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Adding Texture & Dimension Using Iced Enamels & Mica Chips By Marcia Tuzzolino
Adding Texture & Dimension Using Iced Enamels & Mica Chips By Marcia Tuzzolino


 
Tutorial

Materials:

  • Cleaned blank or stamping of your choice (www.bsueboutiques.com)
  • Iced Enamels medium (sku-Iced Enamels Medium)
  • Iced Enamels Powder color choice (sku-powderivory)
  • Mica Chips color choice (sku-tatteredmicasilver)
  • Iced Enamels Brushes (sku-iced brushes)
  • Heat Gun (sku-Tool 12)
  • Chain nose pliers and/or Tweezers (skus-plier 9 and Tool 8)
  • Iced Resin Plunger (sku-Plunger)
  • Plastic spoon, small
  • Small glass of water
  • Paper Towels
  • Work lamp or other good lighting source



Instructions:

1. Prepare your work space.
Clean your blank or stamping in a small amount of dish detergent (I prefer Dawn), and hot water. If there are lots of nooks and crannies, use a firm toothbrush to clean. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

Place your cleaned and dried piece on one of the coated paper plates, and the Iced Enamel Powder and Mica Chip containers on another plate. Open both containers and place the lids loosely on top of each.

Place the Iced Enamels Medium, paint brush, chain nose pliers or tweezers, heat gun, and paper towels within reach.

2. Plug in your heat gun and warm your piece for about 30 seconds.



a. While your piece is cooling slightly, remove the caps from the Medium, Enamel Powder, and Mica Chips.

3. Working in 2 inch sections

a. Dip your brush into the bottle of Medium and apply enough medium to your piece to coat it, but do not allow it to puddle (will look white when it puddles).



b. Using the spoon or your fingers, apply enough Mica Chips in a layer to cover the area, overlapping and stacking as necessary to achieve a textured and dimensional look. Make sure to cover the entire 2 inch work area.



c. Add a light coat of Medium to your brush and apply to the tops of the Mica Chips added in the previous step, (some of the Mica Chips will stick to your brush during this step…just tap on the chips with your brush until they drop off), moving them around, leaving some in a single layer and stacking some to create texture and dimension (do not allow the medium to puddle during this process).



d. Take a generous amount of Iced Enamel Powder on the spoon and sprinkle it on top of the Mica Chips by gently tapping the edge of the spoon with your finger. Using your Tweezers or Chain Nose Pliers, pick up your piece. Holding the piece over the paper plate, gently tap the edge of the piece with the spoon to remove the excess Iced Enamel Powder.



e. Cover your Medium, Powders, and Mica Chips loosely with the lids, place your brush in the water glass, and place the third paper plate upside down over the plate you’ve been using for your work surface. (If you don’t follow this step, you will blow enamel powder everywhere with your heat gun! Speaking from experience!)

f. Hold your piece with the Pliers or Tweezers on an area that does not have any product applied or has already been heated with the heat gun and is cooled. Using the Heat Gun, begin heating the piece from the underside, holding it about 4 (four) inches from the piece and continually moving the Gun back and forth under the area with the Iced Enamel Powder and Mica Chips. Continue heating for 45-60 seconds, then move the Heat Gun to the top of your piece, holding it at least 4-5 inches from the surface, making sure to move the Heat Gun back and forth. (NOTE: If you see bubbles forming on your piece during this process, move the Heat Gun farther from the surface of the piece until the bubbles subside. This is an indication that the Iced Enamel Medium was applied too thickly.)



g. The edges of the piece where the Enamel Powder is the thinnest, will begin to “bloom” first. (The Iced Enamel Powder will become shiny when it “blooms” or melts, and hardens.) Continue to move the Heat Gun back and forth over the surface, holding it at a distance of 4”-5”. When you see the Powder “blooming” more quickly, move the Heat Gun to about 1”-2” from the surface of your piece, and quickly pull it back, three or four times, or until you see that all of the Powder has “bloomed”, hardened, and become shiny. (NOTE: YOUR PIECE WILL BE VERY HOT. DROP IT ONTO A CLEAN PLATE TO COOL, MAKING SURE YOU DO NOT TOUCH THE ENAMELED PORTION OR ANY OTHER PART, AS IT WILL BURN YOU!! If you touch or drop the piece where you have just heated the Enamel, it will come off and your piece will be smudged. This can easily be repaired by adding a light coat of Medium, and some more Iced Enamel Powder, and reheating that section.)



4. Repeat the entire process starting at Step 2a through 3g, until you have your entire piece covered with one layer of Mica Chips and Iced Enamel Powder. (NOTE: The second layer will take slightly longer to “bloom” and harden because of the thickness of the materials.)





5. After your piece has cooled completely, add two or three light coats of Iced Resin. Follow the instructions for mixing and applying Iced Resin. I wait one whole day before applying the Resin. And I wait three days for the Resin to cure completely before adding a second and/or third coat.



ABOUT THE ARTIST
Marcia Tuzzolino began beading in early 2007. She took many classes, learning how to make many different designs using many different materials. Marcia learned design elements, how to use color, and after reading magazines and books, she began to create her own designs. Marcia also starting teaching classes in beading and wirework at her local bead store.

In October 2012, she was introduced to B’sue Boutiques, and after watching a video tutorial on collage and assembly by Brenda Landsdowne, she fell in love with mixed media. Marcia began creating many different designs using as many different coloring techniques as she could get her hands on. She became a proud member of the B’sue Boutiques Design Team, and she loves designing, experimenting, and creating. Marcia continues to create her one of a kind jewelry, as it is her passion. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/AuroraDesigns2

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Would you like to design a project for our website? All designers will get full credit, links to their website and a gift certificate to spend any way they like at B'sue Boutiques website. Contact B'sue for details at bsue1441@aol.com




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