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First off... everyone did a great job!! I only wish I could see them in person, because I know the subtle details get missed in photos.
And did anyone notice the map on the title page? Red thong expressway? Too funny!! Bruce worked hard on that design, he wanted it so perfect... and boy, is it ever!
He worked hard on the swap details, spend some time frustrated, but everyone is great in the end. Anyone who wants to complain... I suggest you take it on next time and see what happens...
As far as the panel I made, it was my third, actually fourth if you consider the front is now the back, because I screwed up the surface prep... but that's another story...
I originally planned on using insulation foam and acrylics/latex to make it look like sandblasted.
I cut two, figuring I might screw up the first, since I have never done this technique before, and if not - well, heck then, I have an extra panel to keep myself!
Well... I cut the insulation, used reg vinyl as mask, used lacquer thinner in a misty spray bottle... and totally melted the first one. Ok... we have an experimently piece now.
The second one is ok, but I have a very inconsistent 'holey' background. Also, somehow some areas of the insulation that was masked off with the vinyl, didn't stay flat, but is very rough. I left most of the vinyl on, and painted over that so it stayed fairly flat, but it just doesn't look right.
What did I do wrong? What tips can you give me for next time? I figure theres gotta be a couple of those bonk-yourself-in-the-forehead things I should have thought of, but didn't.
Thanks!!!
-------------------- Dana Ferry St Cloud, MN Posts: 1556 | From: St Cloud, MN | Registered: May 1999
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I've never heard of "etching" insulation foam with laquer thinner. Did you come up with that on your own? Maybe HDU would also react similar, but not as holey?
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Dana...A suggestion for experimenting would be to use gasoline instead of thinners...Not as "hot" and you might get more control.
Just a suggestion.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
Seems like I remember reading something in an old Sign Craft mag about using screen opener (silk screening) to get the 'blasted' look. I'll hafta go back through my old issues to see if I can find that again.
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When I've used insulation foam, I've used regular old cheap spray paint to "blast" it. It can be laid on thin or heavy, very controlable. Then primer with a latex, paint over that with sign enamels.
-------------------- "B0LT" on the chat room thing.
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Steve - is the cheapo spray paint less 'hot' and spray more evenly than thinner? Do you do several light coats to keep it even?
As you can see in the photo, under the vinyl got sorta melted, too. I had the border masked with vinyl as well, peeled it off... and that's what I had.
Would the heavier, thicker vinyl work better than the hi-perf stuff?
It sounded like such a cool idea, and I got a really good deal on a broken piece of 2" pink insulation foam at Home Depot. I was hoping to find something that I could easily work on here at home... maybe start doing some 'signie' stuff on the side!
-------------------- Dana Ferry St Cloud, MN Posts: 1556 | From: St Cloud, MN | Registered: May 1999
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Oh... I forgot to ask... how do you paint the background with all those stupid holes? With an old scruffy brush?
I used latex kilz on mine, then the lavendar and teal are leftover paints from our house. The roses and black are craft paint (wow, is that stuff hard to letter with!!)
I tried the spray latex krylon, but the stuff I have is probably too old and wouldn't spray right. I tried spraying regular krylon over the kilz primer... that wasn's such a good idea either.
At least I figured out a bunch of stuff NOT to do!!
-------------------- Dana Ferry St Cloud, MN Posts: 1556 | From: St Cloud, MN | Registered: May 1999
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Dana- I've tried spraying mieral spirits, and it just too runny, and doesn't dry right away like the spray paint seems to. Yes- several light coats.
The best way that I have found painting the latex is with a natural sea sponge. Very messy, but it gets in all the holes quickly.
I make tombstones for halloween and 40th birthdays, I've really never tried making anything nice with it, but after seeing your panel, I will.
-------------------- "B0LT" on the chat room thing.
We dab on the latex paint then mist water on the paint with a spray bottle. The water makes some of the paint runny enough to fill in the holes, but not so it takes hours to evaporate. And this method is very fast, and not messy.
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Dana, first let us say We love the panel! Sounds like you went thru alot of frustration before getting to the end. I really like the fact that you tried to make the foam work, when usually melting foam is something we want to stay away from. Not only did we receive a great panel but now we have a some new techniques to ponder. Thanks again!
-------------------- Tom & Kathy Durham House Springs, MO Posts: 654 | From: House Springs, MO | Registered: Apr 1999
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One of the local sign shops uses that pink foam for cutout letters, I'm sure he'll give me some scraps to play with. Also our Dollar store has all kinds of spray paints, even Krylons, so I can play with this cheap!! A:)
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We love the panel! Sounds like you went thru alot of frustration before getting to the end. I really like the fact that you tried to make the foam work, when usually melting foam is something we want to stay away from. Not only did we receive a great panel but now we have a some new techniques to ponder. Thanks again!
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