Tonights pen.

[thompy]

"Aussie Swirl" blank on a gold sierra. #800, wet MM, EEE. Scuffed tube with scotchbrite pad, nailpolished white then a glitter transparent green, then glued in.

This is for a very close mate in the US. He's American, military, a packers fan (green, yellow and white team colours i think), and we've been gaming (pc) together for about 11 years. He's currently TDY in Afganistan, so it doesn't quite qualify as a pen for the troops but its close. Anyways, aussie colours from his aussie mate.

What do yas think?

(doing his wife a sierra silver in purple swirl tomorrow, was too late noisewise to do it tonight)

Neal.

[Ironwood]

That looks pretty good, I'm sure he'll be happy with that.

Your photo is looking good, but the background is a bit too much, my eyes keep getting distracted by the crochette patterns, a plain and simple background lets the pen do the talking.

[Pariss]

Gee Neal, I bet Bob Brown would like that one :rolleyes:

[thompy]

LOL at Bob Brown Pariss.

Cheers Ironwood, it was the first thing i thought might be ok from the linen cupboard, but your very right, i'll go rummage more, do you think a light colour or dark?

Neal.

[thompy]

Same pen with black silk. From linen closet to the wardrobe, returning the silk before i get beaten up lol.

Neal.

[Pariss]

Same pen with black silk. From linen closet to the wardrobe, returning the silk before i get beaten up lol.

Neal.

Gee Neal, looks like a different pen aye! The colors are more natural. :2tsup:

[thompy]

Yeah Pariss, trying to get a handle on this picture taking gig, so i can benefit more from the forums advice, i think while its an art unto itself i can do some little things better. I think i'll try some natural light tomorrow and perhaps a white background.

Neal.

[Simomatra]

Nice work Neal, it looks as if you have used the flash and washed out the colour.

[mkypenturner]

Great pen neal oh and keep the silk :)

[thompy]

Nice work Neal, it looks as if you have used the flash and washed out the colour.

Flash was auto on all three simonatra, perhaps the darker background made the sensor burst the flash more to compensate? i'm beginning to think that lighting for photography is the same as pen blanks no two the same and impossible to get it repeatable. I'll keep trying, it maybe a case of me limiting my pics to daytime natural lighting.

Cheers troy, if i keep the silk it wont be my pens that change colours though...it'll be me. I might go up to some girly dressmaking crafty shop and see if i can get some offcuts or something.

Neal.

[Adynaton]

G'day Neal,

SWMBO in our house suggests that you go to spotlight or somewhere similar and get your own silk alternatively you could buy her some new silk and keep the old stuff:D

Ady:)

[thompy]

Both excellent options ady, i didn't consider the second, as i'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. Cheers mate.

Neal.

[Adynaton]

Might keep you sweet mate:wink:

ady:)

[gdf26562]

Hey there

I love the look of some acrylics, however I notice when using light colours the brass tube can show through ruining the look, I saw your post

Scuffed tube with scotchbrite pad, nailpolished white then a glitter transparent green, then glued in

I gather reading this you actually colour the brass tube, am I correct in thinking this? as I have been thinking about how to combat the brass look. I gather you then glue in the tube as per usual

Cheers
Graham

[thompy]

Hey there Graham, yep mate your spot on, i cant take credit for the idea, and i'm still learning myself. I used the fingernail paint right from the bottles (old ones) onto the brass tube with the brush supplied in the nailpolish bottle.

Couple of things, i use medium CA at present to glue my tubes in, and the polish/es, lets call em paint, didn't seem to react when i tested them off the tube. I'm unsure if they would react to epoxy, i dont think they would.

I used a scotchbrite pad to scuff the brass because when the wife polishes her nails it seemed about the same sort of paint "keying" required, without affecting the brass too much.

I did learn this time that the brush to apply the stuff from the bottles is usually horrible, and if i could spray it fine enough it would be ideal. I love the drying time of the stuff (5-10mins), so next time i shall buy a softer "hobby" / "modellers" hair brush to apply it (assuming the acetone to clean it wont eat away the brush).

And lastly i use a 4 inchish screw sticking out of my shelf horizontally to put the tube on to paint it and spin it to get as close to even coverage as i am able and it stops the tube rolling about and wrecking it or other stuff as it dries, i have fat fingers.

hope thats a help.

Neal.

[gdf26562]

yes, thanks a heap, i can now confidently turn the acrylics thinner without the dramas of seeing brass. Graham

[thompy]

Something to add is as you'll see the white (or other colour you match, blank depending) now instead of the brass, your internal glue up will be between the inner edge of the blank and the paint, so air pockets or glue gaps will show if your blank is particularly thin or transparent. This is also why i use the medium CA to glue up the tubes on my acrylics now, as it dries clear.
Not too much of a concern, but have a go and see how you fare, this pen came up very slightly that way (perhaps not visible in the pics), however you've gotta look at it really close up to see it as it gets a little hidden with the white swirl in the blank. I think i'll always be my own worst critic, lol.

Neal.