What would you recommend to use for the Base coat for this color?

Our Illusion Purple (PSB-4629) should be applied directly over bare substrate. We don’t recommend you apply this color or any of our Illusion products over a primer/another coating. This will cause the dormant pigments once a clear coat is applied to not fully activate causing less pigment to be pulled.

When applying an Illusion color like Illusion Orange PMS-4620 can any clear coat be used as the Illusion top-coat?

Any Clear Coat or Top-Coat can be used as an Illusion top-coat. Keep in mind that the end result will be different than the on-line S-panel representation or the sample swatches that are shipped out for reference. These images and swatches have Clear Vision PPS-2974 applied. You can find examples of other top-coats used including tinted transparent top-coats on our website gallery and "creations" section.

Can an Illusion powder be applied over another illusion powder that has been clear coated and get the expected results?

Illusion series powders are designed to be applied directly over a metal substrate and then clear coated in order to achieve results shown on our website or swatch sample. Illusion series powders applied over a primer base or another color including an illusion coating with a clear coat can have have abnormal or unexpected results.

When applying an Illusion Series Powder, which of your clear coats can be applied to an Illusion Base?

The beauty of our Illusion series powder line-up is that you can be extra creative with any of our clear-coat finishes including Clear Vision PPS-2974 and Casper Clear PPS-4005, transparent top-coat finishes including Transparent Copper PPS-5162, Lollypop Red UPS-1506, Metallic Transparent top-coats like Metallic Clear PPB-6325 and even our clear coat metallics including the Frosted series, Rockstar series and ...Lights series including City Lights PMB-2689. It is very important that whichever top-coat you choose from our long list of available top-coats that you also download and follow the application guide that goes along with that coating. REMEMBER, cure timer should not start until the part metal reaches cure temperature.

Why is my product not turning out with the high gloss finish? It looks like its the right color but it's a matte finish instead of gloss finish.

The clear that is used as a top coat is what will determine the gloss level. For example, Clear Vision should provide a very high gloss finish, whereas Casper Clear would give a very matte or flat finish.

What is the proper way to cure Illusion colors before applying Clear Vision PPS-2974? I've read a few contradicting things. Want to make sure i get the best results possible.

Illusion series should only be applied directly over substrate. There should be NO base coat under an illusion series powder. Apply powders cold. No need to hot flock. Apply your first coat and then bring to flow-out + 2 minutes (aka Gel-out). In other words, in about 3-5 minutes approx. the base coat will turn from a powder into a liquid looking coating, once this happens, add 2 minutes to your timer. After that flow-out + 2, pull and allow to cool. Apply your top coat. In this case, applying clear vision you will again apply cold (room temp) cover the base coat in a white powder. Place into the oven and follow the cure schedule for the Clear Vision. Which happens to be 375 degree F for 18 minutes. That 18 minute timer should not start until the THICKEST portion of your substrate reaches 375 degrees F. The curing of the clear coat will pull the underlying pigments to the surface giving you a brilliant color that you are looking for. Each coating should be around 3 mil thick. That is .003" thousandths of an inch not millimeter. There is a great video on our website for applying Illusion Malbec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=NCRt5weNbew&feature=emb_logo

Can I apply a Primer below an Illusion series powder in order to achieve a smooth surface finish ?

Illusion Series powders cannot have any base coat like a primer below it's own base coat. The finish will not turn out as expected because the 1st base coat will rob dormant pigments the wrong direction. Instead of the illusion colors coming into the clear coat they will go the other way into the primer base.

I put my top coat on but have a couple light spots. Can I add another top coat to correct this? Also FYI for people reading these Q&A illusion purple cures grey.. then once clear is added becomes purple.

You can add another top coat which will in most cases even out the color in those light spots however, the inter-coat adhesion between the two coats will not be optimal if the first coat of clear were already fully cured which could create problems with delamination between the coats.

I ordered Illusion Purple and noticed the actual color of the powder is white in the bag. Is that what color it is supposed to be until the part is coated with the Illusion Purple then the Clear Vision top coat?

Illusion Purple powder will appear very light in color in the bag and during the base coat application. After pulling the base coat out of the oven, it will still not have the correct appearance. It is only when the Clear Vision top coat is applied, fully cured and the part is cooled will the Illusion Purple color be apparent.

I powder coated my valve cover with Illusion Purple. I also did a example first before doing my valve cover and that came out perfect. The base coat on the valve cover came out perfect but when I applied the clear I was getting grey spots, it looked like fisheyes. I removed the powder and decided to clean it and still had the same problem with it looking like it had fisheyes. I’m wondering what I did wrong and how can I fix it?

It actually sounds like starbursts due to over charging rather than fisheyes caused by a contaminant. Remember to lower the voltage when applying second or top coats. Also make sure you don't get the gun tip to close to the part which can also fry it. Make sure the contact with the ground cable is clean and secure from part to hook to rack. A deep earth ground is recommended, you do not want any more resistance than 1 mega ohm. Other things to avoid when doing second or top coats are, touching or cleaning parts between coats, if a part must be touched, allow the part to be discharged in the oven for a few minutes by letting it come up to about 200F degrees.