The lovely Marc gave me a box of Artistro acrylic paint pens for Christmas, I’d been pondering upon them for ages, wondering if they were any good, well, the time has come to stop wondering ……….. and actually find out!
I decided to try something really simple to start with, to wit a clear, glass Christmas bauble.
You have to shake the pen (cap on) and then prime it by pumping the nib until the paint starts to flow to get them going.
The pens were really easy to use, the colours came out the same as on the box and the paint covered well. The fact that you can bake painted ceramics and glass in the oven (155 – 180 degrees C) was what really attracted me to the pens as past experiments with Sharpie pens just haven’t worked. When baked the colours on the bauble stayed true. However, finished items are not suitable to put in a dishwasher.
Unfortunately, I over egged my first effort by going over it, once baked, with a black pen and baking again, then I went and added red, flat backed pearls that were just too big and everything looked crude and clumsy.
My next effort was more delicate, but still lacking something ……
……. I am not sure about the now smaller flat backed pearls. they still seem too obvious/in your face, I am now wondering about using some red Ranger Enamel Accents for the berries instead? Perhaps small painted snowflakes or some white faux glitter snow actually in the bauble, or even much thinner black outlining might perk it up?
Lots more experimenting to be done then. I also need to check that I haven’t smudged or rubbed off any of the paint before baking ………… but so far I really like the pens, I just need more time to play with them ………
