Thanks, so glad you like it. I used the cast acrylic that happen to be sitting closest to the GF and engraved into it so there was some dimension to it. (Used full power and a speed of either 1000 or 900 on my Basic.) The engravings being a little opaque white didn’t seem interfere with the color and the effect was nice. I think it’s one of those things you shouldn’t try to over think or analyze and just do it and see where it takes you. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to art. I’m in the middle of making another one just to play with the technique and I have a fourth version already rolling around my head. I’ll probably try some extruded acrylic for that one just to see how it looks and I’ll share my results with you.
This is an engraving on the current one I’m doing. You can see that the color still comes though. (It look kinda blue becasue I held it up to the sky.)
Thanks for the tips! I think you are right - no need to over think it! Just do! Interested to see the extruded acrylic. .125 inch acrylic or thicker? I have a few ideas brewing on this. I will be sure to share. More GF fun!
If you go to egnaterart.com I have been doing some acrylic projects too. I have gotten to bookmarks, ornamental art and coasters using my prints for the designs. I have an octopus relief print that I am now motivated use. I love the layers of different visuals. Awesome.
This is fantastic! If you are engraving, painting, and then returning to engrave again, what is your technique for keying up your work each time? It would seem that a poor alignment could ruin much of the previous work.
If you’ve run the calibration, you can get pretty good visual accuracy these days. Otherwise, what I would do is just leave the sheet it was originally cut from in the GF, and then you’ve got the exact location to return it to each time.
It’s actually really easy to keep it lined up. Secure the material well so it doesn’t shift and then use it as a jig. Notice how I removed a corner of the jig so I can easily lift the project out without disturbing anything.
Just curious @kittski - do you get a lot of flare up when engraving over the dried acrylic paint? I know spray paint is flammable given the organic carriers, but I assumed that when it dried it would not be an issue. I get a fair amount of flame when re-engraving. Not concerned, but curious.
Also, have you used any metalic spray paint? I was considering a the use of a copper effect paint, but if there are real flakes of copper, I don’t think that would be a wise move Thoughts?
@MakerMatthew No, don’t notice a lot of extra flareup when engraving really. Not sure how much it really matters, but I mostly use Ironlak paint which is suppose to have lower VOCs than average. I use metallic paint here and there but haven’t experimented with a lot of the copper stuff. I agree that if it has a lot of real copper, that might be an issue. Let me know if you experiment with it and what your findings are!
@dorine.flies Thanks! It’s all acrylic spray paint and mostly Ironlak brand, but I use others as well. I love spray paint becasue adding a new layer on top of older paint loosens it up and can make for an interesting effect. It takes some practice and experimenting , but you can get some neat effects with it.
This is the stuff I buy and I get it from Hobby Lobby. It’s a bit more expensive than stuff you can get at Home Depot or other places, but Ironlak has a lot more pigment than the cheap brands and I end up using a whole lot less. But just so you know, all acrylic spray paint behaves the same; a new wet layer can lift up an old layer.
Nope, I just lay the acrylic on a piece of cardboard outside and spray away, Sometimes I use two cans and spray at once, other times I spray a color, let it set for a minute and spray the next color. You have just a few moments where the new wet paint will loosen the first layer and you can play at moving the color around. Honestly, it just takes playing with it to get a feel for it and to developed your own style. If you can get cheap spray paint, buy a bunch and just experiment with it until you get the good stuff.
Color choice I just too personal so just get what catches your eye! If you are having a hard time getting Ironlak, search for “graffiti spray paint”. It has more pigment than craft spray paint and usually comes in amazing colors. “Montana” and “MTN” are as good as Ironlak and there’s a few other graffiti brands that are great too. I use Ironlak because it’s a cheaper one. When you do get you paint, show me what you make with it!
I just checked your Ironlak link, that looks like a pretty reasonable price! I’m not sure what the exchange rate is at the moment, but looks close to what I’m paying.
@dorine.flies I’m in the middle of another project and thought I’d show you what I meant by a new wet layer of paint picking up and loosening the layers below. All the background colors were separate layers that I let set for a minute or two before adding a new one. As I added them, I used different tools to move the paint around and you can see the kind of effects you can achieve.
And don’t blame me if you get a new paint addiction lol. Be careful, the extra pigment in the paint makes the stems clog pretty easy so be sure and turn them upside down and give a quick spray to keep them clear. I’ve had to throw away three cans now.
@kittski thanks for the extra info very much appreciated; think I’m already hooked, found I had purchased 24 cans by the time I checked out I got the 2 whites, hoping the transparent white can be used as a wash to even effects out; I used to airbrush in a previous incarnation…
I’m assuming as it’s graffiti paint and so made for exterior use, it’s pretty stable? How stable is the paint in sunlight, heat like a lamp and damp conditions; does it change colour, warp or peel?
I’m in the middle of making another one just to play with the technique and I have a fourth version already rolling around my head. I’ll probably try some extruded acrylic for that one just to see how it looks and I’ll share my results with you.
I got the 2 whites, hoping the transparent white can be used as a wash to even effects out; I used to airbrush in a previous incarnation…