Dropping color mica powders on walnut bowl

[Bob Bergstrom]

I am sure this won't appeal to everyone, but it may give someone ideas. I wasn't too enamored with this walnut bowl so I used it to experiment with a new technique. I set the bowl upside down and used a 3/8" soft artist brush to drop particles of different Pearl Ex powders from about 1 1/2'. If the powder hit directly it formed a dot, but if it hit the contour of the bowl, it fluttered down the side in a cascade of color. The inside did not work as well and it may have been best to leave it natural. When all was dusted, I sprayed a light coat of lacquer from a distance to adhere the powder. Couple coats of lacquer. Interesting effect on the sides. I will post another bigger bowl turned from box elder.
Comments or suggestions always welcome


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[Jeffrey J Smith]

Bob - am I the only one that doesn't know anything about Pearl EX powders? Tell me a little more...I like what's happening on the outside, a lot.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Google Pearl-Ex or mica powders. Many are dichomic (which means they change color when rotated or change of light rays). Hobby Lobby and others sell them. I dry coat bowls or mix them in lacquer and spray them. Some women have used them as a cheap eye makeup. I also mix them into paste wax and rub it into the pores of ash and oak

[Tim Leiter]

I use Pearl-ex powders mixed with Poly-resin to make colored pen blanks. They are widely used in the acrylic blank making community.........Tim.

[John Beaver]

I looked at both your bowls today, and am enjoying what you are doing. Actually like this one better. Fine line between adding too much or not enough drops, but this in the neighborhood. One thing you might try would be to bleach the outside first - would work well with either species. Please keep sharing.

[Eric Holmquist]

Nice embellishment concept, keep at it!

[Michelle Rich]

I like the effect