Cooperfun wrote:...When it comes to candies, in your opinion, is there a brand of paint that is easier to use and get a good result? ...what brand is the easiest to get a nice smooth and even finish when dealing with a candy?
I use candy concentrates mixed mostly in IC (intercoat clears) which is just a clear basecoat. The IC that I have used so far are not a big brand name that I purchase online.
Coast Airbrush in SoCal is a great place to buy HOK stuff as they are a bunch of crazy talented artist types. I also pick up stuff at my local jobber.
Since, I use the ICs to apply my candies and usually not as an overall, rather parts of some panel art, smooth isn't really an issue.
I always end the day with some clear over everything, either a regular clear or a "speed" clear if I plan on shooting more the next day.
Learning to NOT sand through my clears and into the BC/IC layers was a HUGE learning point for me.
I am a beginner rookie weekender and don't have as much experience as some of these other guys, so take my suggestions with an open mind.
Anyways, for the candy concentrates, I use both HOK and Urekrem brands as I was able to get them for around the same monies. Tamco now has candies I believe and although I haven't used them (yet) I used their clear and really liked it. I would have no problem trying Tamco's candy concentrates.
Candies are not paint, they are transparent colors that need some kind of base color, flake, pearl etc under the candies.
The combination of base color, flakes and pearl basecoats along with how many coats of candy can vary and the combinations are unlimited, but that is what makes it fun to me.
Play around, ask questions and be prepared to sand it off and start over! (guess how I know that!)
As far as base paints (not candies), that Caddy trunk has ~$155/qt PPG Envirobase waterborne paint that once I learned to shoot it correctly, I ended up loving it - Do I love it $100 more than my $55/qt online paints? No. But I needed to match the rest of the car and I live in Northern California and the local shop could only make the match in the waterborne -why I have no idea.
I have a new jobber in a different town that given a week, can match or mix all kinds of custom colors for me in either waterborne (PPG Envirobase) or solvent (Omni Plus). But I have bought paint from all kinds of both online and local jobbers, depending on what I need.