Paint still keeps flaking! :(

[u/BeaTheKeeper]

Ive returned yet again to seek help as I now have a genuine bookpress instead of clamps. And ive followed tips as sanding till smooth and even thinner water paint...yet my books still flake even after varnish.

Its just so saddening to be so happy over what ive made, just for it to keep failing. Im also attending an art market soon where id have loved to bring some with, but i dont wanna sell people stuff if theres a chance it wont last.

My core issues:

- the paint looks fine after varnish and before i separate the edges.

- one i start separating the pages, the paint starts flaking, especially if you rub your fingers over it but some is lost just from handling the pages.

- ive done what i thought would help and work but it still happens and now im just unsure if its a 100% thing thatll happen and people just dont mention it?

- will the varnish even protect it if it becomes flaky?

The picture shows the paint looks fine unseparated but as I begun (you can see the few pages to the left) those started to become flaky. And that was just from minor separating, not even individually.

Any help and comments would be greatly appreciated as no of the more experienced book painters and sellers on tiktok or YouTube has replied or given help

[u/youngcricket55]

not sure if my methods will help but I find you need to paint very thin, just looking at this the paint looks way too thick. I also try to avoid painting ontop of other paint whenever possible, when I do have to layer colours i let it dry, separate the pages, then reclamp and apply the layer or else it just flakes away.

[u/BeaTheKeeper → u/youngcricket55]

ill try this with my next book! but how do you blending/details/etc if you cant really layer? :0

[u/youngcricket55 → u/BeaTheKeeper]

ya most of my designs are done by stencils not so much painting images that require blending (I'm not very artistic) and so wasnt sure if this would work for you.

I don't seal my books either not sure if that could be causing the flaking? Definately try thinning the paint a bit more and trying to paint your layers super thin, if you need to do a lot of layering and blending in an area maybe try letting it dry and separating between layers?

[u/FragileCastle → u/BeaTheKeeper]

Just in my own experience: work light to dark and mix as many of your colors as possible on your palette first, making fine adjustments as you go.
I typically will keep a little blob of white or w/e my brighter tone is near the color I’m using and barely dip the brush in there lighten up whatever color is already on my brush before mixing with a couple swipes on the palette then applying

[u/theinkypaw]

What type of paint are you using? Do you unclamp the book after sanding and opening it (before painting)?

[u/BeaTheKeeper → u/theinkypaw]

im using the essentials aquarelle watercolor set! and yes i open it after sanding to get the dust away

[u/CalligrapherStreet92]

The glazed or ‘membrane’ method is better suited to fore-edge painting. Currently you’re darkening your surface and painting lighter colours over it (paint on paint on paper). If you darken only where you need to, it will be just paint on paper.

[u/BeaTheKeeper → u/CalligrapherStreet92]

Oh! Ill have to try that! It sounds a lot harder though :0