From: Noreen (Clayseed)


This is a fun technique by Betty Lou Yomtob. Many effects can be done with this technique. Please ONLY use acrylic paint for this technique. Tempura, Testors, anything oil base, etc., simply will not work on this. The brand I (Noreen) use is Ceramcoat, but any good acrylic will do. REMEMBER, ONLY ACRYLIC PAINT!!

Beer Glaze Marbelizing Technique
1. On a goose egg, paint the egg a rusty, red, "Adobe" color. Three good coats, but do not seal. Mix black or brown paint with beer to make a thin glaze. About a one to one measure. Blob on the paint, and immediately fill eye dropper with denatured alcohol and while glaze is wet, (do not let it dry on you) drop small drops onto the egg. This will cause the paint to explode and move around. Go over entire egg in this manner, and let dry thoroughly. Blowing on the egg through a straw, will cause the colors to move in different directions. Then finish with several coats of high gloss finish. Instead of black paint to make the glaze, you can use other colors and follow the same routine. After sinking the tortoise effect, you can sand until dull and then polish with a paste made with rottenstone powder and mineral oil. Use soft piece of felt or lambs wool to clean with fresh oil and then wax as you would furniture.

The following are additional techniques you can do with the beer glaze.

2. Gold egg: After egg is painted desired color, twist a small piece of paper towel and dip in black paint. Sponge onto egg leaving some base coat showing. With the tip of a pencil, flick on gold or bronzing powder. Let dry thoroughly. Start coating with a clear high gloss. After several coats, sand, and then continue to coat with clear gloss.

3. Lapis effect: Gold painted or gold leafed egg. Two ways to achieve this effect.

1.Mix ultra marined blue with beer and proceed as in section one.
2.Pour small amount of ultra marine blue in bowl, crumple a paper towel and use as a sponge to dab color on egg allowing some gold to show through. When dry start coating with glaze. Adding another color such as green or purple make a dazzling effect. Again, you can touch the egg by flicking the gold dust powder.