We had an inordinate amount of fun this night as Lorraine Douglas brought out many glittery things for us to try.  For the price of a few measly dollars she let us play with them to our heart's content.  The only solemn part of the evening was when she made us raise our right hands and swear that we would not contaminate her Schminke Pan Gold with Glitter Glue.

A flash or sparkle can jazz up any piece of work, but there are a few things to remember before you start.

Glitter works best where it can be seen, so darker paper is preferred.  Lorraine recommended Canson Paper.  Canson Paper has two distinct sides, the darker side having more texture.

Not all products are light-fast, check this out before you start an important piece.  The medium may be more suitable for greeting cards or items that will not be directly exposed to light.

Be careful with the application..  If it is too thick, it may flake or fall off.

Clean your brushes and pens after you use them.  They may look pretty when cemented in gold, but they won't work very well.

Many items we used were new to us.  Some are available in the city, but the rest can be obtained by mail order.

Schmincke Pan Gold, or Shell Gold. ($6.25US) Add distilled water with a clean brush directly to the pan and mix it.  This can be used with a calligraphy nib.

Yasutomo Pan Gold ($12.00US) is available in both a pale and reddish gold. It has a long drying time, so be careful with it.

Luma Pearlescent Inks ($4.10US) You can get these in a wide range of colors, including Hot Mama Red, and work very well in a pen.
 

Dr. Martins Iridescent. ($4.15US) These are thicker, and don't flow as easily, but you can add distilled water.  They are waterproof and light-fast.

Pentel Hybrid Pens ($3.00CDN) You can get these in the city, at art and gift stores. There are a gold and silver, and a wide range of regular colours.

All of the US Dollar items are available from John Neal Booksellers in North Carolina.  Call (910)-272-6139 for a catalogue or e-mail them from the link on our Web Page.  The Luma Pearlescent Inks are also available from Paper Arts in Calgary.  Call them at (403) 242-9985 and see what else they may have.

Various stamp pads, glitter glues, sparkly things and stuff.  Check out your local craft or Dollar Store for these.

Try some of these, and add a little sparkle to your work.
 

Copyright 1997 by The Calligraphers Guild of Manitoba