Customizing fan blades and light switch plates for fun.
It's been a while since I attempted acrylic pouring, and I thought it'd be a "cool" way to customize my new ceiling fan. I didn't feel like I really knew what I was doing, but I enjoyed doing it. The fan and some light switch plates turned out well to my surprise.
DISCLAIMER: I'm an amateur still learning how to do a proper acrylic pour. The steps I took and supplies I used are possibly wrong. Yet, the result was satisfying, which is why I'm sharing my experience.
Supplies and Stuff
These are the items I used to continue practicing my acrylic pouring:
Fan blades. Since I got a cheap ceiling fan for a room in my house, I decided to use it as a 'canvas' for an acrylic pour paint project.
Light switch plates. I poured over several light switch plates so I wouldn't waste any leftover paint initially used on the fan blades.
Acrylic and tempera paints. I used a variety of acrylic and tempera paints I had at home. The colors used were blue, neon green, yellow, white, black, and metallic gold.
Cups. I used several cups for mixing and pouring my paints. There was one cup for each paint color and one cup for mixing the multiple colors to pour over each fan blade.
Water. I used tap water to thin my paints.
Dish soap. I recently learned that dish soap helps create cells in the design, although it apparently doesn't create as many cells as silicone.
Floetrol. It's my understanding that Floetrol helps with the flow and self-leveling of the poured paint. Otherwise, I'm using it because other bloggers suggest it. Haven't used it long enough to know the difference yet.
Stir tools. I used craft sticks initially, but resorted to No. 2 pencils, and cut pieces of drinking straw when I ran out of craft sticks.
Gloss glaze. I used a gloss glaze as a clear, protective finish.
Picnic tablecloth. I used a used picnic tablecloth to catch the paint overflow on my table.
Wood boards, Styrofoam, and plastic cup lids. I used these items to keep the fan blades and light switch plates elevated. This prevented the paint from becoming an adhesive of sorts and sticking the pieces to the tablecloth.
NOTE: If you want to try acrylic pouring, you may consider wearing gloves to keep your hands and nails clean.
Setup
I draped a used picnic tablecloth over a folding table I often use for large craft projects. I placed all the supplies I needed on the table so I could reach them easily. I also placed other bottles of paint nearby in case I decided I wanted to use colors I didn't initially plan to use, which was the case after my test pour.
I wore disposable gloves when I started, but my hands quickly became sweaty and uncomfortable. I removed them prior to pouring paint and naturally got paint all over my fingers. Acrylic and tempera paints are water-based, making them easy to wash off. However, some paint remained under my nails for a few days even with frequent washing. Nail polish remover probably would've helped remove it, but I didn't bother to try it.
I also placed wood boards or Styrofoam to keep the fan blades and light switch plates elevated. This prevented the paint from becoming an adhesive of sorts and sticking the pieces to the tablecloth. The paint dripped off the edges and onto the tablecloth.
Mixing the Paint
Initially I chose to use blue, yellow, white, black, and metallic gold for my pours. Later, I decided to use neon green as well. I had a variety of paint brands I bought for cheap from my local Wal-Mart store. I found they worked well together, at least for amateur acrylic pouring purposes.
I also had acrylic and tempera paints to work with. The tempera paints were thinner than the regular acrylic paints. I needed less water to thin the tempera paints.
I started by pouring each paint color into separate plastic cups. I added a small amount of water and mixed well. I added more water if I thought the paint wasn't thin enough for pouring. While I'm still learning and figuring things out, I read the paint shouldn't be as thin as water or it wouldn't adhere to the surface I'm pouring over.
I added some dish soap to each cup hoping cells would develop after the pour. In the past like when I did my Acrylic Pour on a Phone Case, many bubbles form because of the dish soap. This was my first time using Floetrol in my paint mixtures, and I think it helped minimize the number of bubbles that formed in the mixture and developed after the pour. After my test pour, I felt comfortable using a little more dish soap for a better chance of cells developing.
I reuse the cups for as long as they'd last. I find it easy to peel dried paint from the inside after letting it sit for a few days. I'd give the cup a little squeeze to loosen the paint and make it easier for my to pry it out with my fingers or tweezers.
Pouring the Paint
For the fan blades, I poured white paint mixture into the cup first and the metallic gold last. I didn't pay attention to the order I poured the other paint mixtures in between the white and metallic gold colors. I'm sure I would've paid attention to the order if I wanted to achieve a more similar design pattern on each fan blade. Yet, I wanted each blade to be uniquely different even though the designs consisted of the same colors.
This was like what I did with the first light switch plate I poured over. I started with white, ended with metallic gold, and didn't pay attention to the order I poured the other colors in between. The only difference is I didn't use neon green in this test.
I mixed a lot of paint to make sure I had plenty for a generous pour over the fan blades. That meant I had a lot of extra paint after I finished with the fan blades. I used the extra paint mixtures over several light switch plates. You'll notice from the photos further below that some of the plates don't show much white, black, or blue because I used most of those paint colors on the fan blades.
Drying the Paint
I used a heat gun to pop the bubbles that developed after pouring. There weren't many bubbles this time around. Perhaps adding Floetrol to the paint mixtures helped eliminate the bubbles. I don't know that for sure, but that's what I choose to believe today.
I let the fan blades and light switch plates dry on the table (while still elevated by wood boards or Styrofoam) for about an hour. I then moved the pieces outside to dry under the sunlight for the day.
If the sun wasn't shining, or if I didn't choose to move the pieces outdoors to dry, probably would've let it dry for a couple days on the same table. I also would've lifted the pieces off the wood boards or Styrofoam every few hours to keep everything from sticking together.
Protecting the Finished Design
My Dad sprayed Rust-Oleum Semi-Gloss White Paint + Primer over the fan blades. After letting it dry for a day in the sun, the fan blades were smooth to the touch. I only noticed the semi-gloss when the ceiling fan lights were on and reflecting off the fan blades.
I sprayed DecoArt Triple Thick Gloss Glaze over the light switch plates. After letting it dry for a day in the sun, the plates remained tacky to the touch for another day or 2. The thick glaze added texture to what was a smooth surface prior to its application. However, the plates were very shiny in low and bright lighting.
My Thoughts
I loved the way the fan turned out! I can see flashes of color when the fan is running, especially when the lights are on under the blades. When the fan is off, the blades look like unique abstract art pieces dangling from the ceiling.
I should make a habit of measuring how much paint, water, dish soap, and Floetrol I use for each mixture. It'd make it easier to ultimately determine the right consistency for future acrylic pours.
It's too early to tell how long the light switch plates will last. The only prep I did was clean the plates with an antibacterial wipe. I didn't use paint and primer as I did with the fan blades. I'm not sure how long the paint will last, but hopefully it'll last long since I don't handle the plates more than to clean them from time-to-time.
What's Next?
I liked the way the fan blades and light switch plates turned out. I'm wondering whether I should customize and decorate other fans and plates in my house. I'm tempted.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam