Swirl finishes, "Dragonfly style !" (56k warning for pictures !)

[Auke Haarsma]

My swirl that got a bit out of hand (key learning point: know when to stop).

It used to be a real swirl...but I thought 'let's try this colour also.... and finally I ended up adding metallic spray paint (not water based at all...).



The texture is really rough, but I like it (and the guy I build this for too )

[jayp5150]

My swirl that got a bit out of hand (key learning point: know when to stop).

It used to be a real swirl...but I thought 'let's try this colour also.... and finally I ended up adding metallic spray paint (not water based at all...).



The texture is really rough, but I like it (and the guy I build this for too )

I dig that.

It looks like you just grabbed it out of a time capsule, or something.

Rough those switches up, too 

I like the beat-up thing sometimes. Nice one.

[dickwiewy]

Nice "happy accident" patina.
It looks positively "off planet"!

If the switch tops need to match;
Invert the switch heads in a shallow tray of muriatic acid
to take some of the gleamin' chrome down a notch.
Best to make a jig so those switches can't topple over first.

So you started w/ acrylic paint first, then introduced the metalic? What brand?

Is that how you got those rupturing bleebos to issue forth? The textures
remind me of this 2 volume set of Dermachromes I have. Positively
stomach churning.
But in the good way!

[Auke Haarsma]

haha, thnx guys

It started as a 'normal' one-colour spray-paint box. nice off-white. Really neat. Then I bought three colours of acrylic paint (green, yellow, blue). Just to try it once.

Applied the acrylic over the (dried) white-paint. The swirls were nice, really. But I everytime I saw some place which could be better. So I added some more paint...ruining the swirls I had (yeah, I learn by doing....). Then I just grabbed a red spray-paint, to see how it would react with the acrylic. What happens is that it eats away the acrylic. In a weird way. So I applied again some more acrylic. Then I let it dry for a couple of minutes.

Next I sprayed the gold/copper metallic paint from several angles in different spots. Finished it by baking it in the oven

Here's another shot from the side, shows the texture a bit more:

[deaconque]

My swirl that got a bit out of hand (key learning point: know when to stop).

It used to be a real swirl...but I thought 'let's try this colour also.... and finally I ended up adding metallic spray paint (not water based at all...).



The texture is really rough, but I like it (and the guy I build this for too )

I LOVE IT!!  I'm going to have to do some experimenting now.  Great work.  BTW, what brand of paint was the mettalic copper?

[suregork]

more swirls:

[Focalized]

These are nice. GGG 808 and what will be some one knob fuzz. Maybe a Colorsound.

[Dr.Pain]

Can someone please re-up or do a recap of the process for me because the original post does not have it anymore. 
From what I understood you first do a coat of primer, then use a toothpick with slightly diluted acrylic paints and then use an acrylic based clearcoat. Right? 
Help me out please.  Thanks.

[davent]

This should do it. http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/DRAGONFLY-LAYOUTS_0/TUTORIALS/HOWTO/

Have fun!
dave

[Dr.Pain]

Thanks a bunch, duder!! Really appreciate that link there. 
I will try this out a bit later today and report back.

[lightbulbjim]

My first attempt at this. I used a white (enamel) basecoat which I scuffed up with some 220 grit sandpaper before laying down the acrylic. The clearcoat is also enamel, as that's what I had handy. It worked fine except for some lumps and bumps because I didn't do any level sanding. It's pretty rough and ready but it works.



Next time I'm going to try sticking to two complementary-but-not-prime colours, such as red/green or orange/blue and maybe a black or white for accent.

[aballen]

I just did my first swirl job, me and my son, one each.  It was a fun project to do together.

I have a question though.  The acrylic paint I purchased was a bit thick, so the surface is not level... it is a but like Freddy Kruegers face honestly.  I would like to do a full face label, and then coat with envirotex though.  Is there anything I can do here?  I'm concerned a full face waterslide will not bond well due to the non level surface.

Oh and of course, pics.

[Ripdivot]

I would build the finish up with a clear coat of your choosing. Then sand it flat and apply your decal. Then apply more clear.

[tony grazioso]

shhwirly...what a weird word, huh???

[tony grazioso]

ooops, so sorry, forgot one..hope ya like.

[aballen]

Those labels look great.   

I tried printing some similar ones, but once I applied the decal, the dark colors from my pedal showed through the label, making in quite illegible.. so I peeled it back off.. any ideas?

[bbr6704]

I like to bring such old topics back to life...   

Anyway, here's my first attempt to do some "dragonfly style" swirl!





Not exactly what I had in my mind (It was better to my taste before tilting the box), but I'm quite happy with it.

I made it with the help of my 5 yo daughter, and she was happy too!

I must just say I cheated with the gold : it was disapearing in the other colors, so I put some some minutes after, undiluted, so it could stand out.

To sum up, nice experience, I'll swirl again in the future!

[Kevin Mitchell]

That looks awesome!

I wish I knew about this thread 7 years ago!
Here's my first completed pedal build from December, 2014. Was on my first debug thread but all my old shared photos dropped. Luckily I still have them in a cloud!
I think it's kind of insane to think it was my first time soldering, 2nd attempt at etching & drilling a PCB and first and only paint swirl attempt. Talk about diving in head first 

Double dipped EZ Vibe


Edit:
Actually, I kind of recall this thread. Isn't "Dragonfly style" different from dipping? Since the OP photos are gone it's all kind of fuzzy to me.

[cab42]

 I think the photos are still there. They have just been moved:

https://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/DRAGONFLY-LAYOUTS_0/TUTORIALS/HOWTO/

If you by dipping, means dipping the enclosure in a tray with swirled paint (as I have seen in youtube videos), yes Dragonflys method is different, applying the paint directly on the enclosure and using a toothpick to swirl.

I have tried this a couple of times with moderate success.

[amz-fx]

There is a photo of one of my attempts in my Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/amzfx/

regards, Jack

ps: I would have posted the pic here but I don't have a copy on hand.