealing edges with varnish is a total waste of time, as is gloss coating the surface (sorry Denis).  The key factors are careful positioning of masks, spraying at around a right angle to the surface, getting spray pressure and distance right and quite possibly most importantly, analysing when and if it's absolutely necessary to replace the masking piece or whether a few bits of masking tape will keep an area clear.  I try to get away with as little precise work as I can, thereby limiting the chance of overspray, gaps, edges or whatever.

Not sure what the issue with gloss is? Plus, you can spray any mix of clear from flat to gloss and in between. Since it’s clear you never ever see it later, plus it’s all covered by your top coat. Totally invisible insurance policy to make sure you’re never doing touch ups. Everyone does it differently. 

[mozart]

There isn’t an issue with gloss, apply it if you wish by all means, but it’s just not needed.