paint fill acrylic

[david levine]

how would you get a sharp color of paint when you paint fill reverse engraving on acrylic? im getting like a frosted color paint rather than a solid color paint

[Kev Williams]

Something's up with your paint, or what you're thinning it with, or the engraving you're trying to fill... I've been back filling reverse engraved acrylic for 45 years, and it's almost failsafe. Air bubbles can happen but they're rare. I use Testors model paint for most jobs, but I also have good luck with Sharpie waterbased paint pens, especially white and metallic silver...

This is some glossy black/clear reverse engraved; the red is Testors model enamel applied with a toothpick, the silver was done with a Sharpie paint stick once the red dried good--
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Only time I've ever experienced anything resembling 'frosting' is when using the wrong thinner :)

[Mike Null]

David

I know what you're talking about and you can definitely get better color, sometimes even glossy, by filling the first surface. On the other hand, most jobs I've done require second surface filling. Some colors are indeed frosted when viewed from the front.

I think Kev may have solved the problem with the brand of paint he is using. I typically use craft store acrylic colors.

[david levine]

i mainly use spray paint and on cast acrylic when you get a nice white frosted engraving, that causes the haziness in the color

[Kev Williams]

could be you need more paint? Part of the haziness may be caused simply from light behind the paint showing THRU the paint...

[John Lifer]

Very possibly the engraving. Most of my acrylic engraving into cast is pretty frosted. Paint fill won't change that.