im currently spray painting a scout helmet and have run into a few problems. The paint dries in a manner that looks cracked and occasionally the paint will "drip" and I do not know how to fix this. What's the best way to achieve an all around smooth complexion when painting my helmet?
Paint in light coats. For now, you'll probably want to remove that paint you sprayed. There's a few threads in the New Recruits forum that will help you with that.
After that is done, though, you will need to determine what the issue is. Sometimes, the problem is layering of different paints. For instance, Enamel Paint on top of Acrylic spray paint (and vice versa) is a recipe for disaster. If your helmet is foam, use only acrylic spray paint. Acrylic is flexible, while enamel is rigid and cracks. On a hard surface helmet, Enamel is the way to go because it has an excellent finish.
Otherwise, If your paint is dripping and is still cracking, it's probably because of thick coats. First coat should basically be a thin mist to give the next layer something to "bite" into and prime the surface. Your surface should be lightly colored after the first coat. From there on out, do one or two medium to light coats. Lighter coats are the way to go. If you're impatient, try to resist the urge to get a helmet painted in only one or two coats. You will really want to be patient for good results.
I hope this helps you out. I don't know how much you know about paints, or how well-informed you are on such subjects, so I just said everything you really need to know.
Good luck!
