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blazt*

Mixing Pearl Paints?

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I was looking at Ctex's line of Pearl colors, trying to decide what two shades I need to buy to mix up the green I want. But it slowly dawned on me that pearl powder is solid and might not mix well with pearls of another color ( white or yellow, probably.) Everything Ctex has is the wrong shade or color....but if I mix green pearl with white pearl won't I just have light green paint with dark green pearl particles and white pearl particles floating around seperately in it? It just seems they would never blend really. Or would mixing produce a pretty decent effect? These lures are for ultra clear water - I want them to be right.

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Pearls are standard colors with a pearlizing medium added to give the pearl effect. You should be able to mix them without a problem. Blue + yellow = green, but you can add pearl white to dark pearl green to lighten it up too. You can also buy bottles of "pearlizing medium" to make standard colors pearlescent. So there are several ways to go, you just have to experiment.

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Have you tried just adding opaque white/black or any other color to the green pearl? Their irridescent green is a killer color as well.

I'm still shopping for my paint. I don't know if I want to mix pearls w/ regular colors because it might reduce the flashiness. But I was thinking of maybe something from the iridescent line. Are they like pearls except for the shift effect?

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Pearls are standard colors with a pearlizing medium added to give the pearl effect. You should be able to mix them without a problem. Blue + yellow = green, but you can add pearl white to dark pearl green to lighten it up too. You can also buy bottles of "pearlizing medium" to make standard colors pearlescent. So there are several ways to go, you just have to experiment.

But isn't the pearlizing medium (the powder) always a color that matches the paint base? And if so wouldn't I still have yellow pearl powder intermingling with blue pearl powder without ever truly blending?

I thought about buying pearl powder but I'd rather stick w/ Createx since it has a decent rep for shooting fairly clean. Who knows which pearls will shoot through an airbrush. I looked through Ctex's "pigments" section but they don't have any pearls there.

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But isn't the pearlizing medium (the powder) always a color that matches the paint base? And if so wouldn't I still have yellow pearl powder intermingling with blue pearl powder without ever truly blending?

I thought about buying pearl powder but I'd rather stick w/ Createx since it has a decent rep for shooting fairly clean. Who knows which pearls will shoot through an airbrush. I looked through Ctex's "pigments" section but they don't have any pearls there.

I haven't used it but have a bottle of Pearlizing Medium that is probably ready-mixed pearl in a clear acrylic base you can use with any color. I assume it will lighten the hue because it adds a silvery white sheen. I use iridescent paints like Createx Electric Blue. Not sure they are really color shift paints but they have more shine and "pop' than regular pearls. I mix them with regular colors to tone down the iridescence a bit and because the Electric Blue is a very strong dark blue. For instance, Electric Blue and the lighter Caribbean Blue mix to make an attractive medium blue. I don't think pearl paints are made from colored pearl pigments; I think they are standard pigments mixed with a pearlizing medium. In my experience, they mix up just like regular colors.

Mixing paint is more art than science. IMO, you just have to experiment and see what happens.

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I haven't used it but have a bottle of Pearlizing Medium that is probably ready-mixed pearl in a clear acrylic base you can use with any color. I assume it will lighten the hue because it adds a silvery white sheen. I use iridescent paints like Createx Electric Blue. Not sure they are really color shift paints but they have more shine and "pop' than regular pearls. I mix them with regular colors to tone down the iridescence a bit and because the Electric Blue is a very strong dark blue. For instance, Electric Blue and the lighter Caribbean Blue mix to make an attractive medium blue. I don't think pearl paints are made from colored pearl pigments; I think they are standard pigments mixed with a pearlizing medium. In my experience, they mix up just like regular colors.

Mixing paint is more art than science. IMO, you just have to experiment and see what happens.

I found a clue on House of Kolor's tech sheet for the Ice Pearls they make:

"Blends of Ice Pearl pigments give true multicolor effect, showing the individual colors of the pearl used in the blend. "

Of course this exactly the effect I'm trying to avoid. I'm shooting for smooth, homogenous green color rather than "green/yellow sparkle".

Regarding pearl mediums, I watched a video today (Cheap tricks and special F/X) where a very skilled painter was mixing up pearl, and he just threw the pearl into straight clear (with reducer and a bit of catalyst). The pearl makes the color. Actually I watched 4 of these vids, in which they mixed pearls a few times, a candy once, and several opaques. But they weren't mixings pearls for a custom shade.

I want to do a baby bluegill pattern, and pearls duplicate that subdued greenish flash just perfectly. Also it would be useful for a baby bass pattern.

But you definitely have me thinking about the iridescents - you say they blend into one color nicely? And they can be toned down to a pearl- like shimmer? Also maybe the iridescents might be good for shooting over foil for shiner, shad, etc. baits.

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Try mixing 'white pearl' with any colour ------------------------- I said, get a colour, any colour and mix the pearl with it, maybe 10%, interesting outcomes.

pete

Thanks for the idea, Pete.

I have been trying to get a blue/violet sheen on my pearl white baits.

I'm going to try and mix in some transparent violet, and see what happens.

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Thanks for the idea, Pete.

I have been trying to get a blue/violet sheen on my pearl white baits.

I'm going to try and mix in some transparent violet, and see what happens.

Modern pearls are actually just tiny particles of mica that are micro-encapsulated in a shell of titanium oxide. Different thicknesses of this titanium oxide shell reflect light differently, giving a color-change appearence. Chameleon (color shifting) paints are just two different pearls colors together in a specific ratio. The C-Tex pearl paints also have pigment in the paint.

John

Aiden James Lures

http://AJLures.com

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I mix pearlized paints all the time with good results. I have also mixed pearl with regular solid paints with less flashy results but it still works. You will have no trouble mixing createx pearl paints though. That's what I use. Not sure why you didn't just try it. It's not that expensive or anything. Just mix some up and see if it satisfies you. Just my two cents.

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I once heard a guy talk about painting his car with the colors aquamarine and pearl white mixed together.

He said he didn't have enough of either color to do the whole car so he just mixed them together.   They were the last two cans of paint in his shop.  Anyway, he said when he was done it was the most beautiful color he had ever seen on a car. 

It's a pity I don't know how to mix my colors on a computer because I would like to see what that color looks like.

Max

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