Bleeding colors with clear

[cruizer]

So I am doing some playing around with fading colors, as well as decals and stuff, so here is what I did:

I used a Caswell powder paint can as my subject. I sprayed on Safety red ont he bottom, and then Super Chrome on top. I then heated and baked at 400 deg for 20 minutes.
Then I took some high temp tape and covered the can. Drew on some flames and cut them out with an exacto knife. This is not ideal as I cannot cut with an exacto knife for ****, but no one ever seems to want to give away their source for high temperature vinyl so I can get a graphic guy to cut me out some nice ones.
I then coated with black magic. I put it in the oven and waited for the paint to just start flowing. Removed the part, waited for it to cool, and then removed the high temp tape. Someone told me doing it this way would remove the rough edges. This person is on crack I think. I have done this half a dozen times, and I always get a crappy ridge. I put it back in the oven, waited to flow again, and baked at 400 deg for 20 minutes.
Now I have a descent looking part (for my skills) with crappy ridges from the tape. So i decide to clear coat it.
I did not prewarm, the part, I coated it cold, and placed it in the oven.
When I pulled it from the oven, I noticed that my colors bled! The Safety Red bled into the Super Chrome. Origianlly, the red was about an inch and a half from the bottom, and the rest was chrome. The bleeding created an orage transition, and left chrome tips.
It's not a big deal, it kinda turned out OK, and everyone who's seen it likes it. But I am curious to know why it did that? The red and chrome has gone through 2 full bakes before the clear was put on. Any Ideas?

[hvac36]

First I'm the one that said remove tape before full cure, I have never had an issue with the rough edge. Looking at your image the Black looks Real thick!! I can see a few runs in the powder, that is why you still have the rough edges.. So no Crack here..
Now as for the powder bleeding, each time you reheat the powder it will flow a little. So by adding the clear you allowed the color to flow and mix with the clear coat.


Jim S..

[cruizer]

I didn't realize, or think for that matter, that it would flow and mix with the clear. I don't think there are any runs, I just think it's thick paint. Maybe the glare of the sun makes it look like there are runs? It's at work, i'll try and remember to check on monday. Thanks for the info!

[sage]

Well whatever you did, other than the rough edges looks really good. I like the way the red fades into orange and then silver. I would say I like it this way rather than having defined lines betwen red and silver. This way it's more typical of the old school flames. It bares repeating in my book. Problem is you may not be able to do it again.

Sage

[cruizer]

Well it wasn't defined before (I wish I had a picture) it still faded, But with the bleeding, it faded more, and changed som e of the red to orange.