No Dip Marble Effect Technique
In the altered cigar box the background is a marble effect, and I was asked how I had achieved this effect. I had been considering putting up a tutorial for it, but the request was just the push I needed. So, here goes, my very first tutorial. 
First gather items to be used. Item to be marbled, paint, spray bottle with water, and something heavy to prop item against. I used an 8 x 8 inch canvas panel as my item; red, white, blue, and black acrylic craft paint (the craft acrylic works best because of its thin viscosity); and a recycled milk jug filled with water for the prop.
This can be a messy project. Be sure to cover your work area well!!!
TIP: If you don't get a newspaper regularly, you could try going to a local printer and ask if they have any end rolls. Mom gets me an end roll of newsprint paper for a few dollars, and it lasts forever. I use it for everything from crafting to packaging.
Next, while your item is still lying flat on the table, apply paint straight from the bottle in random patterns. I usually start out with two or three colors and then add as I go.
Now, pick item up from the table, and lean against the prop. As you can see in the photo above, the paint had started to "run" before I could even snap a picture. Let the paint run until you feel it is time to turn the item. My personal rule of thumb is to turn the item when the paint has ran to an edge. If you look at the photo below, on the right edge of the canvas, you can see where I turned the canvas when paint was at the edge.
As you continue to turn the item, you will want to start adding paint. I added white paint along the whole top edge of the canvas with varied pressure on the bottle. The photo below is after several turns and additions of paint. It's fun to watch the different colors push and pull each other into a marbled pattern.
As you go, you will see "holes" in the paint. Continue adding paint onto these places. It will help to drip the paint a bit above these holes, as it will drag more paint down with it. The closer you get to being done, the more paint you will have running off onto the surface of your work area.
The main thing to remember during this whole process, in the words of The Byrds..."Turn, Turn, Turn". Every time you add paint, let it run a little, then turn, and let it run again.
First gather items to be used. Item to be marbled, paint, spray bottle with water, and something heavy to prop item against. I used an 8 x 8 inch canvas panel as my item; red, white, blue, and black acrylic craft paint (the craft acrylic works best because of its thin viscosity); and a recycled milk jug filled with water for the prop.This can be a messy project. Be sure to cover your work area well!!!
TIP: If you don't get a newspaper regularly, you could try going to a local printer and ask if they have any end rolls. Mom gets me an end roll of newsprint paper for a few dollars, and it lasts forever. I use it for everything from crafting to packaging.
Next, while your item is still lying flat on the table, apply paint straight from the bottle in random patterns. I usually start out with two or three colors and then add as I go.
Now, pick item up from the table, and lean against the prop. As you can see in the photo above, the paint had started to "run" before I could even snap a picture. Let the paint run until you feel it is time to turn the item. My personal rule of thumb is to turn the item when the paint has ran to an edge. If you look at the photo below, on the right edge of the canvas, you can see where I turned the canvas when paint was at the edge.
As you continue to turn the item, you will want to start adding paint. I added white paint along the whole top edge of the canvas with varied pressure on the bottle. The photo below is after several turns and additions of paint. It's fun to watch the different colors push and pull each other into a marbled pattern.
As you go, you will see "holes" in the paint. Continue adding paint onto these places. It will help to drip the paint a bit above these holes, as it will drag more paint down with it. The closer you get to being done, the more paint you will have running off onto the surface of your work area.
The main thing to remember during this whole process, in the words of The Byrds..."Turn, Turn, Turn". Every time you add paint, let it run a little, then turn, and let it run again. You might be wondering why there is a spray bottle in this tutorial, when I haven't mentioned it. It can and will speed up the marbling. You can wet the area to work with first, and the paint will gently spread before you stand the item up and prop it. Spraying the paint with water after it is standing will give a very "tight" and small marble. The tight marbling does not fit my intentions for this canvas, so I didn't use it. 
When you are done adding paint, and there are no holes left, lay the item flat to dry. In the case of the cigar box, I propped it up so the paint would drip out and not leave a messy pool in the corners. You should allow the item to dry flat or propped for paint run off for 24 hours, or at least overnight.
The paint will seem really thick on the item. Leaning against the wall is a dry 8 x 8 that I had done previously. The texture of the canvas did come back through. That is it!! Please enjoy!
When you are done adding paint, and there are no holes left, lay the item flat to dry. In the case of the cigar box, I propped it up so the paint would drip out and not leave a messy pool in the corners. You should allow the item to dry flat or propped for paint run off for 24 hours, or at least overnight.
The paint will seem really thick on the item. Leaning against the wall is a dry 8 x 8 that I had done previously. The texture of the canvas did come back through. That is it!! Please enjoy!Labels: tutorial
posted by Betsy Bryant at
5:31 PM
3 Comments
These charms came from all over. With respect to the other members of the group, I will not be listing their names unless they want me to, but I will list the locations that each charm came from.
This is what the bracelet will look like on my wrist. For display purposes, I used an upended martini glass and blue jeans...I guess this means there is more to jeans and martinis than looking good and getting tipsy...interesting. I will cherish this bracelet with all my heart.
I had to change the photo on this side of the lid, because there was some glue on the origingal that I couldnt remove. I added some additional embelishments to the birch twigs 
I am almost done. I am getting to that point where I feel that if I add anymore, it will ruin it. Above is Logan admiring my work. Actually I think he is trying to decide the best way to get a hot wheel in it if I would just let him. Sorry, buddy. But it does give a better straight on photo of the whole box than the one below.
Above is what I have gotten done on the lid so far. I think this side of it is done. The picture is framed by birch branches that I picked up out of the yard. I picked them up for a different project, but they seemed to be perfect for this. 
The above photo is of the cigar box laying flat on the table. I covered an old jewelry gift box with some paper that was in my received goodies. Then I punched circles and ran them over the edge of an inkpad to give them some definition. Glue on buttons from said goodie stash. I cut the letters from a package label from stickers that were included in the stash...and there you have it, and antiqued looking title/theme for the box.
The two pictures below are of the sides and back/bottom of the box after the wall paper has been adhered and sanded. The white edges will be antiqued in some way at a later point. 
This is a so far pic of the inside and outside. I am still debating how to treat the edges where the lid will fit in. I am thinking of using the same antiqueing color(s) as I do for the white edges at this point. 
I do have to ask forgivness for the supplies and things in the background. When the whole thing is completely complete, I will attempt to get more professional looking pictures posted.
Enter the cigar box. I had to laugh because I thought it was just cardboard, and then I looked at the bottom and it is wood. Well covered wood.
Now the goodies. One of the particulars of the swap was to send a quart sized baggie of things that you would like to see on your cigar box. Then we are to add to that collection from our own supplies, and alter the box. Once it is finished we ship the box back to our swap partners. I have been waiting for the day to start, eagerly, but almost too eagerly. Above is a picture of some of the assortment of goodies I received. I laid them all out on the table, and selected various paint colors to match what I was given.
While cooking supper, Logan decided he was going to help me get started. I didn't ask for help, by the way, and the results were a bunch of smeared burgundy paint. Luckily, only one tiny drop ended up in the carpet. The paint did, however, end up on my chair, table, cutting mat, and Layla. Spaghetti waited on an impromptu bath time. Even though Logan looks kind of glum like he was in trouble, the husband and I just laughed about it and cleaned up the kids.
This is the lid, and come to find out it was just attatched with strips of masking tape. I will be adding hinges to it at a later point. Loving the Halloween placemat, huh? This is one of my "go green" tricks in my work area. I got this on clearance last year to protect my desk from paint. So instead of wasting paper to keep the area clean, I can just get the mat messy. Best of all, I don't have to clean up the mat, just let it dry and go. Below is the lid after I applied the paint to it. Both the front and back have the same marbled design, just a little different from each other, but the same color schemes.
