Mark,
Most of the "wet look" on a paint job has to do with the clear that is used. Imron clear is crystal clear and flows very smooth because it is polyurethene enamel. Imron was billed as "the wet look" paint from the beginning. Where the skill of the painter comes in is the thin application of the paint. If one starts looking at custom paint jobs from various painters, a trained eye can see a thick looking smooth clearcoat a mile away. The trick to awsome appearance and improved durability is the thin application of all colors including the final clear coat. The look (compared side by side) of the thin application of paint that is smooth as glass is superior to that of the "thick" look that almost appears like the frame was dipped instead of sprayed. Most people only see the resulting colors, but skilled painters can tell a master touch from an adverage touch with a glance.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
>
> The prettiest bike I've ever seen, bar none, was a pearl white Dave Moulton
> frame, painted by Cyclart, formerly owned by listmember Ritzmon and now oned
> by one Wm. Preucel of Palo Alto who rides it to Colorado or Tuscon every
> couple weeks. This bike had 4 or 5 colors faded under the pearl, from blue
> to red to violet, when you got it out in the sun it was DAZZLING.
> Absolutely the prettiest paintjob I've ever seen.
>
> A close 2nd is the "laser purple" that Mr. Baylis laid on my Wizard, which
> gets comments everywhere it goes. I'm partial to the deep blues and purples
> found on Hetchins, but the poly enamels cant possibly match the current crop
> of paints available from Dupont or Ditzler.
>
> What I want to know is how they get the "wet look" in the paint. This has
> got to be the skill of the painter, laying it on just right with no sag.
>
> =====================================================
> Mark Petry 206.618.9642
> Beautiful Bainbridge Island, WA
> mpetry@bainbridgeisland.net
> =====================================================
> "The main difference between genius and
> stupidity is that genius has limits"
>
> Albert Einstein
> =====================================================