First attempts at marbeling. Trying some yellow over black background, the yellow appears to loose it's intensity and starts to look more green/chartreuse. Tried yellow over already hardened black and also tried yellow onto fresh blackened epoxy. Both attempts resulted with a greenish looking yellow.
Although I don't want a white background, would this help?
Or maybe a yellow background with black marbeling?
Also tried to overdose the yellow pigment but that didn't work either.
I tried two different yellows, Testors and Mudhole brands with same result.
I did not use any heat.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

TJB

Put the yellow down FIRST and then go back on the next coat and put the black over that. Dark over light, not light over dark. One works, the other does not.

Thomas

Light colors over dark colors (like yellow over black) are always difficult whether you're talking about marbeling, light threads over dark blanks or light paint over darkers walls of a room. The darker color will bleed through and the contrasting lighter color loses its' sharpness. I have had some modest success allowing the light colored epoxy finish to set up to the point where it's stringy and gooey (almost to a non liquid state) and then apply it over the darker color. It seems to work a little better that way but you will still get some bleed through. Depending upon the look you trying to achieve you may not be satisfied with the result because the contrasting light colors tend to be in more or a clump rather than a lot of random swirls. Applying heat will thin out the yellow and you'll get essentially the same result you've been getting. I think you would probably be happier applying a yellow base and using using the black over top of it but do some tests on a piece of scrap and see what you like best. You might also try a hint of a third color (perhaps a small pinch of red or a touch of white - maybe a bit of both) and see if you like the result. I always think that at least 3 colors make for a better looking marble job.

Good luck.

Sam

Yellow on a black background will be difficult because the yellow is relatively transparent and if it's too soft it will blend with the black epoxy too much. I've worked with yellow and orange on black background to create flames and you really need to let the lighter colors thicken a lot before adding it to the darker epoxy which should be just starting to set up. The timing is pretty tough. I would start with a practice dowel, painted to closely match the color of the blank. Mix the yellow epoxy and set it aside to thicken. Wait about fifteen minutes and mix up your black. By the time you get the black base on the dowel the yellow should be just starting to thicken. You still want to wait a little bit for the black to start setting up so that it's less likely to flow on top of your yellow. Once the yellow is nice and thick; thick enough to just slowly drip from your brush, spatula, toothpick, or whatever you're using, then you can start dripping it into the black base. Less set up time means more blending of the colors, a longer set up time will keep the colors from blending so much. You need to work with the timing to get the effect you're looking for. If you're trying for a particular effect like flames then I've found it helpfull to paint the pattern onto the blank first to create a background that works with the colored epoxy.

If you use an actual pigment (quite thick_ Like Tap, you won't have a problem. I do it all the time. Let the pigmented epoxy set for a bit before you apply the base coat and let it turn for about 5 min or so and then marble in with the yellow which has been setting. I always use High Build. If it's set to much, lightly hit with heat to get the effect that you want.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I don't think you let it thicken long enough. One of the mistakes I made early on was to try to mix the colors before they were really thick. If you let them get too thick, add heat in moderation. Also Mike is right about the Taps colors. I think they are the best!

Ed Smith
Flat Rock, NC

Thanks for the info.
Will continue to experiment with all of the above ideas!
Great thing about this hobby (or profession!), new stuff to try all the time!
Where may I pick up the Taps colors?

Thanks again!

TJB

You can order them direct from TAP Plastics in 1 oz containers. Do a google search.