Oils Using a dullcoat or glosscoat

[Gary D]

Hi all. Sometimes I think I get carried away overthinking figure painting although I know I should be using the KISS (keep it simple stupid) method.
I paint with oils over an acrylic base coat and have recently been thinking about spraying something like a Testors dullcoat or glosscoat over the acrylic basecoat before applying oils. To my way of thinking, the oils would not penetrate the basecoat, be easier to remove if necessary, and allow for a more even blending which all seems beneficial. I don't seem to remember ever seeing anyone describe doing this in any SBS although to me it seems like a good idea.
Further to this, do acrylic painters apply dullcoats or glosscoats between layers of paint?

Any thoughts?

Gary Daugherty

 

[housecarl]

I've done something along those lines on the leather jerkin on Maurice's PIAT gunner. I painted it in oils, then used Testors. That's allowed me to add further details in acrylics.
Carl.

 

[Gary D]

Hi Carl. I never thought about using dullcoat over oils for anything but to help elimate a shiny finish. Interesting that you used it so you could add acrylics afterwards. Do dried oils provide a non-porous finish? I wonder if using a dullcoat over dried oils helps give the surface "tooth" for the acrylics to bite into. hmm.....
Gary

 

[housecarl]

Double post.
Carl.

 

[housecarl]

I've just had a trial Gary, and the acrylics adhere as though they're going on to an acrylic base coat.
Not using oils a lot, I didn't consider how much of the highlighting would fade.
I suppose I could redo them in oils, but I haven't the patience for another 2 day wait.
Carl.

 

[Lancer]

Hey Gary
I've only used dullcoat between layers on a couple occasions. On fur for example, I'll paint it with a tan enamel then dullcoat. Next step is to completely cover in a dark brown oil and then scrub it off letting the tan highlights show through and the dark brown stay in the recesses. Sometimes the scrubbing motion can wear through the tan to the primer so the dullcoat helps prevent that. Otherwise I just dullcoat the finished piece. But then again maybe nobody does fur that way?

Are we going to see you in Edmonton in June???? Could always come up a day early, stay over, and we could share some thoughts in the man cave!!
Cheers
Mark

 

[Gary D]

Thanks Carl. It sounds like something to think about in the future. Thinking in terms of building a sandwich with the dullcoat/glosscoat inbetween, the dullcoat/glosscoat might prevent the base coat from being scrubbed away if an error has been made or a change of mind happens and you only want to remove the topcoat.

I know the armour guys use a glosscoat over their acrylic or enamel base coat so they can apply filters and pin washes which will flow smoothly into recesses and corners for giving the illusion of depth. They also apply decals at this stage and then they dullcoat to get rid of shine on the basecoat and to protect the decals. This is where I got the idea from for applying to figure painting.
Hope this all makes sense as I'm now getting a headache...

Hi Mark. I'm hoping to get some more figs done before June. I only have one bust finished since I saw you last. It's the Young Templar Knight I won at the auction table.
I have to get my butt in gear as I've been pretty lazy lately. We usually go to shows in Lethbridge etc. as a group so I'm not sure what's happening yet. I'm usually one of the drivers. I'll let you know.

Thanks
Gary

 

[housecarl]

Got you loud and clear Gary.
Carl.

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Gary,

I still use dullcoat to seal in pastel chalk when applied as part of the weathering process. Without sealing the pastels they simply rub off or blow away.

In the past, when I painted in oils, I would also use dullcoat as a primer on raw resin because it does create some bite for the paint. Since I switched to acrylics, I haven't found as much need to use dullcoat.

The major problem with spraying dullcoat onto a figure is that it creates a uniformly flat finish, which tends to look unnatural. I like to show a variety of surface textures and finishes that reflect the materials being represented, so skin and leather tends to have a slight satin finish, while clothing is dead flat.

 

[FigureLover]

I have always used a dullcoat at various stages of oil painting, Usually after I have reached a point where I am happy with my shading process and I want to add pin washes and want to protect what I have done so far. Its my belief that this will protect the oils from lifting. I also dullcoat, as Tony has said, after applying pastels. There is no need to add a dullcoat to oils so that you can then apply acrylics, arcylics will almost stick to anything
Ben

 

[Paul Kernan]

Never thought of using a dullcoat between the undercoat and the oils. In fact, I've never used a sealer (always afraid it would frost or otherwise spoil the oils).

My only concern, would the oils adhere to the gloss or dullcoat. The idea of using an acrylic (or enamel) undercoat is to give the oils something to 'bite' into