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using mica powders on glass

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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Catharine C. Kennedy
Posts: 99
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2004 5:28 am
Location: Chatham Center, NY

using mica powders on glass

Post by Catharine C. Kennedy »

several questions, if you please:
is size put on then powders applied?
or
is size mixed with the powders, then applied?
or do you use one-shot clear as the vehicle?

How do you gild over the back of the mica? Oil or water size????
Thanks! :P
Catharine C. Kennedy
Chatham Center, NY
Patrick Mackle
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Location: Monrovia, Ca.
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Re: using mica powders on glass

Post by Patrick Mackle »

I had a great experience trying mica powders on glass. I used gold size, then sparingly applied the mica colors with my brush and also the foam rubber applicators packaged with the powders (Ron, Letterhead Supplies).
Then I again used gold size over the mica, then applied my gold leaf. It would not make sense to water gild over the mica, as you would not get a perfect mirror-like bright gild, in fact it would probably repeal the water size. I would say continue with gold size over the mica.
It might be fun to water gild the leaf first, then scratch shade though it, then do gold size and then mica powders. I with think that would appear as mat toned mica colored shading on the bright gold.
Pat
erik winkler
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Re: using mica powders on glass

Post by erik winkler »

Photo's Pat.
Show us yours :wink:
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
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Patrick Mackle
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Re: using mica powders on glass

Post by Patrick Mackle »

Hi Erik,
I'm very bad at not taking pictures as well as not carrying business cards,,, it's a problem I have.
However this post got me to thinkin' and I dug up my box of mica colors to try out some experimental ideas that run in the back of my mind whilst I'm doing sand blasting.
It's my "theatre of the mind", complete with acid fumes, popcorn, and black "Jujubes" stuck on the floor. (nobody eats the black ones)
If things look good, I will take pictures.
Pat
Catharine C. Kennedy
Posts: 99
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2004 5:28 am
Location: Chatham Center, NY

Re: using mica powders on glass

Post by Catharine C. Kennedy »

Sweet! (but not the black ones!)
Catharine C. Kennedy
Chatham Center, NY
BruceJackson
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Re: using mica powders on glass

Post by BruceJackson »

Hi Catherine,

In my experience, you can work using either of the methods you proposed.

If you mix powders into size and brush it, you tend to see the direction of the brush stroke, which may or may not be suitable.
stippling powder onto tacky size gives a nice satiny effect. Just be aware that it goes everywhere, so you have to be prepared for the mess.

It is rarely opaque, so whatever color you put under it will influence the appearance.

One technique I like a lot is to apply mica powder as a very thin layer prior to doing some other finish underneath it. Mix some gold size and turpentine, ratio of 50/50 or maybe 70/30. It's not critical, just make it wet and flowing easily. Put a little bit of powder into it and spread it around on the glass. Daub or and work it with a plastic bag, a sponge or your fingers.

You can also blow some more powder on. Pick it up on the end of a small brush and just blow it onto the surface. You can also flick some more turps, or white spirit onto it so that it opens up and flows, giving all those nice patterns.

I sometimes work with two or three different mica colours into this layer. Mixing them on the glass so that they blend nicely. Leave some areas clear, some areas by one color and other sections blended, as you would if doing marbling.

Once you put the background down, it shows as a lovely shimmering effect on top. It works particularly well with the pearlescent mica powders.
Attachments
A thin layer with two colors of mica powder. The blue is a pearlescent, the red isn't.
A thin layer with two colors of mica powder. The blue is a pearlescent, the red isn't.
P7035311a.jpg (66.82 KiB) Viewed 7043 times
Note the difference in appearance with a slight change of lighting angle.
Note the difference in appearance with a slight change of lighting angle.
P7035312a.jpg (74.98 KiB) Viewed 7043 times
The finished sample for a client. Another glaze layer (asphaltum and black) was added after the mica layer was dry and then backed up with water-gilded 12 carat white gold leaf.<br /><br />Interesting to note how the pearl blue is highly visible with a dark background but almost disappears with gilded background.
The finished sample for a client. Another glaze layer (asphaltum and black) was added after the mica layer was dry and then backed up with water-gilded 12 carat white gold leaf.

Interesting to note how the pearl blue is highly visible with a dark background but almost disappears with gilded background.
P7105322a.jpg (83 KiB) Viewed 7041 times
Patrick Mackle
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Re: using mica powders on glass

Post by Patrick Mackle »

Bruce, That is a nice sample, able to change it's look with the direction of the light. It appears to have real depth as well.
Your example is well accounted and well photographed.
Pat
erik winkler
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Re: using mica powders on glass

Post by erik winkler »

The results looks stunning.
Bruce thanks for sharing the mentioned techniques.

Question:
You back it up with 12 Krt, do you ever chemicaly silver over big panels that are priorly treated with painting or application techniques?

Erik
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
BruceJackson
Posts: 251
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:28 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Re: using mica powders on glass

Post by BruceJackson »

Thanks Pat and Erik,

Erik, I don't do any chemical silvering. Simply because I haven't gotten around to leaning it properly or getting set up with the bath/wet area/chemicals/ etc.
There is a company not far away that specializes in mirrors, they do hand-bevelling and silvering, so I just take it to them if I want chemical work. (it can stink up their place instead of mine...hahaha)

I would be wary of getting chemical silvering behind these types of thin glazes. The ammonia and hot water is pretty harsh and tends to eat the oil-based paints like gold size.

Any time I get silvering, I back up the decorative work with asphaltum, or I do the design work using epoxy inks. That way is survives. But of course, that's not going to be useful to get this type of effect.

Using the angel gilding kits seems to be a bit more gentle, but I don't have hand-on experience with it, so I don't know it's limits.

There's another example of this mica powder glaze technique on my website at http://www.goldreverre.com/finishes.php....go to the two bottom left thumbnail in the left panel.
Catharine C. Kennedy
Posts: 99
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2004 5:28 am
Location: Chatham Center, NY

Re: using mica powders on glass

Post by Catharine C. Kennedy »

Gorgeous :P work, Bruce- talk about inspirations!!!!
Catharine C. Kennedy
Chatham Center, NY
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