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Post by beetlewing on Aug 15, 2014 5:19:50 GMT
These are probably the cheapest crystals you can make, and they're super easy. Get a glue stick (I used a smaller one, from my little glue gun). Cut into 4 pieces with a good pair of scissors. Then cut the pieces to make crystals. I did both ends, then the long faceted sides:   Sort through your trimmings and grab some nice bits. I went for the two larger groups of trimmings. The really long bits from trimming the long sides of the crystals I cut into smaller pieces:  Glue the 4 large crystals into the center of the washer, then glue the smaller bits around them. Take your time and allow sections to cool before adding the next section. I used tweezers to hold the smaller pieces.  Flock the base and paint. I used a watered down mix of purple and a little metallic silver for the crystals. (The photo's color is off) All done!  Painting tip: it's pretty solid once cooled, which allowed me to gently bend the large crystals out of the way when painting the nooks and crannies. Cheers!  |
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dmzane
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 150 
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Post by dmzane on Aug 15, 2014 6:09:56 GMT
I really like this idea. I've made them out of foam board, foam insulation, and sculpy in the past but these look much better. You used acrylic paint?
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Post by beetlewing on Aug 15, 2014 6:15:30 GMT
I really like this idea. I've made them out of foam board, foam insulation, and sculpy in the past but these look much better. You used acrylic paint? Yep, just acrylic. I'll probably seal them with a brush-on gloss clear coat, since the paint is so thin. |
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Post by Cyan Wisp on Aug 15, 2014 6:17:11 GMT
These look really good!
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dmzane
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 150
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Post by dmzane on Aug 15, 2014 6:17:43 GMT
Wonder if polyurethane would work, I have huge can of it just laying around.
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Post by Sleepy Hollow Mike on Aug 15, 2014 9:27:24 GMT
I like them. I usually wait until right after Christmas when the stores are practically giving away ornaments! Also right after Christmas some ppl even toss out some of their older decorations! Trash day is really exciting around Christmas time!
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Post by beetlewing on Aug 15, 2014 14:39:29 GMT
Wonder if polyurethane would work, I have huge can of it just laying around. Try some on a painted glue stick, before you do all the work |
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justsix
Cardboard Collector
Posts: 34
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Post by justsix on Aug 15, 2014 15:00:21 GMT
Is there anything hot glue sticks CAN'T do?
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Post by SpielMeisterKev! on Aug 15, 2014 15:07:21 GMT
Howdy, You are really starting to grow on me? EXALT BUTTON! Karma for you, Kev! |
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Post by Draklith on Aug 15, 2014 16:55:31 GMT
Wow bro, really nice looking crystals 
why did you wait until after I got back from the thrift shop to post these? 
could have saved me some loot... lol 
But seriously, what a "killer" idea |
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Post by curufin on Aug 15, 2014 18:43:55 GMT
Again with the ingenuity. They look great! These are the "thinking outside the box" things I love to see.
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dmzane
Paint Manipulator
Posts: 150
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Post by dmzane on Aug 16, 2014 1:25:54 GMT
I made one of these today, they are easy and look great. Still need to test my polyurethane on some glue sticks.
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Post by dungeonmistress on Aug 16, 2014 1:46:51 GMT
I love these! What a great idea!
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Post by adamantinedragon on Aug 16, 2014 2:20:28 GMT
Nice. I really like the colors you used.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2014 6:13:04 GMT
I'm making these before I even finished reading through the thread.
Excellent idea!
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Post by tauster on Aug 16, 2014 7:59:42 GMT
I'm making these before I even finished reading through the thread. Excellent idea! ... first!  I had to stop myself after the sixth piece. Lesson learned: leave enough space for the rock flocking and for painting the ground between the crystals. I shot myself in the foot by placing them all over the bases, leaving only little space between them for the brush. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2014 9:52:31 GMT
I'm going to try mounting them on some polystyrene 'rocks', see how that works out.
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sotf
Advice Guru
Posts: 1,084
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Post by sotf on Aug 17, 2014 22:04:02 GMT
One thing that might work to improve these is to save painting the base until after the crystals and give it a bit of heat, just enough to get it softer and then let it cool. It would probably make the colors into an even more crystal like form, and would set them a bit more, while making them more fantasy crystalline in appearance by smoothing out a lot of the tool marks. You could probably even do it with a hair dryer on higher heat within a minute...or a heat gun if you have one.
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Post by skunkape on Aug 18, 2014 17:37:38 GMT
If you get ahold of the colored glue sticks like DMScotty shows in one of his vids, you could have colored crystals!
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Cheers!