Crackle Tutorial

Hi all, a couple of months ago I had been asked if I could do a tutorial on different products that crackle, at first I thought I only have a couple of products but as crafters you know how it is, the minute you start counting you have loads lol, so all together I have done a review on 7 ways plus I chucked in a vaseline tutorial as well :-).  Lots and lots of pictures so if you make it to the end I'm mega impressed lol.

The box on the table is what I use for tags

that I have mopped up ink with, or tried bits with and

I keep them all lol.  So for the testing of the crackle products I thought 

I would use some of these up :-)

First up Mr Tim Holtz distress crackle paint by Ranger.  You can get

some of the colours of distress in this range plus a clear called rock candy.

You can get small pots or big ones. It goes on quite nicely with a brush,

credit card or palette knife.  Depending on the thickness depends on

how the crackles will go.

These were my first samples, rock candy on the left

and antique linen on the right.  For the initial test I just splodged on

randomly.  I love the colour of the antique linen but I have

no other colours, but I do mix my rock candy with other

products.

 So for this test I picked some bits and bobs that looked like they 

went together.  In the end I mixed my distress crackle paint rock candy with

Dylusion spray after midnight.

I just squirted twice over a pool of the crackle paint and mixed with my palette

knife.

Then I splodged it over my tags and atc.  I have done a thin layer

but in places it was slightly thicker.  This is because I wanted to see how long

each crackle would take using the same type of thickness.

As you can see some a rather thin which will change the amount of crackle

I will get.  Now according to Mr Tim Holtz when it starts to crackle you

can speed it up with a heat gun.  I haven't tried this, as with others

I have tried I always get it wrong.  I have seen it done though on videos :-)

I left it for around 3hours in a warm room, it was in the evening.

It had completely crackled by then, the pictures were took the next day

but it didn't change anymore overnight.

But wow even a think layer looks awesome and the

even though it was mixed with a spray it really kept it's crackle :-)

This was the ATC were it was thick in places, beautiful.  I can't

believe the change it made to an ATC I wasn't sure I liked lol

Next is Kroma crackle, the one on the left is on a blue

tag and mixed with a little bit of blue acrylic paint.

The one on the right is how it comes out of the tube.

Kroma crackle is white and unless coloured will stay white.

But as you will see in the test, the white does sort of blend really well

with whatever colour your doing it on, which I was quite

surprised at.

A right ugly tag, believe its distress inks gone wrong lol

but not completely sure.  I used a palette knife to spread it on,

not sure why the brush is in the picture lol.

It's quite runny but spreads ok, but I reckon you wouldn't be

able to get a lot of thickness with this, but trust me that 

doesn't matter when you see the results :-)

I tried taking a better picture but struggled as it

is really clear when it comes out lol.

 

I left it overnight and this is what I got, it really is beautiful and cracks

really well, not instant but if your prepared to wait then this is gorgeous result.

Even the really really thin bits that I almost scraped off again gave little cracks :-)

And because it was done on distress the wetness reacted the colour so the

cracks are the colour underneath, how cool is that :-)

Next is Viva Croco, and as you can see it comes in colours as

well as a clear.  This is copper and wow can you see the thickness lol.

(theres that brush again lol)

This is the result of the tag checks, on the left is copper,

middle gold and on the right clear.

I spread it on quite thinly.

After 4 hours it was completely dry, it would take longer if it was

thicker.  You can also buy a primer for it to take to glass and other

non porous surfaces.

But seriously doesn't it look 

I have used it before and when applied thickly even though it takes

time to dry it is really awesome and doesn't tend to peel away.

This frame is the very first time I used the Croco crackle, I used

clear and then painted on top.  I have since messed around with it trying

to add white to the cracks etc, but to say it was the first time the

cracks looks really fantastic.  Hmmmmmm might get that out again

and try grunging it up a bit lol

A closer look at a thicker coat.  I didn't use any primer before.

Next is the First Addition Trimcraft Two Step Crackle.

This has a primer, then the crackle.  The primer is thin and just paints

on, bit like milk!!!  Then when that is dry you add the crackle.

As you can see it really is thin and milky lol

The crackle is like a thick gloppy substance,

I put it on quite thinly and left it overnight.  I wasn't over pleased with the

results, but I reckon putting this on thickly would work wonders.

Also because it has a primer I reckon it will go on glass etc, but

I haven't tried it so maybe I should give it a go, watch this space lol.

Also for a test I used only the crackle and not the base coat in the top right.

Here are the results, not over crackled but I do think it's because

I didn't use it thickly.  Putting it on thinly though does give a nice accent to

your project.

This is the area that had no base coat which seemed to crack better.

I wonder if the base coat is for porous items, it doesn't 

seem to mention anything on the label that I saw.

Does give a nice texture though to the tag :-)

Next is Decoart Americana Weathered Wood Crackle

For this you paint the surface, my tag was painted with a non decoart

paint, not sure which though, hmmmmm it's either fresco or pebeo.

Then you add the weather wood crackle when the paint is dry.  

It's not overly thick and what you do is spread or paint it on.

If you use a brush, wash it straight away.

I tend to use my finger lol!!!!

Then you leave it to dry completely, this had dried in 4 hours, but it could

have been slightly less, I have to admit I wasn't checking every 30mins lol.

When it's dry just slap on some paint.  Yet again not sure which 

paint I used as I actually did the testing over a month ago.

If  you skip two pics you will see it half way dry (the paint) just as it

is cracking, blogger won't swap my pics around lol well

actually it's more user problems lol lol lol

How yummy is that, as the paint drys it just cracks, also the more

crackle you add the more thicker the cracks, the thinner the coat

you get slightly less cracks, as you will see in the next product!!!

Super duper gorgeous :-)

The drying process of the above product.

Next is Paperartsy Fresco Crackle, now I tend

to use this most as I use their paints, Fresco paints are

super gorgeous as they have a real chalky finish and

dry really really quickly.

Fresco works exactly as the above product Decoart Crackle.

All the paints on this I definitely used Fresco paints, it's the only definite lol.

The cracks don't appear as much as the decoart but this is purely 

because I put less on to show you the smaller cracks, 

I do find it so much easier to use my fingers when

using the Fresco crackle glaze :-)

This is when it is dry, (which takes around

15mins to a couple of hours depending

on how thick).  Now Leandra over at Paperartsy does some

wonderful YouTube videos on how to use their crackle also

some awesome videos on using their Fresco paint range.

Fresco paint is my complete favourite and there are no

other paints out there that give you such a gorgeous chalky finish.

Also on their blog they have weekly designers and challenges.

Each designer works with the Paperartsy range so you get

some fantastic ideas.

Also Leandra tested out the Fresco crackle wondering

if she left it for a month would it still crack, well the answer is yes

isn't that amazing.  I wonder if the decoart crackle above

does as well?  Maybe that's another test lol.

Again paint over it and watch the cracks appear as it dries.

Lovely :-)

If you haven't got a crackle medium you could try glue,

don't do what I did first around lol, I left it dry thinking it would

crack like the fresco oops errrrr glue dries to stick something down

not to crackle lol.

Now some glues do better then others, I find a standard white

pva glue works fantastically.

Here's the test tags.

I blob the glue around and paintbrush it over.

I would always test the glue first to see if it will work

as like I said above some glues do better then others and I'm

not sure why :-)

I just painted a nice thinish layer.

And then straight away paint over it.  I would definitely

pour some paint on a mat, as you paint over it when

dipping the brush into a paint pot it will transfer some glue.

I did quite a thick coat of paint so the cracks

would be nice and big.  You just watch and 

wait for the cracks to appear as it dries, it doesn't

take over long.

This was when it was part dry.

And wow look at it completely dry, gorgeous.

If you don't want too big cracks, just add less glue and

less paint.

Such an easy method with glue that all us

crafters have in our stash.

As an extra bonus how about using vaseline!!!!

You just use your finger and add vaseline in areas where you want

to see through to the tag.  Nice thick layers and the added bonus

your hands feel nice and smooth after lol

Now just paint over with some paint.

Again here with this tag you can see how the 

dylusion sprays have reacted with the paint and turned it 

a lighter colour of the tag, lovely.

Leave the paint to dry

Grap a cloth, I use some linen offcuts.

And because the vaseline resists the paint, the paint

just wipes off leaving a lovely weathered look.

Simples :-)

I'm sorry it took so long but at last it's here lol.  Hope you enjoyed the review, all the above are my own opinions so please as I always say, test first, this way you don't ruin your beautiful creation.  Any questions please feel free to comment or email me :-)
Happy Crafting :-)
Lots of Hugs
Kezzy xxxxx