Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments are very fine powdered mica pigments that are non-toxic, inert, and can be mixed into virtually any viscous, transparent medium and applied to any surface! Since they are not metals, they will never rust or tarnish. The variety of finishes Pearl Ex can produce is nearly endless - from metallic sheens to pearlescent shimmers to all manner of faux finishes.
Not intended for use by children. As with all powders, wear a dust mask and work in a well ventilated area when using.
Pearl Ex can be added to silk painting resists, to silk screening paints, to airbrush inks, to oil paints, wax, whatever. You can transform plain clay into luminous art objects and ordinary candles into poured metallic-looking antique candles. You can also add it to glue or use our new, tacky when dried, Jones Tones Foil Glue - see the silver swirly pattern above. You can stamp the glue on with a rubber stamp or apply it with a gutta applicator bottle, let it dry, then apply Pearl Ex, kind of rubbing it into the glue and removing the excess.
Mix Pearl Ex Pigments into:
- Pearl Ex Varnish
- Neopaque Clear Extender
- Gum Arabic
- Acrylic Paint
- Gouache
- Glue
- Gutta
- Varnish
- Clay
- Fabric Paint
- Melted Wax
- Any other viscose transparent medium!
Apply Pearl Ex Pigments to:
- Fabric
- Clay
- Glass
- Wax
- Metal
- Wood
- Paper
- Almost anything!
The fact is no one knows all the ways one can use this stuff!
If you just can't seem to find the perfect color of Lumiere for your project you can try making custom Lumiere colors by adding Pearl Ex Pigments to the Neopaque Flowable Extender. It's easy!
Any Pearl Ex color can be added at 12-20% by weight to Neopaque Flowable Extender and mixed thoroughly to produce a new metallic or pearlescent paint.
Pearl Ex Pigments with larger pigment particles, such as Sparkling Gold and Macropearl, generally require a higher pigment load than denser and smaller particles, which are more opaque. Standard pigments (such as powdered or dispersed organic and inorganic pigments, glow in the dark pigments, neon pigments, etc.) may also be added to Neopaque extender to create DIY paints of any sort.
The first 16 colors are the Standard Colors. The next 16 colors are Metallic Colors with various particle sizes. Different particle sizes give different effects. Then there are 5 Interference Colors which can't be described as they appear differently depending how you use them. (Try adding some to clear resist for an out-of-body experience). The next 6 colors are Duo Colors which shift from one color to another depending on light and angle. Background color can also make a difference. On a white background, you see more of the first color in the naming system, on a black background, you get the second. The last 8 colors are the Fashion Colors.
Some things can't be adequately described. You have to take a chance!
3/4 ounce jars of standard colors
1/2 ounce jars of Duo and Interference Colors
Use our Neopaque Clear Extender or Gum Arabic as a base to mix with the pigments, or any clear medium. Try them with a poly-urethane and paint walls and furniture. How 'bout your car?
Pearl Ex Pigments Instructions
Pearl Ex Pigment is extremely easy to use. Its incredible flexibility lends itself to a vast array of techniques. Your biggest problem may be deciding which technique to use. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Mix Pearl EX with a clear embossing powder for rubber stamp embossing. Pearl Ex in itself is not an embossing powder.
- Interference colors work best over dark surfaces.
- Mix 4 parts Pearl Ex to 1 part Gum Arabic and add water to desired consistency for a watercolor paint. If mixing in a plastic well palette, this mixture can dry out and become reconstituted with water.
- Dust Pearl Ex Powders onto shrink plastic before shrinking. The powder will become embedded in the surface when the plastic shrinks.
- Dust a polymer clay rubber mold with Pearl Ex before pressing in the clay. This is a great way to color the clay. It also makes the clay easier to release from the mold.
- Mix Pearl Ex with the Jacquard Textile Colors Colorless Extender for use on fabrics. Heat set as directed on bottle.
- Mix Pearl Ex with any clear medium to use over any surface. For example, you can mix Pearl Ex with a varnish, acrylic or solvent-based, as a coating over clay, wood, or paper.
- Dust Pearl Ex onto any surface and then seal with a spray lacquer. Spray the lacquer out over the surface and let the mist fall onto the surface rather than spraying the lacquer at the surface. This will give you a more even coat of lacquer without spray marks as well as preventing the spray from blowing off the Pearl Ex.
- Knead dry Pearl Ex powder into polymer clay to color it.
- Pearl Ex can be mixed into glycerin soaps in soapmaking and wax for candlemaking.
- Pearl Ex can be mixed into a medium and airbrushed. Some testing will be necessary to ensure that the particle size will fit through the airbrush opening
Stencil Painting:
Materials:
Card stock or gift bags (black works best)
Pearl-Ex
Spray adhesive (not spray glue)
Stencil
Artist brushes
Clear acrylic
Scrap paper, tape and paper clips
Lightly Spray some adhesive, ALWAYS IN A WELL-VENTILATED AREA AND WITH CHILDREN SUPERVISED, on paper the same color as your project. Wait a minute, and experiment by brushing the Pearl-Ex powders on with a dry brush. Try the colors alone and in layers. They are very surprising. Especially try the Interference colors!
1. Place stencil on flat paper and secure with paper clips.
2. Cover up exposed background with scrap paper and tape paper to stencil to hold in place.
3. Making sure that the stencil lies flat, spray lightly with spray adhesive, holding nozzle about 12" away.
4. Let set two minutes. Carefully remove tape, clips, paper and stencil - making sure not to smudge design.
5. Load a dry dry brush with Pearl-Ex powder and fill in designs. Remove excess with a brush.
6. Mix a few drops of clear acrylic with some Pearl-Ex powder until you get a smooth paint. Use this to touch up and enhance your stenciled design.
Water Color Painting:
Materials:
Gum arabic or clear acrylic medium (matte or gloss)
Pearl-Ex powders
Dark and light colored card stock
Artist brushes
Black permanent marker (fine and/or thick)
Paper cups
Comb
Paper glue
Both acrylic medium and gum arabic will keep the Pearl-Ex Powders in a suspension, so that they make a plowing paint, (use approximately 20% Pearl-Ex). Painting the Interference colors over black makes the Pearl-Ex change color. Experiment on scraps of paper to try different effects.
1. On light card stocks, draw designs with black marker.
2. Mix several colors of Pearl-Ex with gum arabic or medium, (in separate cups).
3. Paint over drawings with Pearl-Ex Interference colors.
4. Paint over different card stock with a thick mixture of Pearl-Ex colors.
5. While the mixture is still wet, you may make lines with a comb.
6. Let everything dry completely.
7. Cut out or tear shapes (include some plain card stock as well) and assemble with glue.
