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No it's not a new technique, but what I'm seriously thinking of doing with the pearl ex jars I have. I've tried and tried to use them, and my stuff looks aweful!!! Nothing like the beautiful examples in the galleries here. I've bought Future Floor Finish, and all I get is a yucky mess. I'm going to try with acetate and my xyron, but I'm afraid that this will look disappointing as well.
In addition, I don't get lumiere. I bought it to go over color images with. Again, a mess. It is too thick, so I watered it down, and it caused my coloring to bleed.
I've read through the techniques, but I just can't seem to get the hang of it.
:? :?
__________________ I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone. Bill Cosby
Lumiere is a medium for the Pearl Ex, not a top coat or sealer finish. You are supposed to mix the Pearl Ex into it and THEN apply it to your work to get a sort of shimmery paint! The package insert says the powder can actually be mixed into any viscous medium. I've also learned in my research (I'm using PE for the first time on a class project and we have to gather info on the techniques and materials we decide to use) that the Future finish can be used as a sealer when applying Pearl Ex to polymer clay, which is what I'm doing for part of my project! Just what I need, another excuse to pick some up the next time I go to the store -- good thing I already did my grocery shopping for the rest of the quarter! :lol:
When you use the Future, are you applying it with an Aquapainter brush? A little really goes a long way with this stuff, and you only need to pour out a tiny bit of PE and dip the brush into it. Also, do not squeeze the barrel of the brush or too much liquid will leak out.
__________________ Rachel Proud SU! demo and Sci-Fi Geek!
My Stampin' Up! blog "I'm a time traveler -- I point and laugh at archaeologists." 10th Doctor, "Silence in the Library"
Oh, don't give up yet!!! Pearl Ex can be challenging - and messy! - but the results are well worth it. Try the acetate and Xyron. When I do that one, I use a stiff brush - like a stipple brush - to put the Pearl Ex on. I use the powder from the lids and usually get enough to cover. Just make sure you spread it out good! A little goes a long way!!
Good luck!!! I hope it gets to be more fun for you.
My liquid bottle of Lumiere says it can be applied directly to a project and doesn't have to be mixed with anything. It's definitely not my favorite medium to work with and I never get good results. If I tried to add pearl ex to it I would only ruin the PE.
The easiest ways I have found to use Pearl Ex is to lightly brush it across a versamarked image or use heat and stick powder and brush it across that. The second way gives it a little more texture and "pop".
Definitely do try the acetate and xyron technique. It is very beautiful and easy. I get the best results if you do a random background style with a few colors instead of trying to stay in the lines.
OK, so I think I'm using too much of pearl ex and too much of the wax. I do have the wax in my aquapainter, but gosh it isn't looking good. I've read some folks that only use the bit of pearl ex on the lid, but this doesn't look like enough medium to me. Also, should the aqua painter just be moist with the floor wax?
Thanks everyone for your encouragement and wisdom.
Angie
__________________ I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone. Bill Cosby
Angie - yes the brush should JUST be moist! You don't need to squeeze it at all. Also, it won't look like enough of the powder is on it, but try it and see there is plenty! You'll get it. Hang in there! Recently I tried brushing on PE with a CHEAP dollar store brush, after stamping with my white craft ink. I didn't "push" it on, just really lightly brushed. I let it sit for a minute afterward, dabbed w/a swiffer, and it was so pretty! Hardly any work at all. Hang in there! Don't give up!
__________________ "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works," Hebrews 10:24
NOOO! Don't chuck it out! I read the other posts and something I can add too is that I only use what is stuck in the cap and that is usually more than enough. Also if you mix lumiere with a little pearl ex, use a very small paint brush. Then take a grab it cloth and gently wipe across to pick up the excess. It only takes a small amount to coat the paper and get a nice look. If you start with smaller amounts you can always add more. It is a little difficult to go the other way. Also embossing your image lines helps to hold things in place if you find that it is bleeding out at all. The first thing I tried this with was the Stipple Butterfly and embossed the image in black on black paper. Then mixed the pearl ex colors and used the small paint brush to paint on the mix into the wings. I don't have the card anymore so I can't show you it. I am sorry. I hope this helps some for you. It really is very beautiful!
I'm confused. I'm going to order the Pearl Ex and want to try it with the Future Floor Wax with the Aqua Painter. Is there a difference between Future Floor Finish and Future Floor Wax? Wood floors are very rare here, and I can't find Future Floor Wax, only Future Floor Finish. Help!
It use to be called Future Floor Wax, but now it is Future Floor Finish. Future Floor Finish is what you will see on the shelves, and that is what you want to buy. I know that I'm guilty of still referring to it as FFW, but that isn't the correct name anymore and can be confusing when you go to buy it.
Sorry for the mix up.
Angie
__________________ I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone. Bill Cosby
Just thought I'd "chuck" another Pearl Ex idea out to you.
You can mix the PE with clear embossing powder and heat emboss an image with it. I found some little white dippers/scoopers at Michael's and use those to measure, and I've discovered (through trial and error) that a ratio of 1/2 dipper of PE to 5 dippers of EP works pretty well.
Yesterday I posted a card using this method - I embossed the pine tree from Lovely As A Tree. I'll try attaching the link in case you want to look at it.
ETA: Unfortunately, the shimmery-ness of the EP/PE mix doesn't show in the scan. And if my kids would stop interrupting me I could post a coherent message without having to edit it a gazillion times. :?
What I do is put like a fingernail scoop of PE on some wax paper and drip a small drop of Future next to it. Then I mix the two together and use it to paint my image with a brush. That was how I was taught by my upline and have never had a problem. Plus, your using such a small amout of PE that if you do mix it wrong your only out like a 1/16 of a teaspoon of powder! Good luck!
I used my brayer to apply versamark all over a black card front, then with the stipple brush tapped super russet and violet over the entire piece. It takes sometime but is fun to watch the colors glow. I used it for background paper for a wedding card. I CASEd the idea from this post just search for Pearlex and Thinking of You to see her example . It is a beautiful card. Don't give up.
Do you use quality c/s when you use your pearl ex? I know if I use su c/s it always works out great for me. Other c/s don't always cover the paper right and sometimes lokks blotchy. I use it a lot w/versamark. I find I have better results if I keep my versamark pad reinked nice and sticky.
OK ladies, I'm going to give another go. I like the idea of the scoops and the EP. I did try that method before, and it didn't look nice at all. But now that I have some measurements, maybe....
__________________ I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone. Bill Cosby
Angela... have you tried just using regular die ink with the Lumiere? I was just playing with it a couple of days ago....the results are spectacular!! Just mix a drop of two of reinker (die ink) with a couple more drops of Lumiere and mix.... the results after brushing it on cardstock or to fill in your embossed images is absolutely amazing and shimmery!!
Try it... you'll love it. Last night I played with the pearl ex in the lumiere and found that this works just as well, although I like the color palette better with the reinkers.
Heat and Stick always works for me with the Pearl Ex and taking a flat brush....soft bristles vs a stipple brush and slanting the brush as I wipe on the Pearl Ex Powder. I finish off with a quick reheat from the tool and wipe with Kleenex for extra lustre.
Less pressure and less heating are better with Pearl Ex. Give it a try.
I've converted a few frustrated friends with a little patience and persistence. They love it now.
I have never used an aqua painter with the floor wax. Instead I use an old blender pen, dip the tip into the future, then into my PE, (getting just a small amount of PE on the tip), then paint. I love the results!
My favorite way to use PE has been mentioned - stamping a solid image with versamark, then using a dry paint brush to dust just a little pearl ex over the versamark. Sometimes I will use two or three colors of PE on the same image - (gold, copper, bronze are my favorites).
Wipe off the excess with a swiffer "rag", or just use a dried baby wipe or a tissue. I tried them all. They all work!
I have never used an aqua painter with the floor wax. Instead I use an old blender pen, dip the tip into the future, then into my PE, (getting just a small amount of PE on the tip), then paint. I love the results!
My favorite way to use PE has been mentioned - stamping a solid image with versamark, then using a dry paint brush to dust just a little pearl ex over the versamark. Sometimes I will use two or three colors of PE on the same image - (gold, copper, bronze are my favorites).
Wipe off the excess with a swiffer "rag", or just use a dried baby wipe or a tissue. I tried them all. They all work!
IMHO, less is more, with PE.
Kathy
Thanks for sharing this . Do you clean your blender pen afterwards?
I'm a huge fan of the versamark and pearl ex technique. My favorite background is Leafy Glade ( ) stamped with versamark and brushed with Pearl Ex. The design is subtle, but solid enough to show the Pearl Ex. As is true of many of the techniques, it doesn't work well with the more detailed designs.
A great deal of the effectiveness of Pearl Ex depends on the color of the cardstock. They definitely work better with dark-colored cardstock. I've stamped the words from Elegant Greetings with versamark onto black cardstock then brushed with gold or copper Pearl Ex. I wipe off the excess with a tissue. Stunning!
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
Chucking Pearl Ex
