General Instructions for Casting Dragon Blanks
Casting Dragon blanks are pen blanks that have been sculpted by hand in epoxy clay. They are uncast and ready for you to add your favorite colors, cast, then turn or sell.
The epoxy is versatile in the type of finish it can take. From acrylic paints to alcohol inks to spray paint – there is no limit to what you can use. Some methods do require sealing for the best results. Detailed below are general instructions for two different ways to add your own flair.
Two other things to note – the raw epoxy clay is basically a glue. This means that whatever was in the air or on the table (despite being cleaned!!!) found its way onto the surface of the clay. The customizing work you’ll do will cover up anything. The other thing is you may see the brass tube in some areas, especially depending on how thin the clay had to be to stay under the bushings. As before, this will be covered when you add color, just make sure to get in all those nooks and crannies.
Materials Needed for Acrylic Paints:
- Casting Dragon blanks
- Paints in your choice of colors
- Paint brush(es)
- Paint water
- Paint palette
- Silicone plugs or dowels
- Gloves (optional)
- Workspace covering (optional)
- Masking tape (optional)
- Drying area (optional)
Before you get started:
Cover your work area. Gloves are a good idea too.
Fit the silicone plugs or dowels in the Casting Dragon blank tubes. Make sure there is little to no wiggle. Masking tape can be used to create thickness if needed.
With the blanks ready for painting figure out where and how you’ll set them to dry as a test run. This will help make sure you’re ready to easily place them aside to dry.
Customizing the Casting Dragon blanks with Acrylic Paint:
- Place the blanks on the silicone plugs or dowels
- Paint a base color
- Make sure to get up under the scales!
- Allow to dry
- Inspect and add another coat if needed
- Using a second complimentary or contrasting color, dry brush over the raised areas
- Allow to dry
- Inspect and add another coat if needed
- Allow to dry
- Based on the paint product recommendations, allow full curing time before casting.
- Casting too soon will not allow the chemicals to degas and may result in fuzzy looking blanks
- Clean up both ends of your blanks as needed. Typically, a careful and gentle swipe with an X-Acto works
- Cast
- It is not advised to use the same silicone plugs you used for customizing to cast with!!! Unless, of course, you’ve cleaned them up well
Materials Needed for Alcohol Ink
- Casting Dragon blanks
- Alcohol Inks in your choice of colors
- Paint brush(es)
- Cup with Isopropyl Alcohol for your brushes
- Paint palette
- Silicone plugs or dowels
- Spray bottle with at least 70% Alcohol, the finer the mist the better
- Cloth rag (old t-shirts are great)
- Kielty Inks Layering Solution or Kamar Varnish
- Gloves (optional)
- Workspace covering (optional)
- Masking tape (optional)
- Drying area (optional)
Before you get started:
Cover your work area, especially with Alcohol Inks. They’re sneaky and messy and tend to stain! Gloves are a good idea for the same reason.
Fit the silicone plugs or dowels in the Casting Dragon blank tubes. Make sure there is little to no wiggle. Masking tape can be used to create thickness if needed. I also recommend putting masking tape on the plugs if you intend to ever use them for any other projects.
With the blanks ready for painting figure out where and how you’ll set them to dry as a test run. This will help make sure you’re ready to easily place them aside to dry.
Customizing the Casting Dragon blanks with Alcohol Inks:
- Place the blanks on the silicone plugs or dowels
- Use the Alcohol Inks to create your base colors
- Make sure to get up under the scales!
- Allow to dry
- Inspect and add another coat if needed
- Spray the plain Alcohol on your rag and use against the raised surfaces
- May need to be repeated several times
- Allow to dry
- Inspect and add another coat if needed
- Allow to dry
- Seal with Kielty Inks Layering Solution or Kamar Varnish
- Make sure to get up under the scales!
- Make sure to get around the rims and possibly inside the tube depending on how the inks behaved
- Based on the sealing product recommendations, allow full curing time before casting.
- Casting too soon will not allow the chemicals to degas and may result in fuzzy looking blanks
- Cast
- It is not advised to use the same silicone plugs you used for customizing to cast with!!! Unless, of course, you’ve cleaned them up well
Happy Creating!