Is a clear coat mandatory for a paint job?

i want to paint the gas tank on my motorcycle, so im going to pick up some automotive spray paint from canadian tire, ive never used automotive spray paint before, so is the clear coat mandatory or just an option?Is a clear coat mandatory for a paint job?
if your using clear coat paint then it's manditory, you can use other types of paint that you don't have to clear over top of it.Is a clear coat mandatory for a paint job?
Clear coats are use to even out the finish when you had custom paint work on top. If you looked from the side you could see flat spots from the top paint job. Clear coating gave everything a nice glossy coat. It is also a ';cheater'; coat for those spray painters who didn't do a perfect job(having runs and flat spots in it'; - quickly sand out the runs and clear coat the whole thing and nobody knows the difference. It is a good protection coat against fuel spills discoloring the paint job. It gives the finish a ';deeper'; look. Do it. You'll like it.
heres the key...if it says one stage then the clear is in it...if it says two stage then its a base coat and a clear coat is necessary...now no one is gonna put a gun to your head and make you put on a clear coat but if its a two stage and you understood what the clear coat did then you would want to put it on...the clear coat protects the paint from fading quickly in the sun, as well as from discoloration from absorbing moisture in the air...the clear coat is a sealer...the clear coat basically saves you from doing the job again very soon...there is a spray can clear coat but it wouldnt be as consistant as a real booth paint job, but it would save you a lot of money...if you are considering painting it by can you shouldnt expect the greatest results...good luck with your paint job.
CLEAR COAT ON PAINT IS USED SO THAT WHEN THE COLOR STARTS TO FADE, IT WILL BE THE CLEAR COAT THAT FADES, AND NOT THE COLOR. ALSO, IF YOU GET A CHIP, OR A SCRATCH IN THE COLOR, THE SCRATCH WILL STAY IN THE CLEAR COAT, AND INTO THE COLOR PAINT. SPRAY THE COLOR ON, LET IT DRY OVER NIGHT, AND THEN SPRAY THE CLEAR COAT ON THE COLOR THE NEXT DAY. ITS A GOOD MOVE.
yes it is manditory. The clear coat not only protects the paint and gives it a shine, but it keeps the paint from getting scratched and keeps it from fading from the sun. What would be cool is to spray the color, spray some sparkle or fleck,then the top coat. My dad's family used to build bikes.
its not mandatory but for it to last longer and look better it is recomended