Jewelry Making Outside The Box

Tips, Techniques Using Spectrum Noir Inks On Brass Stampings

Spectrum Noir ink pens  work well on paper and for scrapbooking----but better still, they have a fabulous effect on METAL....in particular, brass stampings.

Using Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Pens can REALLY take your patina and colorization work up to the next level.   With such an amazing range of color to choose from, you'll be well on your way to creating your own specialized designer finishes.

Yesterday I did some experimenting and would love to share some close-up photos with you!

The first photo is our large layered cluster rosette, which you will find here: 

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Huge-Slotted-Leaf-Layered-Flower-9568

I used a plated piece and then used the inks over top:

The technique is simple:  use the broad, chisel tip of the pen to apply a base coat of color getting as much on as you can.   Then, before it's dry, you go back with a second color and just smoosh the tip down in a random, spotty pattern.  Clean the tip off as it may pick up a bit of the primary color.   Then add a third lighter color; I used the gold tip pen from the browns set as my light accent.   Do the same thing, just add it in a spotty pattern that flows into the other ink.

Then you MUST heat set it with a heat gun, like this one we offer at B'sue Boutiques:

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Embossing-Heat-Gun-4331   By the way, this gun is the best I've found for applying intense forced air heat.  I love it with alcohol inks FAR better than the Ranger Heat It Tool, which is a bit wimpy, methinks---it's good for melting UTEE, though.  But for heating metal to take patina, it's about as good as your torch and there is no flame to worry about.   For use with alcohol inks, it's the BEST as it sets QUICK.

NOTE:   NEVER use a torch over alcohol inks!!

Alcohol inks over metal MUST be sealed.  MUST.   I have found several things work w the Spectrum Noir pens:

1.  Krylon Matte Spray Lacquer.....be sure the piece is cooled and set.  I'd wait a half hour at least.

2.  Renwax.

3.  Swellegant Clear Coat....excellent choice!

4.  Nunn Design Sealant

5.  Vintaj Glaze

Experiment and take your pick!  There may also be others that work well, too!  ICE RESIN would also be an option in some cases, too, I'd think.

Here is another photo of the 'mosaic' technique, up close:

Pretty cool, huh?  I did these over raw brass.

You can watch me do it in this video:

Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Pens on Brass Stampings from B'sue Boutiques

A closer look:

Here's a cool sash brooch in the raw brass, that I did with two colors, set and then distressed back to let the brass come through:

If you use the browns set that we carry, you could totally mock the look of old gingerbread brass on one of these sash brooch findings.

Find the sash brooch here in raw brass:

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Raw-Brass-Sash-Brooch-with-25x18-Center-Mount-8762

We also have it in brass ox:

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Brass-Ox-Sash-Brooch-with-25x18-center-mount-3022

If you use plated pieces you won't have to finish the back too.....the pens work well over brass ox finish, and it doesn't cost that much more than raw brass.  ;-)

Check out these pretty drilled wings (they make great earrings!):

The one on the left is buffed out a bit more and has Vintaj Glaze on it from Ranger....the one on the right is less buffed and has not yet been sealed.

Here are some old dark gingerbread brass gilding weight pieces to which I applied a variety of ink colors:

They were all buffed back a tad, then I applied Vintaj Glaze.  Swellegant Clear Cote has a similar appearance.   Find many of our sealants, resins and glazes here:

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/resin_patina_supplies.shtml

You will find more under the paints section and in the Swellegant Section:

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/paints_pearl_ex_mica.shtml

Here is an assortment of pieces I did as well:

The top piece is distressed Rusty Black Patina brass with the pens applied; the heart is choxie brown brass run through a Vintaj DecoEmboss folder and then inked, set and distressed.

Find DecoEmboss folders here....they work in a Cuttlebug OR a Sissix Big Shot machine:

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/anvils-bench-blocks-letter-punch-sets-hammers.shtml

I hope you'll find a little time for the video as I can actually SHOW you how I colored the brass and did the mosaic technique....you will really enjoy working with the pens!  I am so excited about them!

Again, you will find the video here: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iPVhtpQ3Ek

 

The NEW Alcohol Inks on Metal....Spectrum Noir Pens

Spectrum Noir pens were originally formulated for use in scrapbooking crafts, paper artistry, etc.

But the great news is that you can use them on virtually anything.....and there is NO learning curve.  If you can color with a marker or a crayon....you have it in the bag.

I recently discovered that they worked quite well on metal!

To show you, I did just a few sample pieces and took some hurried pix....regret they are less clear than I'd like, but!  You will get the idea:

This photo shows you how nicely the colors blend.  I used several colors out of the brown set to do the Art Nouveau fairy on the left.   That piece, as well as the filigree butterfly, were completely RAW BRASS, no color.   I used the ruddy brown, the espresso-type color and the golden color to blend the color.  With a little work, she will look much like the old gingerbread pieces.  

The filigree butterfly is browns and some turquoises blended.  I don't know that I'd do it this way next time, but I wanted in a hurry to show you POSSIBILITIES.

The bottom two leaves are over CHOCOLATE BRASS......look how nicely you can blend tones.  With a little work, you could come up with some gorgeous colored autumn leaves.

The pens feel good in your hand, and there are TWO tips---a chisel tip for broad coverage, and a nib tip for fine coverage and detail work.

THEY ARE NON TOXIC!!   Be careful, wear old clothes when you use them, they will stain clothes and furniture. 

THINGS to remember  if you use the Spectrum Noir pens over brass:

It works over raw brass, brass ox, and chocolate ox nicely.   I have not tried other plating shades yet, but I doubt it will be good on Old Rose Ox findings from B'sue Boutiques because of the shine.

Distressing the metal first, especially if plated, is best. 

Like other alcohol inks, when you use them on metal, YOU MUST HEAT SET THE INK.  So when you get your colorization where you want it, get your embossing heat gun and set the ink.

When it has cooled,  you can distress the color back and add even more if you like.   But when you get it just right.... then you must seal it.   Here are options I have found to work:

1.  Matte spray varnish.

2.  Renwax

3.  Vintaj glaze

4.  Swellegant clear coat   (those two leaf sprigs?  One is sealed w Vintaj glaze, one with Swell clear coat.  The clear coat dried faster and is cheaper to use, but there is little diff).

5.  Nunn Design Sealant

More pix:

Again, a very fast picture, a little blurry....so sorry!   But you see what's going on....

I used reds and browns and did a lot of distressing on this one.  I haven't sealed it yet as I think I want to do more to it.  ;-)

Here are the leaves a little more close-up:

Again, I'd like to try these again and take my time with them, I did them really fast.  They were choxie brass first, I distressed them, added the color.  One is glazed with Vintaj glaze and the other, Swellegant clear coat.  Both look similar, as far as the finish is concerned.   They dried fast, too....

So I'd say you could do your coloring in the morning, let set for a bit after sealing and probably start working with them later in the day.

We have browns, blues, greens, pinks, turquoises, purples.  They come in sets of SIX pens, all nuances of one color family.

There are also sets of brights, darks, pastels....I am experimenting with those and we may have them later as they are large sets and a bit more expensive (but then, they have four times as many pens, so there ya go).

What to do?  What color to chose? 

Choose ANY!  and try them out.  I love how they let the integrity of the brass below (detail-wise) continue to peek through.   It reminds me so much of the old Color Magic I used to carry....but it gave me a headache, it was full of Xylene, very toxic.  While Spectrum Noir is to for kids' use, it is a NON TOXIC product and we can ship them anyplace at all, by air, too.

I always loved using the Color Magic products for the effect....but not the headaches!  With SPECTRUM NOIR, a very very similar look....no headache.  Non toxic, yes!!!

Find them in the Designer Inks section at B'sue Boutiques   I WILL have a video on these by next weekend, but meantime....there is just no big deal to using these pens....fast and easy.   FUN!  Doodlers and scribblers will LOVE them!

AND....they are cool on polymer clay, too!

 

 

 

When a Little Wonkiness Works

I love that word,  wonky.  It just says it all when it comes to so much of the stuff I try to do in my workshop.

So many of us are self-trained artisans.   We buy books, videos, we look at as much stuff online as we can.  Some of us are really great with tools; not only do we somehow have the creative skills and ingenuity to dream a new work but we have that manual dexterity thing going on and a certain special something when it comes to be able to use tools.   Using tools for some of us is really natural.  For others, not so much.

I would have to say that I am in the 'not so much' category.  I'm a very visual person; photos work for me best of all.  I might even stand directly next to you at the workbench and you might be showing me, step by step, inch by inch....and I may not still quite get it.  So I'll walk away, think about it, and one day, pick that dang tool up and insist that it work for me.  It will....after a fashion.   Some, in time, become second nature. Others....don't.

This morning I was looking back over Candie Cooper's METALWORKING 101 FOR BEADERS, a book I very much enjoy.   There is nothing *difficult*  in this book; it's just stuff you need to take some time and teach yourself.  A class would be nice and Candie does teach---but she has done an awesome job with her book and reaches out to the home student quite nicely.

On page 114 there is a project entitled ORGANIC TECHNO BANGLE.   I found this intriguing as the little stacks of funky gypsy-artisan made bangles are all the rage now and many artist-teachers have been showing projects and offering classes.  I thought, shoot, how long can this take?   I'm going down to the workshop and do this, right away.   I figured I'd be done in half an hour.

Well.

Here's the thing:  the project calls for 12 ga silver wire.  I only had some 16 and not that much, also not sure I wanted to do a project like this with my last piece.   But I did have a copious amount of 18 ga copper wire.

Knowing the effect would not be quite the same, I went for it anyway.

You know what:   my project came out NOTHING like Candie's.   And it's wonky.

I fudged around this and faked around that, used some polymer clay beads I'd made and glazed recently, and did it all in copper.   I also used some of those squiggly things I made in the video the other week:

Wire Wrapping, Making Curliques and Tendrils

Basically in the long run, I had a look at Candie's excellent project and pulled a wonky B'sue:

Let's try that again:

It's far from the original, far from perfect in any sense of the word.  And it's totally working for me.

I like wonky.

Art Charms.....From Ex Post Facto Jewelry

Here's a post worth reading, if you want to really see some wondermous art charms.

Heidi Post of Ex Post Facto Jewelry talks about the love of handmade and a cool new Art Bead Love Tour at her blog today:

http://expostfactojewelry.blogspot.com/2012/04/art-bead-love-tour.html?spref=fb

Evidently a charmstring of art beads/charms is sent about to the participants who can pull off what they would like to keep, but they must replace them with beads/charms they have made, and then send the charmstring along to the next participant.

Heidi shows in the post which charms she selected to pull off, but also which she opted to put on as replacements.  They all look MIGHTY FINE.

I'm writing you about her post because I would really love for you to go to her blog and follow it, and learn more about totally handmade art charms and in particular, art beads.   While I like to make them from paper, clay and other things I can work with my hands, I also love to use the elements we sell at B'sue Boutiques and ALTER them....distress, wire, paint, patina, ink, whatever.

In the Art Bead Love Tour, you need to make everything from the ground up.

Please go to Heidi's blog and read about it.  Maybe you'd like to play, too....or just be inspired!

Here is a photo of the charmstring as it is right now.   Wouldn't you love to make things like these?

More Fun With Charms....Thinking Outside the Box Again!

A charm does not have to be a charm, per se, y'know.

You could make it into a little tack pin, or brooch!

Back in my vintage days, one of my big joys was collecting up a whole bunch of cute little novelty pins, and then!  just coating a whole lapel on my jacket with them!

pins like these (belonging to Joan Williams of Lil Ruby at Etsy)

Or maybe, something like this:

 

These are old molded celluloid.....I've always loved this sort of thing.   Maybe you could do something like this with polymer clay, make your own mold, etc!

Here is a very collectable old Walter Lampl guilloche/dresden handpainted heart, from the Vintage Heart:

There are a lot more vintage examples at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group  and many thanks to all who have been sharing photos of their vintage pieces.  So much design inspiration springs from them!

What could you do with charms, etc, to re-vamp them, make them into an art charm, pin, or focal?

I always loved this example from Deb Beechy at Beetique:

She took a fave charm from B'sue Boutiques and turned it into a brooch.  You can find it here:

I Lock My Heart to All But You   and many others here:

Vintage Style Novelty Heart Charms

I was tickled to see what Robin Delargy did with this charm:

You will find the heart, here:

Lace Edged, Paintable Heart Charm

And LOOK!  At what Robin did:

She simply added to them, mixed the metals and made them her own, in her own LooLoo's Box style.

I really had to smile as great minds run alike, as they say!   Back in the mid 90's when I had my store line, we had a whole series that revolved around this heart charm.  I would even engrave on them.  You would get the heart as a tac pin (you can easily nip the hanging hole off the top and file it a little---actually, I believe the piece can be made without the hanger, too--I will need to look into that again!) and then two other little dangle pins made of charms in a set of three, all in theme:  teacher, nurse, cats, cooking, eeeek......we had so many.

If anyone wants a copy of that old catalog, I do have a few left and could send it with an order, request it in the memo next time you visit us at B'sue Boutiques     You won't want to do the same thing I did, but give it your own personal twist, just as Robin makes everything she touches a LooLoo's Box piece---she has an identifiable style, just as I did, when I had my line.

That's your goal, y'know.

But just sayin', this is a really versatile piece.  Sometimes we tend to go for the stuff that jumps out at us, but the sleeper pieces are the ones that can really take what we do to the next level.

It's all about thinking outside of the jewelry box!

Check Out My Patina Experiments!

I gotta tell ya, life sure is good with so many great new products out there to enjoy, as far as putting color and patina on brass is concerned....

Especially for B'sue, the brass lady!  LOL

I think I've got my major three with a fourth on the side:

Swellegant Patina System  (metal coatings, dye oxides, traditional patinas)

Ranger/Vintaj Patina Inks

Gilder's Paste

and the fourth on the side is an occasional dusting of Perfect Pearls resin powder OR a spritz of Perfect Pearls mister.    I just discovered that mister thing today, when I did the following experiments:

First, here is a big focal I had started and briefly showed in the Messy Workshop video a couple of weeks ago.  Today I finished it by first, torching the back.   REPORT:  when I torched the BACK, the Vintaj Ink on the FRONT  stayed put, didn't run, didn't crack, didn't discolor.

After torching I sponged on Swell's Darkening Patina, which will turn black on a hot piece REAL fast.   I then rinsed, and spritzed with Perfect pearls.   I then sealed with matte spray lacquer.

Here is the front---Weathered Copper Vintaj Inks (we carry them all at the B'sue Boutiques site now, y'know, under Paints, Pearl Ex, Mica  which I distressed and then sprayed down with the copper mister from Perfect Pearls.  If you do that you have to heat set the Pearls.   After it cooled down and sat for a bit, I matte spray lak'd it for finish.

Here is the back:

You can really see the diff in the products.

The Vintaj product is not really a patina at all.....and to my mind, I've never seen an ink with this consistency, either.   It's truly more like a good metal sign paint.   VERY STRONG, you almost wouldn't even have to seal it.   Here are some rusty black earring pendants I went over with a couple of colors, scrubbed back and then used their GLAZE to finish:

I can't say I like this glaze over brass so much.  But, tomorrow I hope to put some of this stuff over some polymer clay and then add the glaze.  My guess is that I'll really like that application.  I'll let you know!

Here are some cuff bases I did with Swellegant patinas:

They have a true, traditional patina look, very ancient, matte, subtle.   The Vintaj inks would be more opaque, bright, thick looking.   I did make a cuff with them today and will show you as soon as the glue is dry enough to move it.  I love how it came out.

Here is a neat use for the Ranger/Vintaj inks......I took one of our French AMOUR charms in chocolate ox finish, and distressed it, then went over it with one of the teal-blue-patina inks from the Weathered Copper collection (you get three inks in a pack, like alcohol inks).  Then when the color was set, I distressed it again and sealed with spray lacquer:

Isn't that too much fun?   Can't you just IMAGINE a charm bracelet full of charms like that?  So colorful!  Five and Dime Style!

Then I did this Art Nouveau lady, it was dark raw brass with a little patina, then I sponged on two of the colors out of the Weathered Copper Vintaj inks collection:

I like it very much, but I would have liked it with the Swellegant Tiffany Patina as well, and it might have looked a little more old and authentic with the matte look of a traditional patina.

Last but not least (for now, anyway!)  check out what I did to this rusty black Ooky Octopus with the Ranger/Vintaj inks:

I just lightly sponged on a couple of colors, no rub out, no buff, nuthin'.   Tomorrow I will try and Renwax him and see what happens.   You can Renwax Swellegant beautifully but not sure if it will work with this product.  It's NOT a good choice for going over Gilder's, it will take it off.

By the way....all of the brass from these experiments is from B'sue Boutiques, where it's been our specialty for over twenty years (although I read somewhere recently you aren't supposed to say how long you've been in your specialty as it intimidates people?  ACK!  don't be:  just know I've worked with this stuff a whole lot, meaning I've got a lot I want to share WITH YOU!  ;-)

Patina experiments are so fun!  Hopefully we'll get a video done tomorrow, if we do, I will post and let you know!

Making Your Own Charms Can Be So Fun!

In April, the Group Challenge at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group will be ART CHARMS.

What's that?

It's when you create your OWN charm from what you have on hand.   For the group, it will be stampings and findings that you might decoupage, combine, colorize, patina, manipulate your own way.   You might add a few *safely* repurposed elements.  ;-)  Or you might opt to work with beads and wire to make nifty art pendants....you might even add a little fiber into the mix.   OR, you might go with polymer clay and see where inspiration takes you.

Here are a few things I came up with....maybe they'll inspire you! (these were on the Wednesday IDEAS newsletter, too).....

These are some of the larger vintage style heart pendants from B'sue Boutiques.   I buffed them out, added 7gypsies Birdsong tissue with Collage Pauge, and then I added a bit of color to some with Ranger Perfect Pearls and my heat gun. 

Here are two that have a hint of patina, via Swellegant:

The one on the left is Rusty Black, scrubbed back, sponged with Tiffany Green Patina, and the one on the right is Chocolate Ox Brown, scrubbed back, and the same.   They are both sealed with Renwax.  

More could still be added to them via little charms, stones, or even a small cameo in a bezel.

I really like how this pendant came out...it was in my Tissue Decoupage video:

I torched the raw brass heart first, then I added some color and did the tissue overlay.   I also added some color on the edge with Perfect Pearls mica powders, from Ranger.

Here is the video link, in case you'd like to review it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQo7YJK7tFk

We have everything you need at B'sue Boutiques   including the cool tissue paper:

http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Birdsong-Tissue-Paper-for-Brass-Decoupage-Collage-9283

You can also have some funky fun layering bead caps and old beads to make charms....I did:

A little too big for earrings, but cool on a necklace!

Sometimes, I have to tell you, there is so much going on here that a big design is just beyond me reach.   But it's easy to just sit down and make beady baubles and decoupaged charms and collage pendants.   I can just chill out and be as creative as I want!

Then I save them all in a pile....and fiddle:

One day, on a rainy day, it will all come together....just like Kismet!

What sort of charm will you make?  

Finding that "Thing" That's Distinctly Your Own

It's elusive, isn't it?

So many times when we use what some of us call 'pre-fab' products our designs tend to follow their natural use.   For example, this finding:

Most people, when they look at this piece, think, AHA!   CUFF!  I will bend this wide, long filigree and it will become a cuff.

That's just natural.

But when that cuff becomes YOURS is when you add that little somethin'-somethin' that *you* excel at making, like these polymer clay roses:

Maggie Akerson excels at making these polymer clay roses.   She added a piece of velvet ribbon to the manipulated cuff (this time in the chocolate ox finish from B'sue Boutiques) and then, her rose.

Here's another piece with her rose:

The style ROCKS....but that rose just MAKES the design.   And it's a Maggie thing.

Robin Delargy casts cabs from resin and drifts crushed gemstones into them:

She's certainly not the first person to do this, nor is Maggie the first person to make a rose in polymer clay.   But they have their own WAY about it.   Robin's cab looks almost like goldstone in this photo.   She didn't just pour some resin in a mold and throw some stuff down into it.   She has a process.  It's HER process; that's why her cabs shout "Robin made it!", just as Maggie's roses are also recognizable.

Brassy Steamington also has a  cab that is uniquely hers.  She makes it look like an eye, you'll find them on her store at Dr. Brassy's Steampunk   Her eye cab is so specialized that it's got its own name, it's a Sightmares eye, and the design/name is trademarked.    She learned how to do it, honed her skill,  and it's her recognizable 'thing' that is completely Dr. Brassy.

For all my years in this trade, I have struggled to find something that was mine, all mine.  I probably always will, since I'm a purveyor of parts.  I feel that part of my service is to teach you things that will help you in your journeys.   But truly, I don't believe I've ever had a component that I made, I alone, that was mine distinctively. 

I think in this day and age when people need to find an edge in their design work' (since so many of our creative minds run in the same vein) designing and developing a signature component may be JUST the thing for you to do.   Ruminate on it a bit.  Open some pages in your journal.

I don't have the answer on this one....so I'm planting a question, a rhetorical question that you can answer, or not.

What would that 'thing', that certain design element that's yours alone, be...for you?   Have you come up with one already?  Is it in the planning stages?

Or have you never considered it at all?

Just sayin'.   Might be fun!

A Case for Repurposing

If you follow my blog and other internet ramblings, you may already have an idea of my position on repurposing.  Sometimes I'm for it.  Sometimes, I'm not.

Usually....I am not.

There is quite a trend among artists and designers to repurpose vintage jewelry.  It's not a new idea:   back 24 years ago when I did my first tenure 'in the trade' with my friend, Philomena, who'd been "raised in Europe in the trade, as ye'll have it, on me grand-mam's knee"  (her words)  we had people coming to the shop every day for loads of old buttons, old trims, broken this and that, shredded linens, whatever she could gather up.   So....it's been done for a long, long time.  Take something that's got problems, and make it into something clever and new.

Repurposing is not a bad idea at ALL when a piece is rendered useless, otherwise, and cannot be repaired.   My problem is that too many times artists who are unfamiliar with vintage collectable pieces view them as just another crafts component.  Too many seriously wonderful pieces have gone the way of the world, this way.   I was just reading in the bakelite book that a well known bakelite jewelry design company only made perhaps, a dozen of a style.  That's why *some* of those old plastic pieces are VERY rare.

What if you didn't know and cut one up, ruined the clasp or something, to make a new design?  It might be a piece that's worth enough to buy you bags full of new components.   SO!  you need to know what you're doing.

Here is a great case in point, however, for saying YES to repurposing:

This is Stacy Walden's bracelet inherited from her Aunt Marium.  She uploaded the photo to the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group, where we are also now sharing pix of our fave Five and Dime Style pieces (mid 20th century 30's-60's) for inspiration.

What would you do with this piece?

Stacy had mentioned that she thought it might be a good idea to solder a new clasp to it.   Are there any of you that could handle this repair?

First thing to keep in mind is that is this soft, cast metal, with an old form of plating on it.   If you put heat on this piece, it's probably going to melt, or get weird, and for sure the plating is going to be wrecked.

This is a signed piece, but the signature was not clear in the photos Stacy offered us....from the look of it, I'd say, Monet, Lisner or perhaps Coro.   Department store jewelry, not expensive, but not Woolworth's quality either.   This piece by itself in perfect condition probably has a top retail in the vintage market (like a book price) of 25.00.   As part of a parure (a set) it would make the entire ensemble worth more. 

But not in this condition.

Only a very skilled vintage jewelry repair person with much experience can handle a repair job of this sort.  Even then, most would walk away from this one, offering instead, a re-design.

You'll read that:  a repurposing job.  LOL   Stacy can handle that!

I would clip off the broken link----it won't be hard, a good pair of flush cutters will probably go right through it like butter.   I would also remove the clasp.  This clasp should not be reused, as it is signed.   If you re-use a signed clasp, it can lead newer vintage collectors to think that they have an original piece.   That's not fair to them.  

At this point, having removed the things you can't use, you have six good links.   You could make the piece into a necklace, or if you have a small wrist, you could perhaps find a way to add a new clasp and make it work as a bracelet (which has been altered).  You could use ribbon to tie it.  You could add charms and beady-baubles to the openings for funky texture and movement.  You could glue the motif to a cuff bracelet.  

You could also alter the color of the piece with Gilder's Paste, which I think would be your best bet on metal of this type, as it has plating already on it.  Patina products probably aren't going to work well in this case, and you don't want to apply dye oxides with heat because of the plating and soft metal.

If you use Gilder's, seal it when cured with matte acrylic spray lacquer.   Diamond Glaze might work, but we know how funky DG can get with some metals and plating finishes.   Dunno if you'd like the result.

Feel free to add your ideas on this one!  But Stacy should definitely repurpose this bracelet, as she would then have a lovely memory piece to wear for her Aunt Marium.

Patina Color Combinations You'll Want to Try

Over the weekend I introduced the Swellegant family of patina products to our array of mixed media products at B'sue Boutiques

Again, Swellegant is the brainchild of polymer clay artist, Christi Friesen.     I found myself quickly engrossed in this line's possibilities for use on metal.  It is based on Sculpt Nouveau patina products, which in themselves have a very wide use, but the most likely one is as a metal colorant.  

You may have had a look at the line on our website and thought, sheesh, I don't know which goes with what, not sure I want to buy into that whole line, how is it different from paint, from alcohol inks, stuff I might already have?

First of all, as far as paint goes:  it's not your everyday type metal paint.  It's paint that has metal in it, bound with a binder.   The finish becomes stronger the more layers of the paint that are applied.   We recommend you do thin layers, so you don't obscure the details of  the surface you are working on.

Also, we recommend you DAB, not brush,  the product.   Let the layers dry a bit between, if you are simply using the paints to change up metal color, and three coats is optimimum.

Do NOT let the paint dry if you want to add patinas or dye oxides.   Wet paint is a bit of a catalyst IF you want the patina finishes over it.

The patinas are pretty much traditional in nature.  They are acidic,  smell sort of like vinegar and can irritate skin, so gloves are advised and use extra care it doesn't get in your eyes.

The dye oxides are a bit like alcohol inks, and you do need to heat set them on metal.   But, they are a better quality, have  better clarity, and they do not just lay on the surface of the metal like inks do. They bond with the metal. '

BTW:  did I mention?  GLOVES GLOVES GLOVES.   Use GLOVES when you work with any of the components of the Swellegant line.   Keep wet wipes handy.  Soap and water clean up, but the dyes will take time to remove if you get them on your skin...so.  Don't do that!

Anyway!  You're probably  thinking, I'd love to have that whole line, but just like Gilder's paste, I really can only afford to try a few colors at a time.   Where do I start?

We've offered the Swellegant line in single bottles so that you CAN just pick and choose a few things to play around with, before you make the 'big' commitment.     I'd recommend that you select a metal coating, a patina, and a dye oxide.  Three things that complement each other, and I'll help you out with that, too....just read on.

If you don't think you'll be into the dye oxides or metal coatings, then buy one or all three of the patinas.  They  work on raw brass as well as plating, especially the rusty black and chocolate ox brass we offer.  They are also inexpensive, only 6.00 a bottle.  If you sponge them on, they will go a long way and you'll get a lot of use for a small investment.  I love them all, but being honest, TIFFANY GREEN/RUST speaks to me the most....personally.

Here are some tried and true combinations for Swellegant:

BRONZE metal coating, TIFFANY GREEN/RUST patina, SUN YELLOW dye oxide

BRONZE metal coating, GOLD-GREEN/VERDIGRIS patina, TANGERINE dye oxide

SILVER metal coating, DARKENING PATINA, COFFEE dye oxide   this one really intrigues me!

COPPER metal coating, GOLD-GREEN/VERDIGRIS patina, KELLY GREEN dye oxide

SILVER metal coating, DARKENING PATINA, Indigo dye oxide   this is another combo I'd use alot

BRONZE metal coating, GOLD-GREEN /VERDIGRIS patina, MILK WHITE dye oxide  sort of a whitewashed metallic effect!

BRASS metal coating, DARKENING patina, AQUA GREEN dye oxide

SILVER metal coating, DARKENING patina, CARIBBEAN BLUE dye oxide

BRASS metal coating, DARKENING patina, BLOOD RED dye oxide

BRASS metal coating, TIFFANY GREEN/RUST patina, TANGERINE dye oxide   I love the look of this one, too!

IRON metal coating, TIFFANY GREEN/RUST patina, SPRUCE GREEN dye oxide....a very different take on a black finish for sure.

BRONZE metal coating, TIFFANCY GREEN/RUST patina, CHARCOAL BLACK dye oxide

IRON metal coating, TIFFANY GREEN/RUST patina, BLOOD RED dye oxide

COPPER metal coating, DARKENING patina, KELLY GREEN dye oxide   this will give you a copper patina look you will love.

Thanks to Christi Friesen who offered the color combo suggestions.

Don't forget, it's best practice to seal your work after you let it fully cure 48-72 hours.   Cure time will vary according to your workspace temperature and humidity level where you are.

You can use the Color Sealant made for Swellegant, but remember...brush it on in very sparing coats.

I've found that Krylon matte acrylic spray lacquer also works very well.  Again, do  two lightly misted coats with cure time in between.   I would imagine their satin finish as well as glossy would also work.

There are probably any number of other products that will also work, but I have not experimented yet.   I do know that ICE RESIN works well over well-cured paint---very well cured!   If you want to try it, my guess is it may well be incredible.   But remember, with ANY resin product, whatever you put it over must be DRY AS A BONE.  Resin will not cure over anything that has water moisture in it.

But as far as Swellegant goes, you just can't wreck it if you follow the simple rules laid out in my earlier post.   You can always add color, change it up, make it more and more interesting.   And don't forget:  you can use Swellegant on polymer clay, ceramic, glass, wood, paper, foam....just about anything.....as well as metal!

Feel free to share any Swellegant discoveries or observations  with us at B'sue Boutiques Creative Group  or at Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001254562143