Many of the questions below have been asked at exhibitions:

Is it a paint:
No, it's a spray dye, not an acrylic paint.

How long does it take to dry:
A fine spray usually dries within a minute. If the dye is sprayed into puddles, it can take up to 10 minutes.

What’s the best way of spraying:
There are various techniques and fine spraying is most popular. Please read the How To Use page for more information.

How many coats should I put on:
Some sprays are darker than others. Please see the translucency table which shows the density of the sprays, the most dense are at the top and the least dense are at the bottom.  Please read the How To Use page for more information on techniques. For light weathering, use a colour at the bottom of the table, for medium weathering use a colour midway on the table and for dark weathering use a colour at the top of the table. The very darkest at the top of the table is Soot Black, a seriously dark colour. The more coats that are the sprayed, the darker the colour gets. A fine spray of Modelmates leaves a very thin translucent (see through) layer of dye on a surface, which is usually only just visible. This layer gets thicker and thicker if more coats are applied, and the colour gets darker and darker. This is very different to a paint which usually stays the same colour no matter how many coats are applied. 

Should I apply heavy coats:
We recommend that only small amounts of spray are applied on each coat.

Will Modelmates colour a surface, like a paint does:
Modelmates is translucent and will not change the colour of a dark surface. If a light coloured surface is sprayed with a darker Modelmates colour, then Modelmates will be very visible. If a very dark surface is sprayed with a light Modelmates colour, then it will only just be visible – if at all.

If I apply lots of coats of Modelmates, will it darken a surface:
The more coats that are applied, the darker it gets.

How long does Modelmates take to dry:
Because the spray is alcohol based, a light spray coat takes less than a minute to dry. A heavy quantity of spray can take up to 10 minutes.

What is meant by "water soluble" - Does it wash off:
Water soluble means that a material is capable of being dissolved in some solvent (usually water). Modelmates has this water soluble property and is capable of being dissolved in water. Surfaces need to be non-porous for this to work, otherwise the dye will be absorbed causing permanent staining – (please see the How To Use page). Instead of washing Modelmates off completely, wipe and smudge it with a damp tissue to remove just a little dye, leaving the rest on the model. Re-spray and re-smudge several times and the dye will build up where it has not been removed and will get darker and darker in these areas. This creates a great weathered effect. The wetter the tissue the more dye will be removed.

What is meant by the word porous and sealed:
The Compact Oxford English Dictionary definition of Porous is “(of a rock or other material) having minute spaces through which liquid or air may pass”. The dictionary also gives a definition of seal – “apply a non-porous coating to (a surface) to make it impervious”.

What is meant by the word translucent:
The Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines translucent as “allowing light to pass through partially”. Translucency, (according to Wikipedia), is the physical property of allowing light to pass through a material. Modelmates has this translucent property and surfaces are usually still visible after a fine spray has been applied to them. The majority of paints are opaque and usually obscure a surface. As more coats of Modelmates are applied to a surface, the layer of dye gets thick and the colour gets darker and less translucent. This is very different to a paint which usually stays the same colour no matter how many coats are applied. Soot Black is our least translucent spray, and is almost opaque. See the translucency table click here.

Can I use Modelmates over black things, like train undercarriage:
Because it’s a translucent dye and not a paint, it is very hard to see on black surfaces. When a surface is sprayed, Modelmates sits upon it as a translucent deposit. It is very visible on a light coloured surface, but less visible on very dark or black surfaces.

Will the spray damage plastic:
The quality of plastics varies depending on the type of model, where it was made and its age. We have applied puddles of Modelmates to our plastic wagons and coaches literally hundreds of times and  the dye always washes off without any visible damage. On one occasion we sprayed a plastic wagon and the alcohol in Modelmates dissolved some of the colour, leaving a white mark. This is why it is always best to test the spray on small hidden areas of a model first before final use. Please read the How To Use page for information. Please read the How To Use page for information.

Will the spray damage paint:
Some painted surfaces are porous and can be permanently stained by Modelmates even when applying light coats, please always test before use. If the paint is porous, then an option is to seal it first before using Modelmates.

What Type Of Sealer Should I Use:
With so many varnishes and enamels available it is difficult to recommend one. We have found that some matt sealers are also slightly porous and for some reason will absorb the dye and be permanently stained. Please test your sealer before using it on the final model.

Will the spray damage printed surfaces:
There are a lot of models that appear to be painted, but in fact have printed colours on them. We have found most printed surface to be extremely absorbent and not very durable. The colour can be wiped off printed surfaces even after spraying a very light coat of Modelmates and gently smudging with water. If the surface is printed, then best seal it.

If I spray a glossy surface, will it make it a matt finish:
No. Unfortunately glossy will still be glossy after being sprayed. Because the spray is translucent, the glossy surface will still be visible through Modelmates.

Modelmates sometimes dries to a silk finish and not matt:
This can happen. Sometimes Modelmates dries with a smooth flat surface, and light reflects off this surface making it look silky. To get rid of this effect, smudge Modelmates with a very slightly damp tissue and it will break up this flat surface and make it more matt.