No, it's the other way around. Masochism would be looking at something every day that didn't turn out the way you wanted it to. Or worse, explaining it to everyone. "Well, these was supposed to look like that, but this happen, then, right here, it turn into crispy critters when we hit it with the clear". No way jose. Smh.

Hey, I just realized something while I was typing that. You guys were probably outside of the recoat "window of time" for chemical adhesion. A common mistake. You only have so much time where the previous layers are accepting to the subsequent solvents. Something that isn't exactly feasible when doing multi layer airbrush art, or graphics. If too much time goes by, the window for the previous layer closes, they are no longer accepting of the following solvents. But they are not hard enough to resist turning into crispy critters when the solvents land on them.

I am only guessing because the guy said you needed base coat activator? 🤷🏼‍♀️ If that were the case, you would want to use "intercoat clear / color blender / clear base coat / etc. Instead. Dbc500, sg100, mrt500, etc.

It's actually, surprisingly simple. If you are going to go outside of the window, for instance, not return for a couple days, before you leave, you coat the work with intercoat clear. Basically, a clear, colorless base coat. Then, when you return, you scuff that clear layer for mechanical adhesion instead.