>What happens when I put decals over basic GM Black ..... Im guessing
the black will fade and weather and get all funky, no? Brilliant !!!!!
Also, the matt texture of the paint sometimes causes the decals to have adhesion problems.
> Is that all there is .... a matte finish is just paint with no clear,
right ?? or wrong?
Wrong. Matte paint is matte paint... I believe the rough finish is caused by dulling agents (probably solids, like silica) in the paint formula that prevent the binder from skinning over (in ceramic glazes the effect is achie ved by crystalization with compunds like barium carbonate and titanium oxide... I'm
really not sure how it's done with paint). I know you can adjust the textur e of the finish by how much you add (or in the case of a glaze, how slowly you
cool the kiln), that's how you get the various permutations like semi-matte,
brilliant matte, waxy matte, satin matte, etc.
You can also get a matte finish after the fact by scuffing, with light sanding, steel wool, or sandblasting... or by weathering. And you can also get a matte finish by incorrect application, by 'dusting' the paint on (the paint is sprayed in such a way that it is so dry when it lands that the droplets will
stick to the surface but cannot merge with each other to form a continuous glossy surface... I guess one would do this either by spraying from too far away or by adding too much drying agent to the paint?).
Bob Hovey Columbus, GA
PS: If anybody knows for sure what chemicals are used in matte paints, I'd
like to hear about it. Also, does anybody out there know how the old wrinkled paint effect (like on old typewriters and radios) was done? I've heard you cam imitate it by baking some paints at a certain temperature, but is that how it was originally done?