Flourish Forum
General Categories => Tools & Supplies => Topic started by: elsa.d on July 10, 2014, 11:56:50 PM
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I have been using Pearl-ex pigment powder for ink for a few months now and I wanted to share my experience.
I got the idea here: http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/2259-Metallic-Dip-Pen-Ink-homemade
Basically you just mix 4 parts pigment with 1 part gum arabic (I've been using powdered but liquid gum arabic should work just as well) and enough water to get an inky consistency. I LOVE this as ink. It is smooth, opaque, hairlines are good, and the colors are just gorgeous! So here is what I've tried so far.
Jacquard Pearl-ex
Aztec Gold
A darker gold, kind of orange-ish. Very rich smooth and opaque
Brilliant Gold
A Much lighter more yellow gold than Aztec. A bit too light for white paper in my opinion but absolutely stunning on black. Also smooth flowing and opaque
Sparkle Gold
Apparently this is the same color as brilliant gold except a larger particle size. I did not know that when I bought it. It is a lovely color and true to it's name it is sparkly...but the the larger particle size makes it a pain to work with. I don't recommend using it with pointed pen.
Antique Silver
This is a nice pewter color. I love it. It is understated, not too flashy, but a very interesting departure from say black ink. Very good flow and opacity. Works beautifully with both light and dark papers. See a recent instagram post (@elsabduncan) to see it on a black envelope.
Pearl White
I don't love this one. The particle size is a bit too large which makes for dry looking upstrokes.
You can get this product at most craft stores, although at Michael's I've only ever seen it in 12 packs (assorted colors). I bought mine at Joann online. Here is the link.
http://www.joann.com/jacquard-pearl-ex-powdered-pigments-3gr/2054997.html?mkwid=YTvUh3AK|
Dick Blick online store also has huge selection of colors.
Downsides:
Pigments are heavy and must be constantly stirred....like seriously, constantly
Not remotely waterproof or resistant (which makes for really easy cleanup though)
I have tried Ranger Perfect Pearls...basically the same kind of thing, different brand. Their pigments are not as fine and I think writing with them may have ruined my nibs. I think Pearl-ex is a much better choice.
Compared to Dr Martin's Copperplate Gold, the brilliant gold looks very similar on black paper, but Dr Martin's is much more brown looking on light paper.
Here are some photos. Metallics are soooo challenging to photograph in their full glory, but I did my best.
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New reviews:
I have since bought the Silver, Emerald, Copper, and Pink Gold pigments and here are my thoughts on those:
Silver: Super smooth. Not heaps different from Antique Silver which I already had, but a bit lighter. Shows up well enough on white and very well on black.
Emerald: Pretty smooth, nice shade of emerald. Shows up equally well on black and white papers.
Copper: A really pretty sparkly color, but the particle size is just too large. Nearly every upstroke is dry all of the time. I don't recommend for pointed pen.
Pink Gold: Writes smooth looks very different on white paper than on black. It is mostly a pink pigment which reflects gold, so it looks a lot more pink on light paper and a lot more gold on dark paper. Joi posted a picture of it here http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=1471.15 (http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=1471.15)
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wow! those are nice shades of gold. thank you for this elsa :)
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Thanks awesome-Elsa! Yes, that's your name to me now :P I love all these reviews and esp shiny things :D Will carefully pore through the beautiful pigments mentioned in this post!
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These look gorgeous!! I must check if I can get them in Europe ;)! (And maybe use my Finetec metallics first!)
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Thanks for the review. I've got some Pearl-Ex lying around at home so might give this a try.
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This is a great review! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I've never tried pigments, but your instructions are so clear!
As Estefa said, the point is that we can't always find the same materials in Europe...
Thx
Cecilia
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can we do this for all types of pigment powders?
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My guess is yes, however my experience in limited to mica pigments.
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Added some photos and reviews of different colors to the original post.
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Thank you for sharing this! My mission tomorrow will be to search every local craft store until I find some 8).
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I ordered Sparkle gold and pearl white... before I realized I shouldn't have gotten those. Oh well. That was what the store had anyway.. :<
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I bought a small jar of pink gold a few weeks ago ... I just went and bough the large one. I needed it, shhh. :D
I think their results are very similar to the FineTec, but the FineTec is a bit more portable and easy to work with - however it doesn't have as many colour options, and isn't quite as easy to blend colours.
I've never tried powdered gum arabic, but it works quite well with liquid gum arabic!
I've got a dropper bottle with a marble in the bottom at the moment - plus brilliant gold, gum arabic, and water. I just give it a shake and then drip it directly on my nib - it's working quite well and it's less effort than mixing with a paintbrush ... but then I am quite lazy :) The marble in the bottom is essential to get it to mix quickly though.
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Elsa!
Thank you so much for putting this together.
It's a wonderful review.
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I would really love to see a sample of the Pink Gold.
If you have time to post one. :)
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I might be able to do better than that for you Roseann ;) I haven't sent your birthday card yet (I know, so late :-[) and I bet a little pigment in a plastic bag would make it through the post just fine!
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Elsa,
Thank you for introducing me to Pear-Ex! I absolutely ADORE the stuff!! I use it for everything & I just love the shine!
Janis
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Wow, Elsa, it looks awesome!
Unfortunately, we don't have this product here and for 25$ shipping just won't do ... has anyone tried any other pigment powder?
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I did find this stuff over the weekend. Its with the embossing supplies, which is why I never noticed it.
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Moya!
That is so kind of you. That you even remembered my birthday is so very sweet and thoughtful.
I appreciate your friendship.
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What a sweetheart Moya! Roseann, I will post the pink gold pictures anyway tonight when I can get on my computer.
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Posted a picture of the pink gold in the original post. Also, Joi posted a picture of it here http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=1471.15 (http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=1471.15)
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Thank you Elsa!
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All they had at the store where I found them was a sampler platter of 12 different colors. At first I was disappointed that I couldn't pick out individual colors, thinking I wouldn't like all of them, but I've tried half of them and ERMAGERD AH LURVE THEM.
So far I've tried the Aztec Gold, Solar Gold, Antique Silver, Antique Copper, Blue Russet and Violet Brass.
Edited to share details of each color:
Aztec Gold: Lovely, classic gold color. A little darker than the Solar Gold, but very bright and vibrant. Shows up better on lighter paper colors. This one took me a while to get the consistency right. It may very well have been operator error, but I needed a lot more water in this one than in the others before I got it to write well. Once I got that figured out, it was pretty easy to write with.
Solar Gold: So bright and so much shimmer! I would recommend any of these colors, but this one was probably my favorite. It shows up better on darker colors, so I would suggest keeping that in mind before choosing which gold you want. It is more yellow than the Aztec gold. Also fairly easy to write with.
Antique Silver: Not quite as shiny as the golds, but still very nice. I found it smoother than the golds as well. Shows up well on white and black.
Antique Copper: This one was even smoother than the Antique Silver. Flowed really well, also very fun to watch the ink dry. It starts out very red, then dries to the coppery color. It also has a lot of variation in shades after it has dried, which is fun.
Blue Russet: A fun color, not as smooth to write with as the Antique Copper or Silver, but still workable. It's hard to tell in the photos, but it's pretty much fuchsia with slight varying of color depending on the lightness or darkness of the paper, being a more purple-y fuchsia on the black paper, and more reddish one the white.
Violet Brass: This one was really fun and an unusual mixture of colors. They just mixed the violet and brass pigments into one container, it seems. It was the smoothest of all to write with and I did have to add a more water to this one, as well. Another really fun one to watch dry, as it changed colors as it dried. At some angles it looks more violet, at others it looks more brassy and on darker papers less violet shows up, and on lighter, more violet shows up. It's a very cool mixture and it made want to keep looking at it. It didn't show up well on the craft paper.
I think there is some trial and error with each, to figure out the right nib, how much water, how much gum arabic, paper etc. So if you do decide to try these, be sure to play around to see what works for you. I changed nibs after the gold colors, finally figuring out that the Hunt 101 works best for me on this. I hope this is helpful to anyone interested!
Edit 2:
Sorry the photos are flipped! Also, the paper colors are white, then a pale blue, then black, then craft paper. I wanted to get some colors other than just black and white to see what the colors did.
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ERMAGERD AH LURVE THEM.
[ Derail ] "ERMAGERD" LOL! Me thinks you're going to get along so well with Elsa and I. Me. I. We, I use excessively bad english for humour.. and thank god Elsa finds it funny. She has some excellent tomatoes (literally), seriously! I'm envious. Sorry. [/ Derail!]
:O DELICIOUS!!! The SOLAR GOLD IS TRYING TO SEAR THROUGH MY SCREEN TO BURN MY EYES WITH ITS SHINE! Trying to live up to its ancestor Sun I see. :D
Thanks so much Meredith!
You all must think I have no life but just to stop and pause and look at gold calligraphy and test its waterproofness with my drool. You would be right. ;D
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Thank you for sharing this!
They all look lovely *___*
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Awesome reviews -- thanks so much for doing this. I love that they're so readily available (and relatively cheap!)
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thanks so much for posting this meredith! so much fun...the next time i am at the art store i want to get more colors to test out...i'm thinking a red and green for the holiday exchange!
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ERMAGERD AH LURVE THEM.
[ Derail ] "ERMAGERD" LOL! Me thinks you're going to get along so well with Elsa and I. Me. I. We, I use excessively bad english for humour.. and thank god Elsa finds it funny. She has some excellent tomatoes (literally), seriously! I'm envious. Sorry. [/ Derail!]
Lol! It's so great to have people who get your humor. It took one of my in-laws 6 years to "get" my humor. Now she thinks I'm funny, but I have no idea what she thought of me before. I don't want to know, haha.
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I love all the reviews and the photos! Thanks so much Meredith, and Felicia is 100% correct. I was laughing so hard when I read your post! We'll get along just fine.
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Pearl Ex is the shizzle...end scene.
Gray Lavender...LOVE!!!
Antique Silver on kraft paper...as Elsa and Meredith said, this is a very nice color.
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Gorgeous!
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holiday envelopes will be brought to you by Pearl Ex Red Russett...oh wait, I have not mixed up the Emerald green yet...
addict...yep!!!
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Hmmm...this is interesting. When I used pearlex before as an ink, it powdered. When it dried, if I rubbed it with my finger, the powder would smear. ASnyone else have that problem? I wonder what I did wrong...
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Powder when wet can be written with but remember that water evaporates, leaving powder. If you want it to stay, you need something that will adhere to the paper, like gum arabic.
Joi I'm so in love with that red russet picture you had OMG THAT IS SOME DELICIOUS WRITING
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Hmmm...this is interesting. When I used pearlex before as an ink, it powdered. When it dried, if I rubbed it with my finger, the powder would smear. ASnyone else have that problem? I wonder what I did wrong...
did you add gum arabic? i have 2 envelopes that i just did today with Pearl Ex, and rubbing them nothing is coming off. now i know that if i drop a bit of water on them they are toast...but just rubbing them they are fine.
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i did use gum arabic--probably not enough and now that I am thinking about it, I mixed it with gouache too.
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@Joi-
I see the ink pot in your photo. Do you just add the water and gum arabic to the pot the Pearl-ex comes in?
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Hmmm...this is interesting. When I used pearlex before as an ink, it powdered. When it dried, if I rubbed it with my finger, the powder would smear. ASnyone else have that problem? I wonder what I did wrong...
It needs a lot of gum Arabic. I put 4 parts pigment to 1 part ga. This stands up well even to vigorous erasing!
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oops i messed up an envelope...time to rip it open and take a break...Emerald Green Pearl Ex...it reminded me of Elphaba (Wicked)...so I mixed in some Antique Silver...and too much water...but i still like it...I can hear Josh Groban in the background...Josh Groban and holiday songs go together like peas and carrots!
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@Joi-
I see the ink pot in your photo. Do you just add the water and gum arabic to the pot the Pearl-ex comes in?
ellen - it comes in a large jar, so i scoop out and put it in a large shot glass, add the gum arabic, then distilled water and stir with the end of a plastic straight holder. then use a funnel to pour into a large dinky dip.
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Are the 3 gram bottles enough for a bit of writing?
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I have 2 bottles of 3 gram ones... I don't think it's enough for substantial cooking, so while I love the glitter, I probably will use it cautiously and sparingly
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Are the 3 gram bottles enough for a bit of writing?
I started with these and they actually last a surprisingly long time. And the little bottle they come in make perfect ink wells.
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Thanks so much Elsa and Felicia!
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I have 2 bottles of 3 gram ones... I don't think it's enough for substantial cooking, so while I love the glitter, I probably will use it cautiously and sparingly
Oh. Look. Brain fart! Substantial cooking. LOL! Why didn't anyone restraint me?? HAHAHA...
Yeah looking at these 3 gram jars, I think they can be used for a while.. But I'm a hoarder, so I always think in terms of lifetime supply.
Why did I say substantial cooking???????????
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I have 2 bottles of 3 gram ones... I don't think it's enough for substantial cooking, so while I love the glitter, I probably will use it cautiously and sparingly
Oh. Look. Brain fart! Substantial cooking. LOL! Why didn't anyone restraint me?? HAHAHA...
Yeah looking at these 3 gram jars, I think they can be used for a while.. But I'm a hoarder, so I always think in terms of lifetime supply.
Why did I say substantial cooking???????????
LOL I actually wondered about that Felicia, but I just thought it was maybe a calligraphy term I just haven't come across yet! :D
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I have 2 bottles of 3 gram ones... I don't think it's enough for substantial cooking, so while I love the glitter, I probably will use it cautiously and sparingly
Oh. Look. Brain fart! Substantial cooking. LOL! Why didn't anyone restraint me?? HAHAHA...
Yeah looking at these 3 gram jars, I think they can be used for a while.. But I'm a hoarder, so I always think in terms of lifetime supply.
Why did I say substantial cooking???????????
LOL I actually wondered about that Felicia, but I just thought it was maybe a calligraphy therm I just haven't come across yet! :D
hahaha felicia you are hilarious!
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Hmmm...this is interesting. When I used pearlex before as an ink, it powdered. When it dried, if I rubbed it with my finger, the powder would smear. ASnyone else have that problem? I wonder what I did wrong...
did you add gum arabic? i have 2 envelopes that i just did today with Pearl Ex, and rubbing them nothing is coming off. now i know that if i drop a bit of water on them they are toast...but just rubbing them they are fine.
Eek, so it's not waterproof? :o
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Eek, so it's not waterproof? :o
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not waterproof in the slightest, unfortunately!
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Joi, what do you think this product would do to Pearl-Ex?
http://www.amazon.com/Plaid-6-Ounce-Craft-Acrylic-Aerosol/dp/B000XZXNU6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1414543000&sr=8-3&keywords=spray+fixative
I know that the regular "spray fixative" that I use won't make it waterproof, but this stuff claims to be waterproof. I'm worried that it may leave a film or alter the appearance on envelopes, like Microglaze does! I used it on some international mail for the Autumn exchange & was super put-out at how it smeared the ink & left a messy finish on the envelope surface. I would never have given the envelopes to a client, as I found them to be unacceptable.
I've ordered some of the Plaid "fixative" & I'll report back on what it does to the surface of an addressed envelope!
Janis
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Joi, what do you think this product would do to Pearl-Ex?
http://www.amazon.com/Plaid-6-Ounce-Craft-Acrylic-Aerosol/dp/B000XZXNU6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1414543000&sr=8-3&keywords=spray+fixative
I know that the regular "spray fixative" that I use won't make it waterproof, but this stuff claims to be waterproof. I'm worried that it may leave a film or alter the appearance on envelopes, like Microglaze does! I used it on some international mail for the Autumn exchange & was super put-out at how it smeared the ink & left a messy finish on the envelope surface. I would never have given the envelopes to a client, as I found them to be unacceptable.
I've ordered some of the Plaid "fixative" & I'll report back on what it does to the surface of an addressed envelope!
Janis
hmmm...the description says "...it's not for paper, it's for wood, metal or plastic..." but yes try it and report back!
i am beyond in love with Pearl Ex. it's really wonderful stuff!!!
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I love that I can get a few colors on Joann's website, but naturally I would love tons ;) and MAN does it hurt my heart when Dick Blick slaps that shipping rate on at the end. WHY must it be so much!? Sigh.....living in rural Michigan strikes again, no Dick Blick or Utrecht stores for hours!
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I love that I can get a few colors on Joann's website, but naturally I would love tons ;) and MAN does it hurt my heart when Dick Blick slaps that shipping rate on at the end. WHY must it be so much!? Sigh.....living in rural Michigan strikes again, no Dick Blick or Utrecht stores for hours!
Try dharmatrading.com they have reasonable shipping rates and all the pearl ex colors.
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Try dharmatrading.com they have reasonable shipping rates and all the pearl ex colors.
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Found them after I posted that Elsa! I have a cart open as I type this ;)
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Pearl-ex pigments are mica, right? Would it be the same as mica powder being sold at coastalscents.com -- being marketed as loose mineral eyeshadow/make-up. Just $0.95 per sample baggie (1 tsp worth, about 4 grams I think). http://www.coastalscents.com/make-your-own/makeup/mica-powder.html (http://www.coastalscents.com/make-your-own/makeup/mica-powder.html) ::)
How about the Krylon Fixativ? My sister used that for her chalk pastel work back in art school.
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Pearl-ex pigments are mica, right? Would it be the same as mica powder being sold at coastalscents.com -- being marketed as loose mineral eyeshadow/make-up. Just $0.95 per sample baggie (1 tsp worth, about 4 grams I think). http://www.coastalscents.com/make-your-own/makeup/mica-powder.html (http://www.coastalscents.com/make-your-own/makeup/mica-powder.html) ::)
How about the Krylon Fixativ? My sister used that for her chalk pastel work back in art school.
This is very interesting! I wonder if the "fillers" could be used to make it opaque as well? Someone needs to try this stuff!
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I saw a huge array of Pearl Ex powders at a hobby store (of all places) today and thought of you, Elsa. If anybody lives in the San Fernando Valley area, it's in Studio City, right across from the Color Me Mine on Laurel Canyon. (The name of the store on the map on my phone was different than the name on the sign.) Also very close to a Paper Source!
I was really there for masking fluid, but lost my nerve after I saw how thick & goopy (& smelly!) their particular offering was.
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Pearl-ex pigments are mica, right? Would it be the same as mica powder being sold at coastalscents.com -- being marketed as loose mineral eyeshadow/make-up. Just $0.95 per sample baggie (1 tsp worth, about 4 grams I think). http://www.coastalscents.com/make-your-own/makeup/mica-powder.html (http://www.coastalscents.com/make-your-own/makeup/mica-powder.html) ::)
How about the Krylon Fixativ? My sister used that for her chalk pastel work back in art school.
Mandy, I bet those would work beautifully! In fact I just bought some loose eye-shadow at the dollar store and turned it into ink with beautiful success!
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it is pure insanity how much i LUUUUURVE Pearl Ex pigment! merci beaucoup to Elsa for starting this thread and making me curious to try this. at this moment, out of all the colors i have tried, my favs are (in random order):
-Pink Gold
-Super Bronze
-Grey Lavender
-Red Russett
along with walnut ink, i could probably use those for years and be perfectly happy ;)
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Pink Gold is top of my list! I haven't tried all the colours - they're a bit harder to get here, although not impossible - but ooooh that pink gold, it's just gorgeous.
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Thank you Elsa for starting this new pearl-ex calligraphy trend ! All of you gorgeous pictures got me curious so I searched and found a french website that sells them :
http://www.perles-et-loisirs-creatifs.com/en/recherche?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=pigment&submit_search=Search
The website is only in french. I just ordered 12 small jars of pearl-ex for 50€.
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Pink Gold is top of my list! I haven't tried all the colours - they're a bit harder to get here, although not impossible - but ooooh that pink gold, it's just gorgeous.
RIGHT?! there is just something about that Pink Gold, there is nothing else out there like it! the ombre effect is just stunning. and i works on so many paper colors!
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Pearl-ex pigments are mica, right? Would it be the same as mica powder being sold at coastalscents.com -- being marketed as loose mineral eyeshadow/make-up. Just $0.95 per sample baggie (1 tsp worth, about 4 grams I think). http://www.coastalscents.com/make-your-own/makeup/mica-powder.html (http://www.coastalscents.com/make-your-own/makeup/mica-powder.html) ::)
How about the Krylon Fixativ? My sister used that for her chalk pastel work back in art school.
Mandy, I bet those would work beautifully! In fact I just bought some loose eye-shadow at the dollar store and turned it into ink with beautiful success!
Oh wow, really? I have some loose mineral eyeshadow lying around, I'll give that a go. :)
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Mandy, the Krylon Fixative is NOT waterproof! I found a new Krylon that says that it is waterproof. I've ordered it, but it has not yet arrived. I will experiment with it, to see if it changes the texture, look or feel of the item that it is sprayed on. (It comes in both matte and glossy finish & I ordered one can of each.) I'll report back with the results!
Janis
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As Pearl Ex isn't waterproof, has anyone tried using it on their envelopes? I would like to, but the threat of the rain washing off the address is making me think twice.
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I really never, ever worried before about that (I mean before I heard that here in the forum). I used to send a lot of letters as a teen, and regular fountain pen ink also is not waterproof. As far as I know all letters arrived.
I also sent already lots of letters with Finetec, which is also not waterproof :). I wouldn't worry too much about that!
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My Pearl-Ex just wiped right off with my finger like dust. I don't know what I did wrong...
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Lyndsay, did you add gum arabic to your pearl ex?
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Lyndsay, did you add gum arabic to your pearl ex?
I did, but maybe not enough? I don't know what I'm doing - haha!!!
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Lyndsay, did you add gum arabic to your pearl ex?
I did, but maybe not enough? I don't know what I'm doing - haha!!!
You need 4 parts pearl ex to 1 part gum arabic. If it wiped off it means you need more g a
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Thanks, Elsa!! I'll keep trying and add more fun arabic. I posted a tutorial request on the tutorials page, too.
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So I've been using PearlEx as ink for about a half a year now because of a thread I found on a different forum. I was JUST pointed to this forum in the last week-ish and so I wanted to put forward all I've done with these powders! I've managed to go through about 3/4 of their 48 colors. (Though now that I've read about mica powder being used as eyeshadow might have to look into that).
I ALSO discovered really recently that I can take fountain pen ink, mix in some of the more basic pearlEx powders like gold or macropearl with gum arabic and create new colors that way. The last photo is my experimentation with that. I've been using that green/gold combination to make a friend a bunch of Harry Potter style addressed letters for her birthday party that she's putting together with a Harry Potter theme.
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I saw this blog post that shows swatches of pearl-ex mixed as inks and they are GORGEOUS! http://www.roanndesigns.com/blog/?p=206 (http://www.roanndesigns.com/blog/?p=206) :) :) :)
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I'm kind of curious do any of you have a favorite nib for working with the Pearl-Ex inks?
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I'm kind of curious do any of you have a favorite nib for working with the Pearl-Ex inks?
For me personally the Nikko G works great for working with pearl ex
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I'm kind of curious do any of you have a favorite nib for working with the Pearl-Ex inks?
for me the Hiro 41 always works very well. it's the only nib i use with Pearl Ex.
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I use the Hunt 101, though, that's the first one that flowed smoothly and I haven't tested out other nibs with Pearl ex since starting to use it. I'm thinking the common denominator with all of our faves is that none are very sharp nibs. Of course - someone correct me if I'm wrong, but that's my guess.
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Vintage Hunt 22 :)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5602/15686566665_172aba211f_n.jpg)
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Has anyone tried using the Brause 66ef?
I don't have any typical dip pen ink to compare to, but I've had trouble getting the pearlEx inks to flow in it.
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Yes, I use Pearl-ex with the Brause EF66 all the time! It's my go-to nib! You have to add a stupid amount of distilled water to get it to flow! Just keep adding water, a few drops at a time, and eventually you'll get it to the right amount so that it will flow nicely from the nib. I think that the Pearl-ex will likely flow more easily from a broader nib, like the Hiro 41 nib or a Blue Pumpkin. However, I really HATE those nibs (sorry, Joi! I know you like the Hiro!) & have a really hard time trying to get decent thicks & thins. I think that maybe I just have a very light hand? Or, because I started with the Brause EF 66, I just favor it's "feel"?
At any rate, if you keep your left-over Pearl-ex in a container, when you come back to it a lot of the water will have evaporated, even if the container was well sealed. Just add more distilled water & you'll be back to where you left off!
Janis
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. However, I really HATE those nibs (sorry, Joi! I know you like the Hiro!) & have a really hard time trying to get decent thicks & thins. I think that maybe I just have a very light hand? Or, because I started with the Brause EF 66, I just favor it's "feel"?
Janis
no need to apologize to each their own! i don't apologize for not liking pepperoni on my pizza... ;D
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no need to apologize to each their own! i don't apologize for not liking pepperoni on my pizza... ;D
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Oh, I will take all of your excess pepperoni for my pizza, please! I do love pepperoni! ;D
But, seriously, how do you get good "thicks" with the Hiro 41?? I just can't make any thicks, in any medium using the Hiro 41!!! (e.g., ink, gouache, Pearl-ex, etc., etc.) I don't know why, but all I get are "thin" lines!
Janis
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Super dilution on the Brause ef66. Good to know. I suspected but wasn't quite sure if I should really dilute them down that much.
Currently I've had the most luck using the blue pumpkin and it's brause counterpart for when I'm doing kind of my own thing writing wise, but the Gillott 303 has been giving me great strokes when practicing copperplate.
Conversely the Nikko G has been giving me a hard time getting thin strokes! Pressing doesn't make them thicker just wetter.
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@Moif: What you're doing while experimenting with nibs is just what you should do. - You'll find that some nibs work for you & others just don't! Don't get put-off because someone else raves about a nib that you don't like. - This' a very individualized art form & what works for me in one situation won't work for me in another. And, I've found that if I put away a nib that I don't like & then come back to it in a few months, I have a totally different experience. (AND, because I can't remember what the heck nib it is, I spend a stupid amount of time trying to figure that out! Why can't I remember to label them or their container?!) Just keep experimenting & if you reject a nib, don't throw it away. Just set it aside to revisit later. Only after I have tried and re-tried to like a nib do I finally give up & toss it. (Or, mail it to someone that I know likes the darn thing!)
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I use all kinds of nibs with pearl ex but I find that hiro 41 works best for me. I've never had one little bit of success with g nibs and pearl ex
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If purely using pearl ex, then a blunt nib like hiro 40 is good. If mixing into ink, then any nib you normally use is good. Incidentally, if the ink doesn't show up, it's never because the particles are too big (unless you know they are blocking the ink flow), but it has been because the pigment isn't contrasty enough to show on its on in a thin line..
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I like the Hiro 41 for pure Pearl-Ex - I think I'm going to have to buy some more Hiro 41s soon! I keep going to order them and then sulking because of the shipping to Australia ($14 in shipping for 10 nibs!? REALLY? - and I have a decent supply of everything else I need, but the Hiro 41s just seem to play nicely with PearlEx for me.
Fae is right re: thin lines - it's often contrast. Or, it can be that your Pearl-Ex mixture isn't watery enough, or is too watery - the flow balance is a tricky one to get right!
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I use the Hunt 101!
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Has anyone had problems with mold growing in their Pearl Ex inks?
I've had it in a couple that weren't in well sealed containers and more recently in some dirty water I'd left sitting out that had bits of the pearl ink in it from where I'd used it to wash the nib off.
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large dinky dip of dr. ph martin spectralite 54k 18 caret gold + 1/4 tsp Pearl Ex Brilliant Gold = really nice shimmer in an acrylic base!
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large dinky dip of dr. ph martin spectralite 54k 18 caret gold + 1/4 tsp Pearl Ex Brilliant Gold = really nice shimmer in an acrylic base!
Ooh, I'm going to try that! Sounds beautiful!
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I have been playing around with the Pearl-ex home made ink in my Parallel Pens. Here are a couple of simple examples. I use a brush to add a complementary color to the nib.
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And a second picture which did not post...
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large dinky dip of dr. ph martin spectralite 54k 18 caret gold + 1/4 tsp Pearl Ex Brilliant Gold = really nice shimmer in an acrylic base!
I saw you post this, so I tried Dr. P H iridescent silver and purple PeralEx tonight, so it would be more durable and water resistant. It worked out. And I tired my fingernail scratch test and it passed. The hairlines looked nice too. I did add a little distilled water too.
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I have been playing around with the Pearl-ex home made ink in my Parallel Pens. Here are a couple of simple examples. I use a brush to add a complementary color to the nib.
I love that! So pretty!
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large dinky dip of dr. ph martin spectralite 54k 18 caret gold + 1/4 tsp Pearl Ex Brilliant Gold = really nice shimmer in an acrylic base!
I saw you post this, so I tried Dr. P H iridescent silver and purple PeralEx tonight, so it would be more durable and water resistant. It worked out. And I tired my fingernail scratch test and it passed. The hairlines looked nice too. I did add a little distilled water too.
awesome! i was looking for a shimmery-er acrylic and a more durable pearl ex...i love playing ink alchemist!
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Here's one using a sharp nib. It's a slightly damaged nib, so after writing a few more words after this, it was very difficult to coax the ink to write words.
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I'm having an issue with it flowing through the nib....more water I'm guessing?
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Probably. You want it to look about as thick as heavy cream. Hope you get it figured out!
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I was browsing this thread yesterday, so excited to get some Pearl Ex to experiment with, and found they are on sale at JoAnn's online for $1.79! 40% off right now.
Here's the link:
http://www.joann.com/jacquard-pearl-ex-powdered-pigments-3gr/2054997.html?mkwid=YTvUh3AK
Looks like they have gum arabic on sale for $2.39 as well.
http://www.joann.com/jacquard-1-oz-gum-arabic/2061968.html
Happy post-Christmas gift card using!
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After reading about this stuff on this thread, I finally broke down and bought some pearl-ex today. I was so excited to use it and mixed it up and with my excitement, I spilled the WHOLE thing all over my desk AND brand new Rhodia pad. Grace is definitely NOT my middle name. Back to black for the rest of my practice!
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Oh no! Did you manage to salvage some, Sarah?
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I have been playing around with the Pearl-ex home made ink in my Parallel Pens. Here are a couple of simple examples. I use a brush to add a complementary color to the nib.
What a BEAUTIFUL effect and lovely lettering! What recipe / ingredients / ratios do you use to mix Pearl-Ex ink for your parallel pens?
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Lyndsay,
I use the ratios Joi suggested in this thread. And I tweak it from there. On these examples I already had red ink in my lower barrel. That seemed to help create the base color. I have also combined pearl ex with walnut ink and a blue fountain pen ink. For the complimentary color, I mix up the pearl ex in a paint well pan and make the mixture thicker than what I place inside the pens.
Also, changing colors in the parallel pens require patience. I look forward to seeing where you take this Lindsay. Your calligraphy is lovely.
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Kim, you are too kind - thank you!!
I'm planning to make more time for experimentation this year, and doing something like this is on my list!! ;)
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[PS] for those of you in the US - Dick Blick carries Pearl Ex at a great price, much more reasonable than the craft stores. :)
http://www.dickblick.com/products/jacquard-pearl-ex-pigments/
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I found that Dharma Trading Co has the best pricing and shipping.... especially if you're like me and order 5+
Cost
1-4 $3.85
5-9 $3.65
10+ $3.49
Shipping
First-Class Mail $3.90
Estimated delivery: 2 to 5 business days
http://www.dharmatrading.com/paints/pearl-ex-pigments.html (http://www.dharmatrading.com/paints/pearl-ex-pigments.html)
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I found that Dharma Trading Co has the best pricing and shipping.... especially if you're like me and order 5+
Cost
1-4 $3.85
5-9 $3.65
10+ $3.49
Shipping
First-Class Mail $3.90
Estimated delivery: 2 to 5 business days
http://www.dharmatrading.com/paints/pearl-ex-pigments.html (http://www.dharmatrading.com/paints/pearl-ex-pigments.html)
Their customer service is great as well!
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Posting this with the ok from Erica to do so...
For those that are not on instagram, i shared a few days ago that the makers of PearlEx (PX), Jacquard Products, reached out to me to work with them in fixing some of the problems we have using PX for pointed pen. Number 1 issue is the clumping problem. I just posted in another thread that I'm working on it!
I absolutely LOVE that we all have shared our experiences, favorite colors, questions, and answers here! That is one of my favorite things about this Forum! I do not want anyone to feel like i am the ONLY person that can answer PX questions. of course, please feel free to email me with specific questions. i will be updating this thread as I make progress on our issues. But this thread is so helpful to so many, because so many of us have shared our experiences.
Please know that I am not a salesperson for PX, you wont see me posting "101 uses for PearlEx". my role is more like an ambassador. i actually think it's really cool that a company WANTS to help pointed pen calligraphers to better use their product and reached out to someone (me) for help. Am I endorsing PX for them? sure, but i was doing that anyway, before they ever contacted me.
#pixiedustlove !!!
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congrats Joi! I always knew you would be the perfect ambassador for pearl ex.
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That's great, Joi!! I love the stuff too (thanks to you :) ), but also have sometimes this clumping problem. I used liquid gum arabic, in a I don't know exactly ratio, + nearly again so much distilled water to get it quite liquid.
I found for those in Europe this shop, it sells sets of little boxes with many colors (one box contains 3g), but also bigger boxes (jars?) with 21g for 4,95 €.
http://www.patchworkshop.de/oxid.php/sid/63fd0b831fa603cf159cfeaa4357a071/cl/details/cnid/a7344f88cb72d3e83.48033225/anid/985459532f3ebf7d7.46019475
I have no idea what this oz measurement is in gram, so it's kind of difficult to compare prices to the US-shops!! Is oz liquid ounces? If so, I can only convert it to liters (volume) but not to grams (weight) – complicated ;D.
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That's great, Joi!! I love the stuff too (thanks to you :) ), but also have sometimes this clumping problem. I used liquid gum arabic, in a I don't know exactly ratio, + nearly again so much distilled water to get it quite liquid.
I found for those in Europe this shop, it sells sets of little boxes with many colors (one box contains 3g), but also bigger boxes (jars?) with 21g for 4,95 €.
http://www.patchworkshop.de/oxid.php/sid/63fd0b831fa603cf159cfeaa4357a071/cl/details/cnid/a7344f88cb72d3e83.48033225/anid/985459532f3ebf7d7.46019475
I have no idea what this oz measurement is in gram, so it's kind of difficult to compare prices to the US-shops!! Is oz liquid ounces? If so, I can only convert it to liters (volume) but not to grams (weight) – complicated ;D.
yep, the "exact" ratio is 4 parts pigment to 1 part gum arabic (either liquid or powder), but as with any other type of ink, it's really personal preference as to how thick or thin you like your ink. do you like thin like walnut ink, or a little more body like sumi? you everyone can play with the ratio to determine what they like.
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Yes, I like thinner inks more ;). I think they just flow better! But as you said, that differs very much from person to person!
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Mandy, the Krylon Fixative is NOT waterproof! I found a new Krylon that says that it is waterproof. I've ordered it, but it has not yet arrived. I will experiment with it, to see if it changes the texture, look or feel of the item that it is sprayed on. (It comes in both matte and glossy finish & I ordered one can of each.) I'll report back with the results!
Janis
On the subject of making pearl ex waterproof, @inthedoing on Instagram had the genius idea of mixing PX with polyurethane binder. She had great results! She purchased the binder at an art store locally in Singapore, but posted a link for where you can buy the stuff in the US. I have not tried it as I'm not willing to fork out $20 for an experiment. One could also try adding PX to plain acrylic medium, which can be found at local art stores, but it's also fairly pricey so I haven't gotten around to trying it yet.
http://shop.kremerpigments.com/en/mediums--binders-und-glues/polyurethane-dispersion-pu-52-76805:.html
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Clumping Colors Update:
LOTS of experiments in my kitchen guys! In collaboration with Jacquard products and some research on their end, the following colors have added oils that will make them very very difficult to mix into ink. The oils cannot be removed during manufacturing. Please know that Pearl Ex Pigments have sooo many uses, and calligraphy ink is just one of them. The oils added to these colors is for a specific use and industry. I would avoid these colors all together. If you have had luck, kudos to you!
641 Pumpkin Orange,
683 Bright Yellow,
684 Flamingo Pink,
685 Spring Green,
686 Turquoise,
688 Misty Lavender
Also, for those who use imperial measurements, here is an exact recipe:
1 teaspoon pigment
1/4 teaspoon gum arabic (liquid or powder)
1 teaspoon distilled water
hope that helps!!!
I will be sharing this on instagram and my webpage soon as well.
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Clumping Colors Update:
LOTS of experiments in my kitchen guys! In collaboration with Jacquard products and some research on their end, the following colors have added oils that will make them very very difficult to mix into ink. The oils cannot be removed during manufacturing. Please know that Pearl Ex Pigments have sooo many uses, and calligraphy ink is just one of them. The oils added to these colors is for a specific use and industry. I would avoid these colors all together. If you have had luck, kudos to you!
641 Pumpkin Orange,
683 Bright Yellow,
684 Flamingo Pink,
685 Spring Green,
686 Turquoise,
688 Misty Lavender
Also, for those who use imperial measurements, here is an exact recipe:
1 teaspoon pigment
1/4 teaspoon gum arabic (liquid or powder)
1 teaspoon distilled water
hope that helps!!!
I will be sharing this on instagram and my webpage soon as well.
Sigh! I wish I had seen this before I put in my order because I bought Flamingo Pink and Turquoise :(
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Clumping Colors Update:
LOTS of experiments in my kitchen guys! In collaboration with Jacquard products and some research on their end, the following colors have added oils that will make them very very difficult to mix into ink. The oils cannot be removed during manufacturing. Please know that Pearl Ex Pigments have sooo many uses, and calligraphy ink is just one of them. The oils added to these colors is for a specific use and industry. I would avoid these colors all together. If you have had luck, kudos to you!
641 Pumpkin Orange,
683 Bright Yellow,
684 Flamingo Pink,
685 Spring Green,
686 Turquoise,
688 Misty Lavender
Also, for those who use imperial measurements, here is an exact recipe:
1 teaspoon pigment
1/4 teaspoon gum arabic (liquid or powder)
1 teaspoon distilled water
hope that helps!!!
I will be sharing this on instagram and my webpage soon as well.
Joi- Can you estimate how much pigment is in a bottle? Is it about 1 teaspoon?
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Joi- Can you estimate how much pigment is in a bottle? Is it about 1 teaspoon?
there are 4 or 5 different sizes that it is sold in. a quick conversion of the most readily available sizes in retailers is:
3gram pot = .6 teaspoons
.75 ounce jar = 4.5 teaspoons
the teaspoon measurement is what i personally use. I know people use other units of measure as well, and that is where having the specific ratio of 4:1 works.
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Joi, thank you so much for your update! Much appreciated.
Flamingo Pink and Bright Yellow were on my hate list, and there they shall stay. Btw, I've had luck with Misty Lavender, so sad to see it on the list. :o
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Pumpkin orange is the one that clumps for me, although if I'm adamant I can get it mixed up enough to get a usable color but I just generally avoid it.
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Joi, thank you so much for your update! Much appreciated.
Flamingo Pink and Bright Yellow were on my hate list, and there they shall stay. Btw, I've had luck with Misty Lavender, so sad to see it on the list. :o
I know others have had success with Misty Lavender, so good for you as well.
That color is on the list that has specific oils for a specific purpose, but each color has its own type of mica and pigments, with different sized particles as well, so even though it's on the "official" list, it still may work, as in the case with Misty Lavender.
I have personally attempted to use another chemical additive (supplied by Jacquard) to dissolve the clumps, but with these colors the oil are too strong with Pink Flamingo, Turquoise, Pumpkin, Orange last weekend while away with other calligraphers, and no go.
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I wonder if there is something wrong with the Mink color... could it belong on that list?
I have never been able to get that color to flow no matter how much doctoring to it I do..
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I wonder if there is something wrong with the Mink color... could it belong on that list?
I have never been able to get that color to flow no matter how much doctoring to it I do..
there are other colors that clump, Mink might be one of them (i'm slowly down the list of all the colors), but for a different reason/additive.
That list above is specific to one type of oil additive for a specific industry use, if that makes sense.
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Macro Pearl - any suggestions? I think the particles are just too big to play nice, but has anyone else had any luck?
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Thanks for this, Joi. :)
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Macro Pearl - any suggestions? I think the particles are just too big to play nice, but has anyone else had any luck?
thats exactly the issue, hence the name Macro pearl...large pigment particles...
again, not all of the colors are going to play nice with pointed metal nibs, im working my way thru all the colors!
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I've gotten macro to work but only with a lot of water if I remember correctly so it ends up not being all that opaque. It works better as an additive into goache or fountain pen ink to make it sparkle.
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I've gotten macro to work but only with a lot of water if I remember correctly so it ends up not being all that opaque. It works better as an additive into goache or fountain pen ink to make it sparkle.
I second that. I've used it only as a mixer into other inks, never on its own.
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I have a love hate relationship with Misty Lavender. I had nothing but problems with it, but I kept diluting it...... it works much better now, but you definitely lose the rise that pearl ex can give...
I feel as though that's how Mink will be...... I just don't have room to add anymore water ;)
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For some of these difficult colors, I wonder if you could mix it with a mixable neutral color and get somewhat diluted color with sparkle.
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if you have Flamingo Pink, take it to your nail technician...i love this purple pink ombre look!
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if you have Flamingo Pink, take it to your nail technician...i love this purple pink ombre look!
HOLY CRAP. THAT IS AMAZING. I LOVE IT.
oh my god I need to mix pearlex with clear nail polish like RIGHT NOW, why am I still at work?
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if you have Flamingo Pink, take it to your nail technician...i love this purple pink ombre look!
HOLY CRAP. THAT IS AMAZING. I LOVE IT.
oh my god I need to mix pearlex with clear nail polish like RIGHT NOW, why am I still at work?
RIGHT?! i wanted to share this so we all know that Pearl Ex has soooo many uses, nail art, clay modelers use it, auto painters, stampers, it can be used with fabrics, so many things...and that is why not all of the colors will be suitable for pointed pen...but i think MOST of them are...which is thumbs up for us!
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RIGHT?! i wanted to share this so we all know that Pearl Ex has soooo many uses, nail art, clay modelers use it, auto painters, stampers, it can be used with fabrics, so many things...and that is why not all of the colors will be suitable for pointed pen...but i think MOST of them are...which is thumbs up for us!
I have used it for a zillion things, not gonna lie! I mix it with embossing powder, it shimmers so pretty. I've used it as eyeshadow ... look, it was a disco party and I was desperate :D :D :D
and i love to smush it with paint, or put just a little in a watercolour background wash for some serious shine.
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For some of these difficult colors, I wonder if you could mix it with a mixable neutral color and get somewhat diluted color with sparkle.
Ellen, this is a good idea. I actually do this sometimes when I have leftover PX inks from jobs. I recently mixed a lilac PX (a slightly modified Misty Lavender) with walnut ink and it turned into a really nice color, sort of like you said, diluted/muted with a bit of sparkle.
I'm going to experiment a bit more with those difficult PX colors and see what Frankenstein colors I can create. :)
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I'm going to experiment a bit more with those difficult PX colors and see what Frankenstein colors I can create. :)
this is gorgeous!!!
frankenstein colors...lmao!!!
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I'm having some trouble with getting my Pearl-ex mix to flow. Given I've not tried using the ink with the nibs listed on the back of the packaging (I got the 'new' calligraphy set with *whoopie Joi's Rose Gold), perhaps that's the problem? I tried using the Zebra G, with a mixture ratio according to the packaging. I added more water and the ink is flowing better, but does more water = more gum arabic? Should I add a little more of it in the mix? I'm not too sure what gum arabic does (I know it's a binding agent, but does water affect that?).
Any advice much appreciated! Thank you.
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I'm having some trouble with getting my Pearl-ex mix to flow. Given I've not tried using the ink with the nibs listed on the back of the packaging (I got the 'new' calligraphy set with *whoopie Joi's Rose Gold), perhaps that's the problem? I tried using the Zebra G, with a mixture ratio according to the packaging. I added more water and the ink is flowing better, but does more water = more gum arabic? Should I add a little more of it in the mix? I'm not too sure what gum arabic does (I know it's a binding agent, but does water affect that?).
Any advice much appreciated! Thank you.
Hi Karen - thanks so much for purchasing the kit! that makes me soooo happy!
ok, the zebra g...for me to get pearl ex to flow out of that nib, i need to add a bit extra water, and then press really hard on the down stroke. i use a zebra g for hairline Spencerian type script, so pressing really hard is a bit of effort for me. so it will work with pearl ex, just add a few drops of water at a time to thin it out and keep testing that nib.
hth!
xoxo,
joi
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Thank you Joi!
Ok so I just tried again with the Hiro 41 (have a bunch but never knew when to use it, so this was my first time using this nib).
Much better flow but then I got the blobs ::) Did I add too much water?
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Karen,
The Hiro 41 is notorious for ink-blobbing (http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=562.0) :-\ Any other nibs you can try?
I was lucky to get some Rose Gold from Joi to test with, and I had the best luck with a Leonardt G. I might have added a little bit more water than suggested (but I live in a desert climate where ink dries out in miliseconds!) but it turned out beautifully. I used a Brause Rose here (https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xfa1/t51.2885-15/s640x640/sh0.08/e35/11313764_443215979184437_410140326_n.jpg) - it's a little tricky to get it to start, but once it does - mmm lovely flow.
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Thank you Linda. I'll go through my nib stash and see if I have that one you mentioned. I have such a crappy nib sorting system that I have no clue where most of them are! *slap on forehead.
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If you don't/can't find any in your stash, I'd be happy to send you a few PearEx-friendly ones to try. Just let me know. :)
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Hi, Karen,
I have been working on a birth announcement for my new granddaughter and have been using a Gillott 404, believe it or not! I just got the "Joi" kit from John Neal and couldn't wait to work with it. :) Of course, I used Pink Gold!!! :) I used the instructions printed on the back of the packaging and it has been great.
Hope this helps!
Agnes
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Hi, Karen,
I have been working on a birth announcement for my new granddaughter and have been using a Gillott 404, believe it or not! I just got the "Joi" kit from John Neal and couldn't wait to work with it. :) Of course, I used Pink Gold!!! :) I used the instructions printed on the back of the packaging and it has been great.
Hope this helps!
Agnes
Agnes! congrats on the birth of your granddaughter!!!
i'm so happy to see this kit in the hands of so many flourish friends! thanks all for your support...because I put this kit together for US!!!
and pink gold....yuuuuum!
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Hi, Joi,
Thanks for the congratulations! And to think, I didn't have to do anything but sit at home and wait! :) She is a very good baby and her big brother just loves her!!
While I was waiting for the "Joi" kit to be on the John Neal site, I ordered a pink gold separately and that is what I used first. I now have the entire thing and I am pleased as punch with what you and Jaquard came up with. Kudos to you!!!
Agreed - pink gold - YUM-O!!!!
Agnes
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What is the Joi kit? I looked for "Joi" on the John Neal site and couldn't find anything.
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Hello, Mom of Four!
The technical name for the "Joi" kit is Jacquard Metallic Calligraphy Set with Pearl Ex and Gum Arabic. At least that is what is on the packaging! I think if you put "Pearl Ex Pigments" in the search box, you can be directed to it.
Sorry for the confusion!
Agnes
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I'm currently experimenting with toner to make a foilable ink and the main trouble was that toner does not mix with water.
So I tried to mix it using isopropanol (isoprpyl alcohol), then gum arabic and water and it works great !
I thought this trick might work with the few unmixable pearl-ex colors (like turquoise) ?
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Thank you so much!!
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I'm currently experimenting with toner to make a foilable ink and the main trouble was that toner does not mix with water.
So I tried to mix it using isopropanol (isoprpyl alcohol), then gum arabic and water and it works great !
I thought this trick might work with the few unmixable pearl-ex colors (like turquoise) ?
This is amazing, Sybille! Any chance you can show your results? I'm about ready to toss my little tubs of flamingo and bright yellow. What is your ratio of the alcohol to GA to H2O to PX?
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I actually have not tried with PX yet, but for toner I did this :
mix powder (PX + GA if used in powder) with a few drops of alcohol until you get a paste, something like gouache. The idea is that all the pigment powder should be soaked with alcohol.
Then add the other liquid(s) (GA and water), ending with the water. Gum arabic should probably be used in the same amount as when the PX is just mixed with water.
I'll try when I have a bit more time to properly experiment and come back to tell you how things worked... ;)
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Cool, thanks so much, Sybille! It seemed such a waste to toss those guys. If I get a chance this weekend, I'll let you know what happens, hopefully not a Frankenstein. :)
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I'm currently experimenting with toner to make a foilable ink and the main trouble was that toner does not mix with water.
So I tried to mix it using isopropanol (isoprpyl alcohol), then gum arabic and water and it works great !
I thought this trick might work with the few unmixable pearl-ex colors (like turquoise) ?
Sybille, what kind of "toner" are you talking about?? I've been doing project with laser toner (e.g., print from a laser printer) & applying foil to it for about 9 months & love it! Are you using laser toner to write calligraphy with & then applying laser foil??
Janis
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Yes, that's it ! I used toner powder and mixed it into ink, then wrote and foiled it.
I'm posting all the details in another thread, so you can see the results.