Doing "Color Over Color", or "Multi-layer" Color Finish Without Relic'ing It

[DiscoThirty3]

I'm planning on putting together a Tele (a partscaster?), and planning on using nitro aerosol as the finish.

A lot of relics I see have a color over color nitro finish, and I really like the look of them.

Would it be possible to do this color over color finish, Graffiti Yellow 1st color and Dakota Red 2nd for example, with a satin clear coat, and allow it to naturally relic over time? Would the clear and red slowly fade/come off, exposing the yellow underneath? Or would the red and yellow both come off at the same time? Maybe putting a clear satin coat over the 1st color before applying the 2nd color would help with this?

Sorry for the nooby question. I've never used nitro before, and I couldn't find examples of this being done without actually "relic'ing" it right away.

 

[Beebe]

Because nitro melts into the coat below, you would want to spray the first few coats of red very thin. Such that it hits the surface wet but dries almost instantly. Then let it flash off completely before repeating.

A layer of clear between would also help with separation. I'm not sure about satin though. Make sure the manufacturer says it's ok as a middle layer. It's probably ok though, especially if you are ok with subsequent layers coming off.

Reds can look quite different depending on what color is below. So you may end up having to spray extra red for coverage, and/or be ok with an oranger red (which could look good).

It would take a lot of wear to expose the yellow, not sure you would ever see it without some pretty harsh treatment.

 

[pipthepilot]

I'm planning on putting together a Tele (a partscaster?), and planning on using nitro aerosol as the finish.

A lot of relics I see have a color over color nitro finish, and I really like the look of them.

Would it be possible to do this color over color finish, Graffiti Yellow 1st color and Dakota Red 2nd for example, with a satin clear coat, and allow it to naturally relic over time? Would the clear and red slowly fade/come off, exposing the yellow underneath? Or would the red and yellow both come off at the same time? Maybe putting a clear satin coat over the 1st color before applying the 2nd color would help with this?

Sorry for the nooby question. I've never used nitro before, and I couldn't find examples of this being done without actually "relic'ing" it right away.

Does the body already have a finish or will the yellow coat be the first layer of paint on the wood?

To get the look you are looking for will require some form of treatment to wear through the top coat. However, Nitro is pretty delicate compared to Poly. If the body already had a poly finish, you're more likely to see that colour coming through both the red and yellow.

If I was trying to achieve this type of finish, I would treat the yellow as if it was the final top coat. i.e. prep the wood (sealer/grain fill etc), apply an undercoat, spray the yellow and then apply multiple coats of clear gloss. Allow this to harden (at least two weeks) and then wet sand and polish.

Applying thin red coats over the hardened/polished gloss will not allow the red to bond quite as much to the yellow and will be more likely to fade/rub off with gentle encouragement. For example, If you now leave the red layer to harden and then spray it with compressed air can, Nitro checks very easily when it gets cold, this checking develops into crack and eventually, the cracks will start to chip and fall off exposing the yellow underneath.

 

[Pete_from_PGW]

If you want to use nitro and was to be able to see two separate colors, one reviled under another when the top is rubbed or flaked off, you would likely have to use quite a bit of clear between because as mentioned above, it all melts into each other. A way around that might be a layer of shellac sealer between the two color coats. you cold do the top color layer then with a "checking" agent in there and the bottom layer of color will not be touched.

 

[LuxInterior]

3 coats of clear between the 2 colors will be fine. Just do as mentioned above and apply the first coat or two of the 2nd color a bit lighter (not super wet)

I’ve put finishes over finishes before just because I was too lazy to strip it and where it chipped it looked like a gobstopper (layers of color). Pretty cool