Lacquering Over A Handpainted Unfinished Body - Guidance?

[DoctorGrant]

Hi all,

First, I am brand new to the Warmoth world and am excited and nervous about getting into it. Glad to be here!

My plan is to have Warmoth build me an unfinished Jazzmaster-style body, and then have an artist paint something (hopefully amazing) onto the unfinished wood. Then my plan is to lacquer over what has been painted and thereby "lock in" and protect the artist's work without damaging it in the process (hopefully).

Does this sound like a reasonable project to you experienced Warmothers out there? If so, what kind of advice would you give to a newbie who is doing this for the first time?

Thanks and happy holidays!

Dr. Grant

 

[Seamas]

What medium is the artist using?

That could be a factor in which type of finish you would use.

 

[AirCap]

If you have an artist doing work on the body, have HIM or HER finish it in clear lacquer.

 

[mayfly]

I'll echo others - we need to know what she's using.

If she is using typical acrylic artist paint, then I've had good luck with miniwax polycrylic in satin.  That's what we used on these:

 

[AirCap]

If she is using typical acrylic artist paint, then I've had good luck with miniwax polycrylic in satin.  That's what we used on these:

NEITHER of those is LACQUER.

 

[mayfly]

full marks, buddy.

 

[bagman67]

I agree that having the original artist also apply the clearcoat and thus avoid the potential to destroy work you already paid for -  but if that's not an option, I'm with Mayfly that the Polycrylic product works well on acrylic paints without melting them.  Lacquer - which uses acetone as a vehicle - has the potential to seriously eff up an acrylic paint job, and so should be avoided.

 

[DoctorGrant]

Hi again everyone,

Extremely helpful guidance, thank you! The artist will be using acrylic, and I think I'll ask them to apply the miniwax polycrylic once they've finished their work (and I'll be sure to ask them to do it themselves - I'm sure they'll do a better job than I would. Also, thanks to those who uploaded the pics - nice to see your visions come to life. I'll be sure to do the same when mine is done.

Feeling grateful for a cool community in the Warmoth world. Thanks again!

 

[DoctorGrant]

A follow-up: is this the Miniwax Polycrylic finish that Mayfly was referencing?

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Minwax-Polycrylic-8-fl-oz-Satin-Water-based-Polyurethane/999914423?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-pnt-_-google-_-lia-_-219-_-interiorstains-_-999914423-_-0&store_code=4&placeholder=null&gclid=CjwKCAiAxMLvBRBNEiwAKhr-nFQGIVwUCM6SzSQtd15BlqkmxGJPP9VFtBDXGl345t1UFX_6HM8rohoCHRAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks all!

Dr. G

 

[mayfly]

Yep that's the one.  I would avoid gloss or semi-gloss because it can accentuate unevenness on the surface.  And a hand painted guitar will have a lot of unevenness.