Rattle can respray

How do you achieve the comic effect?
In the end, it was quite simple. At least after days of research.
Paper was out of the question because it swells with moisture. A single printed film per tube would have caused wrinkles with my talent. Individual stickers are too thick if you have to overlap them, which looks bad and increases the risk of paint chipping. So all that's left was water-slide film like you would use in model making. It is thin enough, printable with a laser printer and relatively easy to apply. So pre-treat the frame, prime it and paint it white, then select the pictures, print them, cut them, stick them on and finally apply 2K clear varnish over everything. Et voila you have a comic bike.
 
Thanks for the replies about spraying lacquer over decals (or clear-coat...technically lacquer is a type of clear-coat...I think...this can quickly get complicated). I'm reassured that I won't need to put a coat over the decals, given that I've paid a fair bit to have a frame sprayed and I don't want to risk messing it up by doing a poor job spraying over the decals.

Anyway, I've had mixed results with my own DIY spray jobs in the past – typically the ones that have been just a bit of an exercise in doing it, and where I've not been that fussed about the result have come out pretty well, but the ones I have cared about have been a bit of a nightmare at times. I've found the paint colour seems to make a big difference at times. Black, silver and white (and I'm talking cheapo pound shop type paint here) have gone on fine. On the other hand, I got some metallic paint made up at a body shop (so not cheap), and the stuff almost instantly started to separate out (spider-web type effect) with even a tiny bit of overspray. I had to remove it all in the end. I can only presume it didn't like the primer I'd used, which is a whole other thing – but I've never found that an issue except with that paint.
 
I find U-POL ACID/AL 8-S Etch Primer works best, with Montana spray paint and USC Spray Max 2k High Gloss lacquer.


 
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There appears to be quite a few advocates of Montana and paint.net aerosols. What is the reason you choose these? Not having a dig, just curious as I thought there would be fewer choices of colour/finishes than acrylic etc aerosols
 
There appears to be quite a few advocates of Montana and paint.net aerosols. What is the reason you choose these? Not having a dig, just curious as I thought there would be fewer choices of colour/finishes than acrylic etc aerosols
I haven't tried them myself yet, but I've had very good results with simple spray cans. Add to that the good price, the durability of graffiti sprayed with it even on modest surfaces and of course the DIY results on Etoe's channel. He also explains very conclusively what is important and why these paints can also be a good choice for a bicycle frame. I will definitely try them when I start another painting project.
 
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Some ideas/info/experience here ...

 
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Some ideas/info/experience here ...

Ahh, that's the thread id been looking for! I remember reading it a while ago but couldn't find it again.
 
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