Question About Antiquing 1st Repro

No idea. Maybe a sealer coat?

 

In the world of paint and dust, maybe he meant a "tack cloth?" I know in the cabinet industry, we use tack cloths after the seal sand to help grab and remove all particle dust before the final seal coat goes on. OR, he meant that after the dust is blown off, you need to lay down a light spray of clear to tack the colors down? It's hard to say, but these are my best two guesses.

 

I'm guessing he meant using a simple tack cloth. As Cory said, this is VERY VERY common before final finishes are applied, in various industries. I used to paint aircraft for my grandfather, who was a Cessna dealer. Right before color was applied, tack cloths were used extensively to free the surface of any type of ultra-fine 'crud' before squirting the final paint. I think this is a bit extreme after antiquing a fish, but what do I know....I've just always used my air compressor and blasted off any remaining steel wool residue. Haven't ever seen the need for a tack cloth (although they are disposable, and dirt cheap).

 

Yes, probably a tack cloth. Not only overkill, but you'd have to wait awhile before using otherwise you'd pull off some of your paint from antiquing! I simply use my air brush to blow out most of the steel wool "dust". Then, maybe a quick wiping with a soft cloth. Usually I'm too lazy to bother with the latter though - lol!

 

I'm with Cory and the others on the "tack cloth". This is probably what he meant, but since you are antiquing the casting you have painted over the scales and are removing the paint from the surface and scale tops, leaving the color in the recesses. So I don't see the problem of lifting of the paint with the TACK cloth as was mentioned in the responses. I'm with Marty, I just blow off the casting with my compressor air and that gets it all. Good luck.

 

JL, good point, but I don't remove all of the paint when I antique a blank. I just remove some of it from the high spots and leave some of it too. Fading lighter towards the belly typically. But, yes, you are correct if somebody is removing all of the paint then it's not going to hurt to use a tack cloth here. I still think it's overkill using a tack cloth between coats. If we were painting a single color throughout where a tiny microscopic "bump" would matter and be easily noticeable, then I might consider using it. With a large "silver" marlin for instance. But, even then I think a good blowing off and then maybe a wipe down with a soft damp cloth before painting would be better. Antiquing needs to be a nice, even coat. One chunk of paint comes off with that tack cloth and now it's not that easy to touch up and hide.