Question 1

Can I use FuseFX paints to paint a vinyl/latex/unidentified "rubber" _______?"

Accepted Answer

No, FuseFX paints are for painting platinum* silicone pieces ONLY**. They either will NOT cure if applied on other surfaces (like latex) or if they do cure then they will peel off.

** FuseFX CAN be used to paint tin silicone but ONLY if the piece is first primed with FuseFX's BondFX primer.

Question 2

What is the difference between your pigments/"intrinsic" colours and your paints/"extrinsic" colours?"

Accepted Answer

Our pigment/"intrinsic" colours include our S, SFX, and BC series colours. These products come in a single bottle and are meant to be mixed into a batch of uncured silicone to tint the entire batch a uniform colour.

Our paint/"extrinsic" colours include our M, F, and LY-colours. These products come in 2-part "kits" - an uncoloured, 'Part A', catalyst, and the coloured 'Part B'. They are meant to be mixed 50:50 and then applied to the surface of a cured, cleaned, silicone piece to paint it.

In other words our pigments tint an entire piece inside (instrinsically) and outside while our paints only cover the outside (extrinsic) part of a piece.

Question 3

There is a "Part A" but where is the "Part B" mentioned in the instructions?"

Accepted Answer

With all our 2-part products (the F, LY, and M-series paints) the "Part B" is the coloured bottle. To activate the product you need to mix it 50:50 with the included Part A.

Question 4

Can I add more/less Part A to make the mixture more/less transparent?

Accepted Answer

NO - you MUST mix the Part A in a 50:50 ratio with the Part B otherwise the product will NOT cure. You can mix these by eye, as long as the ratio is close to 50:50 but other ratios will not work.

To make a colour more transparent you can thin the mixed paint with an appropriate solvent (Toluene, Xylene, or Naptha - see elsewhere in this FAQ for more info) or you can add M/F-110 Clear PART B to the coloured Part B of your choice BEFORE adding enough Part A to equal the two B's _combined_. For example you might mix 1 part M/F-110 Part B to 1 part F-230 Darkest Brown and then add 2 PARTS of Part A to activate the mixture for painting.

Question 5

Can I custom mix my own colours?

Accepted Answer

YES! Any FuseFX colours can be mixed PRIOR to activating with Part A. You must add
 enough Part A to equal the two B's _combined_.
 
For example to get a custom green you might mix 1 part F-203 Smooth Blue Part B (ie the coloured part) to 1 part F-204 Smooth Yellow and then add 2 PARTS of Part A to activate the mixture for painting.

Question 6

Can I airbrush FuseFX paints?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You will need an appropriate silicone solvent (such as Toluene, Xylene, or Naptha - see next FAQ question for more information).

Mix the FuseFX paint as normal (50:50 Part A and the coloured Part B) then dilute the mixture with 1.5-2 parts of solvent and continue to mix until smooth.

Spray at approximately 15 PSI.

Question 7

What solvents can I use to thin FuseFX?

Accepted Answer

FuseFX paints (the F, M, and LY series) can be thinned with Toluene, Xylene, or Naptha. These solvents are not always sold under these names (often they are sold as odorless paint thinner). It is recommended to do a test before using a new brand or type of odorless paint thinner to make sure it contains the correct solvent and does not contain other fillers which may inhibit the FuseFX paints. 
 
Alternately you can get a dedicated silicone solvent such as Smooth-On's NOVOCS Glossy or NOVOCS Matte thinner.

Question 8

Are FuseFX products skin safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes ... and No.

For FuseFX paints and pigments the products are skin safe once they have cured. While the products are in an uncured state, however, you should wear vinyl or nitrile gloves (NOT latex) while handling the product.

Smoothie and Royal Jel-E should be used while wearing vinyl or nitrile gloves.

Question 9

Do FuseFX products expire?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the product.

Our S and BC-series pigments do not generally expire.

Because they are essentially platinum silicone our 2-part products, such as our F, M, and LY-series paints DO eventually expire. We recommend using our paints within 2-3 years of purchase.

In many cases you CAN continue to use the paints past the 3 year mark, however we cannot guarantee they will continue to work. FuseFX paints that are beginning to expire will become very thick and be very hard or impossible to squeeze from the bottle. In the case of colours in a jar you may notice a wrinkled or curdled appearance on the surface. As the paints begin to reach their expiry date their cure time will actually speed up to the point of being almost unusable. After they have expired the paints will not cure at all.
 
Royal Jel-E will be good for many years but will eventually become less effective. If, after applying 2 coats as per the instructions, you still find it difficult to remove your silicone piece from the mold, you may want to get a fresh supply of Royal Jel-E.
 
Smoothie concentrate will not expire. Once mixed with hot water the Smoothie is still good as long as no mold develops.

Question 10

I have an older silicone piece - can I still paint it with FuseFX?

Accepted Answer

Possibly. 
 
A lot depends on how the piece has been stored. In our instructions we recommend painting a piece as soon as possible after demolding. This is because the longer a piece is out of the mold the more chance there is for it to collect a layer of microscopic dust on the surface. Even if the piece doesn't look dusty or dirty to the naked eye, this micro-layer can still interfere with subsequent layers of silicone (including silicone paint) from bonding completely to the piece. The result is usually peeling paint, known as delamination.

If you know you will not have a chance to paint your piece right away after demolding it is best to either place your piece in a sealed plastic bag, plastic tote, or wrap it securely in plastic wrap. This will protect your piece from collecting dust and you should be able to paint the piece at a later date with no problem.

If you are trying to paint an older piece that has been used or been on display it is best to wash it thoroughly with soap and water, scrubbing gently or even wet sanding with 400 grit sandpaper, then wipe it down with a lint free tissue or cloth and isopropyl alcohol or a silicone appropriate solvent (see the Solvent question in this FAQ for some suggestions). You may wish to apply a thin layer of BondFX as a primer before painting.

Be warned however that with a well-used piece even a thorough cleaning may not work and delamination might still occur. The piece may have come in contact with some sort of inhibitor, or the dirt be just too ground in to be removed.

Question 11

How should I prepare a silicone piece for painting?

Accepted Answer

You will have the best result by painting a silicone piece fresh out of its mold. In this case simply wash the piece thoroughly with soap and warm water to remove any mold release residue then dry the piece with a lint free cloth or lint free tisues. 
 
If you are trying to paint an older piece that has been used or been on display it is best to wash it thoroughly with soap and water, scrubbing gently or even wet sanding with 400 grit sandpaper, then wipe it down with a lint free tissue or cloth and isopropyl alcohol or a silicone appropriate solvent (see the Solvent question in this FAQ for some suggestions). You may wish to apply a thin layer of BondFX as a primer before painting. Older pieces are prone to paint delamination (see previous FAQ question on "I have an older silicone piece - can I still paint it with FuseFX?" for more information).
 
If you know you will not have a chance to paint your piece right away after demolding it is best to either place your piece in a sealed plastic bag, plastic tote, or wrap it securely in plastic wrap. This will protect your piece from collecting dust and you should be able to paint the piece at a later date with no problem.

Question 12

How much FuseFX paint do I need for my project?

Accepted Answer

30g of catalyzed F-series paint can cover approximately 12sq ft if stippled in a thin layer. Our M and LY-series paints will go even further as they are typically painted sparingly to create a realistic skin look instead of applied as a continous layer. 
 
For the S and BC pigments one 30g bottle can tint over 3,300g of catalyzed silicone (or approx. 7.2 pounds or 116.4 oz). The 500g bottle can tint over 100,000g or 100 kilos (approx. 27 gallons or 220 pounds) or more depending on the softness of the silicone. See our video below on using our S-series pigments for tips on calculating the amount of pigment needed for a project.

Question 13

If I make a mistake while painting can I fix it?

Accepted Answer

YES! As long as the paint has not yet cured you can simply wipe it off with a lint free tissue and a bit of isopropyl alcohol.

Once the paint has cured however, it permanently bonds to the piece and will have to be cut off to be removed.

Question 14

Should I wash the Royal Jel-E off my molds before storing them?

Accepted Answer

Yes. It is best to wash all Royal Jel-E residue from your molds before long term storage. Prolonged exposure to Royal Jel-E residue can shorten the shelf life of your molds.

Question 15

What is the difference between using Matting Powder and Liquid Sheen?

Accepted Answer

Matting Powder creates a completely matt surface to the silicone whereas Liquid Sheen leaves a satin or "eggshell" finish.

Liquid Sheen can sometimes work better for skin tones than Matting Powder as it creates a healthly looking "glow" to the skin without looking sweaty or wet.

Question 16

What are the best brushes to use with FuseFX? And how do I clean them?

Accepted Answer

For painting realistic skin tones we recommend a natural bristle fan brush. It is also helpful to have a piece of tweezers on hand for removing any dropped bristles.

Detailed areas can be painted with a nylon bristle brush. 
 
Although Isopropyl alcohol cannot be used to thin FuseFX paint it CAN be used to clean brushes. Swish brushes thoroughly in alcohol or solvent and wipe thoroughly. A wire bristle brush is useful for removing globs of cured or uncured silicone from the bristles of both types of brushes.

Frequently Asked Questions