This Week’s “Rock of the Week”

    Okay, I’m back at it, because this is a fun thing to do. I like to tell my rock patrons about this blog so that they can see what I have been up to lately. This blog has been published beginning in 2010 when I first started this “Adventure “. It has been a joyous ride for sure. I still enjoy going to the Farmer’s Markets and meeting new people from across the U.S., and other places worldwide. You may want to scroll back in the blog archive by clicking on a year in the side panel below the links. The first entry tells about how I got started doing this.Feel free to comment on my work or anything else that you may want to submit. And...please check out “Your Spirit Rocks! “ on Facebook (now Meta™) and follow me. I love hearing about your own adventures and pursuits. All the best to you and your families,

Christopher 

P.S. The rock below is simply called “Daisies” but you probably knew that ;-)

Embellishing with Gold

The latest rock creations are ones that do not really involve the glow factor as such. I've discovered the value of using Gold puff paint on a very black background ( i.e. Black 3.0 ) after which the rock is coated with resin and ends up looking like an ornament from Italy (or Ireland as someone suggested). Below are samples of what is being described.

Messing around with Resin

 I know, I know. Resin is toxic and it is advisable not to use this material without wearing latex gloves or wearing a mask. The fumes can be bad news and if the stuff gets on your hands and skin it can be tough to get off. I have used hand sanitizer as the go-to substance for this problem.

 That being said, I find that this is the best clear coat for anything like rocks and shells that you might want to make waterproof and shiny. It also makes the rocks practically indestructible ( which they already are pretty much ). After coating a rock or shell with the one-step UV resin I use by Decor Rom™, its put it under a large black light for around a minute then put it out in the sun for a few hours. Viola! a beautiful finish with a hard, clear coat appears.

   Casting resin is another issue entirely and can be said that unless you are adept at this process, I would take a pass unless you know someone who has worked with this medium and knows exactly what they are doing. 

    As a novice, the work I've produced so far has me glowing with pride. My hope is that this process will work for you too if you are a rock painter starting out. The other option, of course, is to use a product called Triple Thick™ which gives a nice clear coat that dries fast but will not really withstand the elements as well as resin. The other plus is that you can get a project done quickly and it will not yellow over time which can happen with the resin. 

The rock below is an example of something that just happened to come together pretty nicely. This of course is how it looks under UV light. Enjoy!