a new feel on things
John Allard
Staff Writer
Hello tool fans!
Last month I left you wondering: what was one of the coolest tools for putting a new "feel" on things?
It is a tool that is often overlooked but simple to use to create a soft textured feel to objects. The tool is of course the flocking tool.
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...wait... what? You don't know what a flocker is?
Well have you ever felt the smooth, velvety surface of a jewelry box or a fuzzy little gift shop animal, or a railroad diorama with amazingly lifelike grass? A flocker is a tool that either sprinkles (a shaker can style applicator), or blows on (by use of a fan powered electrostatic tool) statically charged, polarized colored fibers into a glue-coated surface to create a fuzzy, cloth-like texture.
Okay so you want to sculpt a little bunny and then add some pink or white flocking to make it "feel" real? No problem. Just coat the areas you want 'flocked' with some glue and then (in this case) take your shaker can-style flocking tool, put some fibers in and start shaking the fibers out onto the piece. As you shake you are statically charging the fibers, then, being polarized, they stab vertically into the glue creating a soft fuzzy surface. Allow your work to properly dry and Presto! You're done, fuzzy bunny.
Missed some spots? Just dab some glue into that
area and reapply fibers. Just think of all the things that different colored flocking can be used for: cloth "feel" furniture for your doll house, add flocking to those mini pets and make them soft as well as cute, hobby projects like making a custom jewelry box complete with soft flocked interior, or adding green grass to your diorama, the uses are many.
Combined with paints some pretty cool effects can be created. Just think, you'll finally be able to make those black light velvet paintings for your doll house. With a UV led light you could make your own jungle room! (I was kidding and then thought to myself "Heeeey!").
If you want to try something new to make cool effects on your mini's then I suggest you look into getting an inexpensive shaker-can style flocker and some fibers and start shaking!
See you next month! ~John
Custom Dolls, Houses & Miniatures / CDHM