Edited 05 February 2021
Wicked Colors are fluid acrylic colors with specialized performance for airbrush and spray-gun application.
Wicked is a comprehensive line of water-based, acrylic resin paints made with lightfast pigments.
Wicked Colors are intended for use as interior application and exterior application with a top-coat clear applied over Wicked Colors, such as UVLS Clears.
Wicked Colors are used primarily for used as an airbrush paint, and colors applied with a spray-gun. Thin with 4011 Reducer added ~ 10% per volume or more.
Wicked Colors may also be mixed with 4050 UVLS Gloss Clear (recommended) or 4030 Balancing Clear to create a durable acrylic-urethane resin blend that adheres better to hard-surfaces and cures to a more durable, mar-resistant coating.
Wicked Colors are transparent graphic colors that cover well out of the bottle due to a high pigment volume but may be extended to make a more translucent color.
Transparent Colors spray well out of the bottle with a 0.5mm and will spray a little better after thinning 5% - 10% per volume with 4011 Reducer for smaller airbrush tip- sizes.
Air pressure generally set at lower 20 to 35+ psi.
Detail Colors – An artist palette of colors that are made with a smaller size of resin-particle (a sub-micron sheer) for better atomization and flow at lower psi settings compared with standard Wicked Colors, which would require more thinning with 4011 Reducer for flow through the same airbrush tip-size.
Detail Colors dry matte compared to other Wicked Colors which dry satin to semi-gloss.
Spray out of the bottle with a 0.5mm to 0.3mm tip-size, reduce 5% - 20% per volume for tip-sizes as small as 0.18mm.
Opaque Colors – Made for coverage. Opaque Colors are made with a high pigment volume and refined clay to allow colors to cover quickly while having a high chroma.
Wicked Opaque Colors are made with a single load of pigment for a brighter, cleaner color.
Air pressure is generally upper 20 – 35+ psi.
Fluorescent Colors: Neon colors. Not Lightfast!
Very translucent. Best applied over a color-keyed base of Wicked Opaque or AutoBorne Sealer, for ex. Wicked W024 Fluorescent Yellow applied over 6004 Sealer Yellow.
Fluorescent colors generally spray well out-of-the-bottle through a 0.5mm and 0.35mm. Add 4011 Reducer sparingly if thinning as colors are low viscosity already.
Air pressure generally lower 20s to 35+ psi.
Pearl & Metallic Colors: Shimmering, pearlescent base colors best applied over a white, black, or color-keyed Sealer Base.
Air pressure generally upper 20s to 35+ psi.
Crystal-shaped pearls suspended in a transparent base for application as a mid-coat, most often over a black base, but work well over w die-spectrum of base colors as well. Pearl-flakes may also be mixed with candy2o to make candied pearl colors that are deep and vibrant.
Hot Rod Sparkle, large pearl-flakes that create a coarse effect. Apply with a 0.5mm or larger tip-size airbrush.
Cosmic Sparkle, small, sided crystal pearls that create a more refined pearl effect compared to Hot Rod Sparkle.
Cosmic Sparkle are automotive OEM, Xiralliac pearls.
Xirallic is an alumina effect pigment made of aluminum oxide platelets covered with titanium oxide that shows a strong glitter effect with a distinct shimmering behaviour.
Spray through a 0.5mm and a 0.3mm airbrush tip-size tip with thinning with 4011 Reducer ~ 10 – 20% per volume.
Hi-Lite Interference, accent pearls with a soft effect. Very similar to the shimmering effect of pearlescent fish scale.
4004 Transparent Base – Transparent resin base to Wicked Colors. Appears milky in solution and dries to a clear finish.
Add 4004 in any ratio to Wicked Colors to extend paint for increased transparency while maintaining a higher viscosity compared with thinning with excess amounts of 4011 Reducer.
4004 works as a fabric primer. Apply direct to shirt to “lock down” fabric knap, allowing for tighter lines & cleaner colors.
Applying 4004 before painting a black t-shirt also helps improve coverage as colors do not soak into fabric as much.
Wicked Colors are a multi-surface paint and can be used in a wide variety of applications, and are compatible for use with most any primer, paint and clear type. Always test first before using on an actual project.
Refer to Hard-Surface Application Guide for information on use of Wicked Colors when painting hard surfaces such as plastic, urethane, wood, primer, and other non-porous surfaces or for use as automotive base-coat & graphic paint.
For best adhesion to non-porous surfaces, start with AutoBorne Sealer. Wicked Colors may be applied over AutoBorne Sealer without scuffing, with quicker coverage and drying times compared to applying Wicked Colors direct to substrate.
Wicked Colors spray well through any airbrush tip-size.
For out-of-the-bottle use, spray with a 0.5mm tip-size ~ 35 psi or more. For use with smaller-tip-sizes and lower psi settings, thin Wicked Colors with 4011 Reducer.
Generally, 4011 Reducer, or other Createx Reducer, is mixed 10% - 20% per volume with Wicked Colors for spraying with an airbrush tip-size of 0.3mm or larger.
For use with smaller tip-sizes, add 4011 Reducer up to 30% per volume.
Add 4011 Reducer in small increments of ~ 5% per volume until paint atomizes into fine particle-size droplets.
To thin colors greater than 30% per volume with 4011 Reducer, extend with 4004 Transparent Base to maintain adequate resin load for best adhesion and durability. Mixing with 4030 or 4005 also adds resin to maintain integrity of coating.
Airbrush Tip-Size Quick Guide:
Large, 0.5+ mm. 35+ psi out of the bottle.
Medium, 0.3mm.+Reduce 15% - 20% per vol.
Small, 0.2mm or less Reduce 25% + per vol.
When mixing Wicked Colors with 4030 Balancing Clear or 4050 UVLS Gloss Clear, add greater amounts of reducer to thin to airbrush viscosity.
Wicked Colors spray best with a spray-gun when mixed with 4050 Balancing Clear.
Mix Wicked Colors 3:1 4050 (add 4050 25% per vol.),
thin 10% – 20% per volume with 4011 Reducer.
4011 Reducer is the standard thinner for all Createx paints including Wicked Colors.
Other Createx Reducers may be used to thin Wicked Colors, however when mixing with 4030 Balancing Clear or 4050 UVLS Gloss Clear, only thin with 4011 Reducer.
Allow reduced mix 10+ minutes to acclimate before spraying as reduced breaks down water surface tension for improved flow.
Times set at ~ 70⁰F (21⁰C), 50% Humidity.
Allow for more dry time in cooler or more humid conditions.
Minimum Dry Times:
Re-Coat Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Time to Tape: 45 – 60 minutes
Time to Clear: 60 minutes
Mixing with 4030 Balancing Clear and 4050 UVLS Gloss Clear shorten dry times.
Use warm, dry air to assist drying.
Do not force cure with heat; doing so will affect adhesion.
Full cure is after 48-hours.
Do not water-submerge before paint has fully cured.
Dry sand only. Sanding not required prior to top-coating with clear or other paint type.
When mixed with 4030 or 4050, Wicked Colors shave best when sanded with 800 - 1000 grit sandpaper.
Wicked Colors are compatible with all other Createx paints and clears. Wicked Colors are also generally compatible with any other type of water-based and solvent-based paint.
When using Wicked Colors with solvent-based paints & clears, allow each to cure, (dry thoroughly for an extended period of at least 1 hour), prior to applying the next paint-type. Water-based and solvent-based may only be inter-coated, not directly mixed.
Always make a test panel prior to using a new paint, primer,
cleaner or clear. A test panel is the best way to determine whether any compatibility issues exist between materials.
Best practice is to only thin Wicked Colors with
4011 Reducer, or other Createx Reducers, in amounts that will be sprayed within 24-hours after mixing.
Although Wicked Colors do not have a true pot-life after reducing, (i.e. are not a reactive paint-mix which, at some point after, become unusable), there is an eventual loss of spray-performance due to an increase in viscosity of paint as it loses water through evaporation and flashing of solvent (alcohol) from Wicked + Reducer mix.
Keeping paint air-capped air-tight, at all times unless actually pouring paint from the bottle, minimizes.
Mixing Wicked Colors with 4030 Balancing Clear or 4050 UVLS Gloss Clear does not promote loss of water-content when mixed, its only when 4011 Reducer or other reducers are added that shelf-life is shortened.
If paint that was reduced for more than 1 day does not spray well due to a change in viscosity, i.e., is too thick to spray well, mix paint with 4004 Transparent Base, the resin-base extender of Wicked Colors, in any amount.
Wicked Colors are best rinsed from the airbrush or spray-gun with 5618 Airbrush Cleaner or 4011 Reducer. Use 4008 Restorer as a rinse for final clean to remove dried paint from airbrush or spray-gun. Rinse with water after.
Wicked Colors should only be cleaned after the paint has thoroughly dried, best 48 hours. Use a solvent-based degreaser or odourless mineral spirits to clean Wicked Colors.
Use in a well-ventilated area. Avoid contact with eyes. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after use. Do not ingest. When spraying or sanding, use a properly fitting NIOSH approved respirator per the manufacturer’s instructions. Eye contact: Rinse with clean water for 15 minutes. Seek medical attention. Inhalation: Use in in well ventilated areas and wear a NIOSH approved respirator. Refer to Wicked Colors SDS for additional information.