Painting on Alex Plus

[Maple]

I have just finished making a scale top out of Alex Plus to go with my new tail from Mermaid Parties. My tail is coming unpainted, and I want to make sure I am going to do this right.

I have Createx and different brand of acrylic paint for the job, and my real question is: do I have to mix the paint with a little Alex or do I just paint straight on?

I know I have to heat set and spray with silicone spray...I just don't know if I have to mix my paint with Alex or not!

I did take pictures of the whole process and I'll post them soon :)

[Winged Mermaid]

No, you don't have to mix it with ALEX! Just paint that stuff right on! Also be sure to wait at least a few hours between the paint drying and heat setting, and at least a day between heat setting and swimming. Otherwise you could end up with it peeling as soon as it hits the water (what happened to me) :/ You don't HAVE to seal it, but sealing is good to help it degrade slower.

[Maple]

Awesome possum! I went ahead and painted right on there. Question though: how exactly do I heat set? Do I use a heat tool or a hair dryer or what? And how hot for how long?

Thankees!

[Winged Mermaid]

You need either a craft or tool grade heat gun. Craft will be cheapest, and often with Michaels or JoAnns you can often get coupons for 40% off. You can find coupons for Michaels on their site, or go and buy something over.. I think it's $10, and you usually get a coupon on the receipt for the next week. JoAnns you can sign up for email coupons, flyer (snail mail) coupons, and they also have a app that you can get coupons off of. Both Michaels and Joanns takes competitors coupons, so if you go to one and can prove or know that the other store carries it you can use the other store's coupon to get the discount at that store.

How long isn't really known. Just go over it in horizontal and vertical lines area by area, keeping it a about 2 inches above the material. Only use the heat gun as directed, usually that means for only 10 minutes at a time, with a 20 minute resting period. Be careful, put your tail on something, becuase the heat gun WILL melt carpet as you go over the edges of the tail, and who knows what to linoleum or vinyl flooring. Also you don't want It will also melt other fabric, but if you have some raggedy towels you can use those.

[Maple]

I have a tool grade heat gun. It's supposed to be used for stripping paint off walls, but we bought it for embossing stamp ink! That thing gets wicked (burning) hot and normally will curl paper. Is that still okay?

My tail should arrive today squee!! I am SO EXCITED to start painting!

[Winged Mermaid]

in that case be VERY careful. Hold it farther away and move the gun fast. The Mertailor use to send out tails that had huge burned holes in them becuase he burnt them with a too hot heat gun, so that is a possibility.