stardustcolors | The blog of Stardustcolors paints

29 July 201616 June 2025 stardustcolors Uncategorised

Fluorescent paint for bodywork

StardustColors is a company based in Saint Laurent des Arbres (30126) and produces a range of 13 fluorescent colours,
including for example RAL colours such as GREEN 6038, red 3024 or 3026.

The paints do not go unnoticed!

These paints are intended for auto-moto bodywork. They are solvent-based (mono component base to topcoat).
Their fluid texture allows easy application. They are applied only over a white base, as they are slightly transparent and have a low opacifying power.

During the application (use only a spray gun), colour appears as the layers are applied: the colour is very intense and flashy, like no other paint!
A clear coat for bodywork or the StardustColors anti-UV topcoat can then be applied.

Durability of colours:

UV rays burn fluorescent surfaces: if exposed for too long to the sun, fluorescent colours turn white.
It is inevitable, whatever the topcoat used.
Of course, the paint will not fade while you are driving your fluorescent-painted bike!

What is the best way to protect the colours and extend their lifetime?
– Park your vehicle protected from direct sunlight. Avoid unnecessary parked car in the sun: this is the first thing to do.
– Apply a large thickness of anti-UV clear coat
– And above all, apply a maximum thickness of fluorescent paint coats: the more layers, the brighter the colour and for longer.

28 June 201616 June 2025 stardustcolors Uncategorised

How to create a phosphorescent table

Do you want to make a table with phosphorescent embedded veins?

This is a simple operation and can easily be carried out on a variety of substrates:

1/ Preparation:
Select a healthy, clean, dusted and sanded substrate.
Sanding is the most important element, regardless of the material being worked on, to ensure good adhesion of the resins.

2/ Purchasing photoluminescent pigments.

These powders can glow in the dark.
They are found in various grades and colours: All colours don’t glow with the same intensity! We must therefore give priority to the most powerful colours (green or green/blue)

Pay attention to quality! Avoid purchasing cheap phosphorescent pigments as they are less brighter and their glow won’t last!
You can find the best photoluminescent pigments at phosphorescent.Fr (some of their pigments can glow more than 3 days!!!)

3/ Selecting a binder
Always use a transparent material capable of letting in and out the light!
You can choose a silicon, a resin, a binder or a topcoat…
A solvent-based or water-based version can also be used.
(The company Arco Iris offers photoluminescent waterproof pigments compatible with water-based resins!)
It’s important to select a thick, viscous and fast drying resin!

4/ The mixture
It’s really easy to mix: as in baking, add the powder in the resin, then stir until to obtain a perfect dispersion.
Once mixed, the phosphorescent pigments are protected and can operate for decades.

5/ The phosphorescent table
Here is the final step, which mainly consists in filling the veins with your phosphorescent resin, by pouring then scraping the material with a squeegee.

Once the table has been exposed to sunlight to fully absorb the light energy, the photoluminescence can be observed during a full night!!!

20 May 20149 December 2022 stardustcolors Uncategorised

The magical colour effects of the insect world

Scarab beetle iridescent colours

Scarab iridescence is due to the fact that its shell is composed of several layers of chitin (main component of the shell) in helical structure. Each layer gives a specific color depending on the distance travelled by light. The copper, gold or silver colour of beetles depends on the number of layers and on the distance of the reflected light between the various layers. Their shell reflects light, providing beautiful iridescent, glossy and metallic colours.

Fireflies and bioluminescent deep sea fish

The light produced by these animals is called bioluminescence. It’s the result of the biochemical reaction between luciferin and luciferase, which generates a photon. For deep sea fishes, this light allows them to communicate, enable mates to come close, attract their preys or to light the ocean for hunting. Fireflies use that light to communicate with potential mates. Their organism produces a glow located at the abdomen level and that flashes on and off.

Fluorescent scorpion

Scorpions have the particularity of being fluorescent under black light. Fluorescence occurs when some materials or surfaces are hit by light and they re-emit this energy as visible light. Scorpion fluorescence is due to the presence of chemicals contained in the cuticle of their exoskeleton. Thanks to these fluorescent substances in its durable but flexible carapace, the scorpion can emit a green glow when it’s submitted to a special light called “black light”. This property is called fluorescence.

Duck bright coloured plumage

The feathers have two types of pigments, melanins (black) and carotenoids (yellow to red). Colours appear when the light hits the duck feather and comes into contact with particles of black melanin, which reflect only the blue component of light (black melanin absorbs the rest preventing reflection). At a certain angle and depending on the light meeting with yellow pigments that can distinguish a wide variety of colurs, feathers will be blue, green or black.

13 February 201424 September 2021 stardustcolors Uncategorised

How to paint a car ?

The painter will need first to be equipped with a spray gun and a compressor.

To achieve quality work, we will try to rent a paint booth from the body work painter down the street, if he agrees (count around 100 euros for the morning). If you wish to apply car paint without a spray booth, bear in mind to wet the floor, walls and around the area to capture a maximum of dust.

To prevent any paint deposition and vapour emissions from aerosols, keep a minimum flow of air. When using automotive paint, comply with all safety procedures and wear a respiratory mask with a type A filter, gloves and protective clothing.

Apply car paint

Preparation

Sand lightly the car painting with abrasive paper type 800. If the old paint is sound, there is indeed no need to remove the paint from the car, and no priming is necessary. Only plastic or bare-metal parts should receive an adhesion primer. We will then dust the complete body work and degrease it from any potential invisible contaminants such as grease stains, silicones, fingerprints, etc. First protect and mask/cover all the parts that need no painting: windows, rubber joints, wheels … The car is ready to be painted!

Painting

There are usually no compatibility problems with automotive paints, whether they are water or solvent-based, polyurethane or acrylic paints. These are usually single-component paints – ie without hardener – other than the top coat, which is always accompanied by a hardener. Painting is done with a spray gun, respecting each step in the correct order, strictly observing proportions and mixing instructions, proper temperature and drying time. The so-called “1K” automotive paints are applied in thin coats.

The “wet on wet” painting technique will prevent any “adhesion issue”, and paint coatings are followed immediately by clear coats, especially when it comes to solvent-based paints as they dry faster.

Topcoating

The final step is used to protect but also to enhance the overall appearance of the body work. Topcoating is the most difficult step:

A successful clear coating should present a smooth, lacquered and glossy appearance. After having prepared the top coat-hardener mixture, this latter must be applied in the following half hour. An automotive clear coat is usually applied in 2 wet and successive passes. The rule is simple: If the coats are too dry, you will obtain less gloss, whereas if the passes are too thick, there is risk of sagging.

Good luck! Note: In case of drips, you can repair without difficulty the damages by waiting 24h, then sand the default. Then if you do not want to clear coat again the entire piece, you can restore the gloss by finishing with a 2000 or 3000 grit paper and then polish.

9 January 201424 September 2021 stardustcolors Uncategorised

AIRBRUSHING PAINTS – SPARKLE RANGE

Discover the colour from a new perspective !

Stardustcolors presents its brand new range of airbrush paints : pearl, metallic and chameleons paints, available in 32 iridescent colors.

Airbrush paint perlescent / Pearl finish

– Ready to use and already thinned according to the thinning recommendation for an optimal application performance

– To be applied easily and safely to all common substrates, as long as this one has been properly prepared and primed

– Top coat needed: It provides a glossy and protective film

Metallic finish

– Simple to achieve for a vibrant effect

– Created by combining powdered metal and pigments, Solvent based 2K paints

– To be sprayed in repeated and thin passes rather than in thick coats

Chameleons

– Colour shift effects, depending on the angles and light

– Ready to use with any airbrush nozzle

– Use a clear coat with a good UV inhibitor to protect your perfect paint job

These paints, of the GRAPHIC brand, meet the highest quality standards in terms of manufacturing and ingredients.

Decorative paint effects for Airbrush

They can be used for car paint, or for modeling painting (Lexan, polyester fiber, etc..).

These pearl or metallic (micro glitter flakes) paints, produce a variety of colours and reflections, when observed in the shade or under direct light.

Specially designed for airbrushing or spray paint, their grain is very fine and their colours are intense and saturated.

The Sparkle range paints are very easy to use: Simply ensure to apply the paint over a black or white background.

One of our latest product : True fire effect

Start airbrushing simple flames for rendering dramatic and realistic interpretations of actual fire burning down the surface of motorcycles paint, automobiles, boats and aircraft. Graphic templates can be provided to help you in your painting and save you precious time masking and drawing curves by hand.

5 December 201324 September 2021 stardustcolors Uncategorised

Chrome Machine

A good alternative to the “sputtering” process and galvanization.

The Chrome Machine perfectly reproduces chrome look and other metallic colours: aluminium, stainless steel, copper, bras , gold, etc.

This is a unique machine with a system of spray guns and a complete professional portable equipment, in order to start your chrome paint immediately. It fits easily in small paint booths or in a large area of production.

The manufacturing quality guarantees a precise and perfect chrome paint job.
The machine is supplied with a full technical datasheet to enable you to realize your projects.

You will obtain the desired 100% “mirror effect”.

How does it work?
Pure silver plating is used, under a stream of distilled water. The chrome is then protected with a polyurethane topcoat.
Depending on the size of the paint booth, you can chrome as many pieces as you wish , and with a little practice you will able to chrome larger parts.
Note that the machines from competition allow you to chrome only small parts with good results.

Candy on Chrome:
By applying a Candy paint mixed with a clear coat on the chrome parts, you will obtain a “coloured chrome” for stunning special effects.

Some tips:
It is necessary to start with clean substrates such as a primer or a gel coat preparation, as any roughness or hole on the surface will be visible.
The list of substrates that can be worked with chrome paint is quite broad: plastic, metal, wood, polyurethane …
Please note that the Chrome paint will not erase defects, but, on the contrary, will reveal them: because chrome paint is highly reflective, it will highlight any imperfection.

It is best to avoid long exposure to UV (in a stationary position, during the day or the night) as a slight yellowing over time will appear.
Chrome that are slightly black and gold will not see their pigments change.

1 November 201324 September 2021 stardustcolors Uncategorised

Imitation Gold Paint

There are several types of Gold Paint:

– Classic car gold paint (with dye) (picture 1) Shines under a source of light (natural or artificial) and adds some luminosity to your painting projects

 - Pearl Gold paint (no added dye) (picture 2) Produces a bright and vivid colour and is easy to apply over any coloured basecoat and will add brilliance to your vehicle’s design

– Diamond Gold Paint (picture 3) Transparent – their gold effect is achieved by reflection of light. Made out of tiny pieces of glass that reflects the light and high temperature resistant

– Candy Paint (aluminum or pearl background) (pictures 4 and 5) More UV resistant, intense and fine quality dyes. Provides the highest quality finishes for designers, fabricators, artists, companies in the display, prototyping, motorcycle paint, etc.

– Real Gold Paint (picture 6)

Almost as fine as chrome paint – An exclusivity of Stardustcolors

Gold chrome paint effect finish that literally looks completely reflective (mirror), and that exactly duplicates chrome plating or colored chrome finishes. Chrome gold paint can coat any type of material: metal, wood, glass, plastic, stone, fiberglass, ceramic, previously painted surfaces, galvanized metal, brick, concrete, as long as this later is smooth and has been previously prepared (follow standard practices and procedures for properly preparing surfaces for the application and provide adequate ventilation)

This finish is achieved without toxic products. Perfect resistance to abrasion, chemical products, bad weather conditions and UV.

GOLD Effect

None of the above techniques can match the Candy on Chrome technique:

How to paint a Gold chrome paint ?

Simply apply our Candy paint Yellow Gold 21 clear coat over chrome paint that has dried for 96 hours

Pearl paints for airbrushes

StardustColors provides small quantities of different paints packaged in small bottles specially designed for airbrushing. The perfect fluidity of the paint and their special dilution allows you to work easily and comfortably.  Professional quality airbrush paint, suitable for model-making and tuning paint as well.

18 September 201324 September 2021 stardustcolors Uncategorised

Paints to apply with an airbrush

StardustColors has been presenting since 2011 all of its new paints specially designed for airbrush artists.

A new brand called Graphic, available in a full range of colours, in small 125ml pack size, along with two thinners, a transparent one and a cleaning one.

These products arrive in time to meet unsatisfied demand until now, as it was difficult to get anything other than water-based paints or inks and of foreign brands.

Packed by StardustColors, the airbrush paint were developed in collaboration with Regis Hanriot , a French artist and trainer, who put his big experience in airbrushing and car paint at the service of this exciting project.

The airbrush paints

After more than 20 years he’s working as a trainer and project / process / product developer in major paint companies ( Dupont, Akzo Nobel, Standox XL).

A self-taught and a passionate person, he practices airbrushing since the Kustom Kulture movement, and makes himself available for professional training in decoration and airbrushing.

The airbrush paint GRAPHIC paints are solvent-based paints 1K basecoat. They are already pre-diluted to allow a good flow, even with the smallest nozzles. They are compatible with the most good quality airbrushes.

They come in more than twenty colours, from opaque to semi- transparent shades (semi-transparent paints let a lot of light pass through them), and can be thinned up to 200 %. They are guaranteed lead-free products. They offer brighter colors, for free hand paintings or stencil works.

What are the benefits of solvent-based paints ?

They have many advantages comparing to water-based paints:

• Fast drying

• Thinner paint coat once dry

• Perfect UV resistance

• Greater fluidity, unlimited possibility of dilution, less clogged nozzles

• Better adhesion of the paint on many types of supports

Find more details on the data sheet and the application instructions for special airbrush paint.

23 July 20134 September 2021 stardustcolors Uncategorised

Preventing Hazardous Exposure to Solvents

The most beautiful and resistant finishes we can experience are with automotive paints, however these latter often contain harmful organic solvents. StardustColors is very concerned about the safety of users (professionnals or amateurs) of its products, by making sure that they have a deep knowledge of harm associated to products use and by providing them with all advices for proper use of paints.

Painters often have the regrettable tendency to overlook risks, out of habit and for time savings:

-Cleaning tools with solvents with bare hands

-Spraying without wearing suitable respiratory equipment

By trying to gain a few seconds, for example exemption from wearing protective gloves or mask with filter, exposure to this invisible danger adds up day after day and can cause extreme damage many years after.

There are simple, quick precautions to take to stay safe!

Protect yourself

Routes of entry for solvents into the human body and special care to ensure safe handling or spraying:

-Eyes: eyes are easily penetrated by organic solvent vapours – Wear protective goggles. Full face respiratory masks will also do.

-Respiratory airways:

A basic rule of painting with solvents, if not carried out in spray booth, is to do it in an adequated ventilated place. Always wear a cartridge mask respirator, type A. Respirator cartridges must be changed regularly and as soon as you smell solvent.

Solvent based paint should not be stored in living quarters but kept in a ventilated room or equipped with air extraction system, out of children and animals’ reach.

During sanding breathing of any dust should be absolutely avoided, put on a dust mask specially designed for thin particles and with a perfect airtight fit !

-Skin: solvents easily and quickly penetrate the skin and pass into the blood stream

Always wear protective gloves and clothing. For hand washing, never use thinner but prefer 95% alcohol, which is non-toxic and a very good solvent.

Inform yourself

Solvent Specific risks and exposure prevention

Some components of automotive solvent based paints are very toxic, such as xylene and toluene (commonly used in paints and tints) or such as ethyl acetate (often present in thinners).

Isocyanates (contained in top coats and lacquers with hardener) are among the most hazardous substances in paint manufacturing, with lead chromate (a toxic component in yellow, orange and red pigments, and that is well-known for causing degenerative disease of the brain such as saturnism). These products are for professionals only.

The safe use of these products requires some particular precautions. To that end, safety instructions given on the cans must always be read and followed thoroughly.
If needed, we can also provide safety instructions sheets on request.

The substances contained in these products and their effects are fairly well known. However, little is known about the combined effects of these components.

Their immediate effects (skin and eyes irritation) are of little importance. Nevertheless their lifetime cumulative exposure have long tem adverse effects: toxic substances have the capacity to be permanently absorbed by the fatty tissue (fat, bone marrow, brain, cell) and can favour over the years cell mutation.

These hazardous agents also affect the organs of the body that filter them from the blood circulation (kidneys, liver, lungs, bladder…) and damage them. Solvents can have negative effects on the reproductive system.

21 June 201324 September 2021 stardustcolors Uncategorised

Chameleons

Also called Flip flop, Beetle shell, Harlequin effects.

The famous Chameleons paints create an extraordinary and surprising visual effect by changing colour (double, triple or quadruple), as the observer moves around the painted object. Two main colours can always be noticed, while the secondary colours will show at the angles.

It’s the light reflection on the chameleon pearls that gives to the paints their multi-coloured changing effect.

That’s why it is important to always apply it over a black base coat, because black doesn’t interfere with light whereas chameleon pigments reflect light ( when applied over a white background, most chameleons are invisible). They are ideal to create your own custom paint, whether for car, motorcycle paint, or in the home. You will get a great chameleon paint that will amaze everybody.

StardustColors proposes a large choice of 16 chameleon colours, available in spray and in can, and divided up into three categories, as follows:

• Sparkle: Medium size pearl flakes. Transparent type

• Stardust: Very small size pearl flakes . Non transparent type

• Colorwave: Ultra-thin size pearl flakes. Transparent type

Special chameleon pigments:

• Liquid Crystal: Very small size pearl flakes. Non transparent type. Candy paint have been added to offer greater colour saturation and depth effect.

• Diamond: Large size pearl flakes. Ultra-transparent type. Top quality materials made with glass microparticles for high index of light reflection.

How to create unique and amazing colours ?

Some transparent chameleon pigments (and only those!), can be applied over any basecoat colour other than the usual black! You can spray over a blue, red, orange, white or even grey background, to get unique and unexpected combinations!

How to apply the chameleon paint ?

The painting technique is extremely easy. The first rule for painting chameleon is to apply the paint over a black background. The second one is to spray very thin passes. The more you add paint the more the chameleon will show and become coloured. If not enough paint is applied, the chameleon effect will not show properly.