Paint How To: Magic Crystals

[Unkl Ian]

This panel was done using an older bottle of Crystal Creations,
with Purple paint on a white background.
Notice how the pattern is coarser than the ones above?

No idea if the formula is slightly different,or it's just because
the bottle has been sitting around.

More experiments to be done.

[Unkl Ian]

Special thanks to Alan Johnson for demonstrating this technique.

He fogged a little extra Purple around the edges for added depth.
From here you can top coat with Candy Apple,Pearl in Clear,etc.
I added some Prismatic sparkles to the clear coat.

This effect could be combined with Plastic Bagging,masking,
the possibilities are endless.And the price isn't too bad.

[Palepainter]

Great tech!! I am wanting to do some guitars with that finish. The only thing that is keeping me from doing so is the amount of water needed to get the crystals off the surface. Wood and water don't work too well togher in the guitar industry.

Thanks for sharing the low cost tech.

[Unkl Ian]

If you sprayed on a few coats of clear first,to seal the wood,you'd be ok.

[Unkl Ian]

Sprayed a little Green Candy Apple over the Yellow and Black test piece.









I think that's around 3 coats.When it's dry,I'll add some more.

[Steve]

Wow, Unk... this is a GREAT tech article. THANK YOU for this!!

[lunatic_magnet]

i am SO doing this with flames....

[danechild]

Maybe I missed it. Who is the manufacturer?

[Unkl Ian]

Craft Crystals -- Miracle Coatings division of RKEM Inc Anaheim Calif 92806
(Try Michael's,near the big glass vases)

Crystal Creations -- Syndicate Sales,Kokomo, IN. 46901
(Look in "crafty" type stores)

There is also a similar product available at some Wallmart stores.
Don't have a name yet.
---------

Starting another experiment tonight.

[Unkl Ian]

No sign of Crystal Creations on the Syndicate Sales site:
http://www.syndicatesales.com/
They seem to cater to serious Florists,wholesale only.

Never did find the site for the guys in SoCal.

[Unkl Ian]

This weeks Crazy Crystals experiment,I left about 10cc of Craft Crystals solution in a medicine cup for a few days,to allow some of the solvents
to evaporate.The idea is to create a stronger mixture.

After a few days,crystals formed a thin ice like covering across
the top of the liquid. That's a good sign.

I applied some of the remaining liquid from the medicine cup
to a test panel,and left it to dry in still air.The solution set up
quicker,and made larger,coarser,crystals than it did straight
out of the bottle.

[lunatic_magnet]

i found crystal creations in my local craft store. unfortunately it was the last bottle and i found out when i got home why... the squirter on the bottle is busted. i did try it out but didnt get any crystals to grow :(

[Unkl Ian]

That's ok,the sprayers get clogged anyway.

Just shake it up,pour it on,spread around,and wait.

MAKE SURE YOU SCUFF THE PANEL FIRST.
Otherwise,the stuff just beads up and you don't get the effect.

[Unkl Ian]

Xotic has a similar product,even more money than Alsa.
http://www.innate.com/Paint/Xotic/Crystals.htm

AND they have a Special Cleaning Solution.
I can only imagine the price tag.

[Unkl Ian]

This weeks Magic Crystal Experiment: Reverse Crystals on a diagonal.

Got some clear Plexiglas,stripped the protective paper off one side,
applied different widths of masking tape on a diagonal,then scuffed between the tapes with 120 grit.Peeled off the tape,then sprayed
the Magic Crystal solution on.

It looked like this when dry:

The brown color is the protective paper on the other side.

Now dust on a few coats of grey primer,let dry,then rinse and scrub to remove the crystals.It will look like this:




Could have used any color for the final coat,but I chose Krylon High Temperture Silver.A couple even coats will do.When dry,peel the protective paper off the other side,and it looks like this:

[Ocirus]

UM wow, good stuff.

[Ray-Dean]

Well....

The stuff I was using is no longer carried by the store I was getting it from.

I have found it on the net at several places, but I am still looking for a semi-local place to pick it up. And Unk, this is made to use on a verticle surface, so it doesn't run off. When I get a new supplier located, I'll ty it out again. I also found that there are like three different companies that make this type of crystals.

[Unkl Ian]

Here is the product that Ray-Dean found at a local Wallmart.
You might get lucky and find some:
http://www.directfloral.com/productd...ctID=453057477
It's an aerosol,dries quickly,and clings to vertical surfaces.

[Ray-Dean]

And it's only about $2.50 per can. Because it is degigned to be used on glass, it dries really quick, and it works good for getting an even look on the top and sides of something like.... Well I don't know, let's say a certin Volksrod pick-up.

[Unkl Ian]

My sister found this crystal recipe somewhere:

4 TBS Epsom salts
1 cup stale beer
facial tissue

Mix salt and beer together in bowl until salt is partially disolved. Dip tissue into mixture and wipe it evenly over a glass window. While the window is still wet , pat a moist tissue over glass. as mixture dries crystals will begin to grow. Crystals will continue to grow up to 24 hrs.

Add colour to your crystals using a drop of food colouring to mixture.

Crystals can be washed off most windows with a cloth and warm water.

I havn't tried it yet,maybe someone here has some Epsom Salts on hand ?

[Cobey]

Anyone have a chance to try the Crystal Frost spray Ray-Dean and Unkl mentioned? I wanted to see how the pattern came out.

[Ray-Dean]

I have used it, but I'm still working on the pattern

[Cobey]

I meant the "default" pattern one gets spraying it, as opposed to marking off and area in a pattern (skull, flames, etc) to spray the stuff on.

[Ray-Dean]

that's what I have been doing. I'm talking about the pattern of the chrystals. They will grow differently with the direction of the skuffing (of the paint) and the grit that is used to skuff it.

[Cobey]

oh! Sorry. I was thinking of spraying it on glass to see the pattern - no scuffing.