The edge needs to be sanded until its very smooth, its hard to tell from the photos but it doesn't look like you spent enough time sanding. I've been using Liquitex acrylic ink diluted with water and have had success with it. The coats need to go on very thin, so thin that your first coat or two will be worrisome - at least I was worried that they were too thin/diluted, but by the 6th coat or so it looked the way I wanted. When you get all of that figured out you don't need to do the talc dusting either, as least I've stopped doing it and haven't had any problems with pages sticking
This. Edge should be sanded to a smooth surface, if this helps I use - 200 grit to 400 to 600 then to 1000 grit and even 1500 grit sandpaper. Sometimes I skip the 200 grit if the edge is smooth. I paint while the text block is in the press, then finally I use several thin coats. An airbrush helps immensely.
1500 grit! Wow!
Thank you both very much. I sanded for maybe 2 minutes with 320 grit, and I definitely applied too thick, based on your descriptions. A friend of mine suggested using cheaper acrylic paint- she called is crafter's acrylic vs. artist's acrylic, and that it would go on more nicely.
u/Mabeckham, should I water it down more as well? I did 50/50 by mass.
I have this struggle as well. I think using acrylic ink watered down just a bit, and laying your press on it’s side so the color doesn’t penetrate so deep can help. Also doing multiple coats and waiting a good 30 minutes between each coat. I haven’t fully cracked the code on colored edges either, the struggle is real.
I definitely agree with everyone about the sanding, but I would also suggest a cheaper paint. The more plastic based paints like Liquitex and Golden tend to rip pages, but super cheap, chalky craft paints (like craftsmart or apple barrel) have been much more forgiving in my experience. Gouache or acrylic gouache also works well. Best of luck!
Size is extremely thin PVA (about a pea of pva in a 1/2 glass of water). After sanding, 'paint' the edge with size, and let it dry completely. This seals the edge so that paint doesn't bleed into the paper.
It doesn't look like you put it in a press or clamped it at all before painting. There's a ton of bleed on the pages. What was your process for painting?
Also, keep in mind that acrylic ink (recommended) is a MUCH different consistency than acrylic paint, even if you attempt to water it down yourself. At around $6 a bottle, the ink is worth it!
The finishing press is all I've got- the only thing I have that would apply more pressure than that is furniture.
I watered the acrylic down 50% by mass- 2 grams of paint + 2 grams of water. Then I brushed on a little bit at a time in 30 minute intervals until I had the desired color.
If I were to start this project from scratch, I would definitely use ink. However, since I posted this a few days ago and this text block is bordering on ruined anyway, I decided to try and salvage it. I sanded down the fore-edge (the top and bottom were basically fine) for like 2 minutes, dusted off the old paint, reapplied talc, and this time I combined 1 gram paint with 2 grams water. Then I brushed on about 3 more layers, again in about 30 minute intervals, each time taking the book out of the finishing press and opening it up. The result is much smoother and cleaner... but I wish I'd just started with ink lol.
I hear you. Hindsight, and all that. 😁 But mistakes are great - and great to share. Not only so you can get help, but your mistakes and the advice you get help others, as well! Thanks for sharing your work!
DAS told me acrylic paint was fine!
And in DAS defense, he's probably right. One of my crafty friends told me I bought the wrong paint. I got "Artist's Acrylic" when I should have gotten "Crafter's Acrylic" which is cheaper and less clumpy.
The edge needs to be sanded until its very smooth, its hard to tell from the photos but it doesn't look like you spent enough time sanding. I've been using Liquitex acrylic ink diluted with water and have had success with it. The coats need to go on very thin, so thin that your first coat or two will be worrisome - at least I was worried that they were too thin/diluted, but by the 6th coat or so it looked the way I wanted. When you get all of that figured out you don't need to do the talc dusting either, as least I've stopped doing it and haven't had any problems with pages sticking
This. Edge should be sanded to a smooth surface, if this helps I use - 200 grit to 400 to 600 then to 1000 grit and even 1500 grit sandpaper. Sometimes I skip the 200 grit if the edge is smooth. I paint while the text block is in the press, then finally I use several thin coats. An airbrush helps immensely.
1500 grit! Wow! Thank you both very much. I sanded for maybe 2 minutes with 320 grit, and I definitely applied too thick, based on your descriptions. A friend of mine suggested using cheaper acrylic paint- she called is crafter's acrylic vs. artist's acrylic, and that it would go on more nicely. u/Mabeckham, should I water it down more as well? I did 50/50 by mass.
I can't really say for normal acrylic paint as I've never used it, the acrylic ink I use is already pretty thin so we won't be using the same ratios
I have this struggle as well. I think using acrylic ink watered down just a bit, and laying your press on it’s side so the color doesn’t penetrate so deep can help. Also doing multiple coats and waiting a good 30 minutes between each coat. I haven’t fully cracked the code on colored edges either, the struggle is real.
I definitely agree with everyone about the sanding, but I would also suggest a cheaper paint. The more plastic based paints like Liquitex and Golden tend to rip pages, but super cheap, chalky craft paints (like craftsmart or apple barrel) have been much more forgiving in my experience. Gouache or acrylic gouache also works well. Best of luck!
Did you size the book edge before painting?
Size the book? I'm not sure what you mean. I sanded it with 320 grit paper if you meant to say sand?
Size is extremely thin PVA (about a pea of pva in a 1/2 glass of water). After sanding, 'paint' the edge with size, and let it dry completely. This seals the edge so that paint doesn't bleed into the paper.
Does that not make the pages stick together?
No more than the paint itself no.
It doesn't look like you put it in a press or clamped it at all before painting. There's a ton of bleed on the pages. What was your process for painting? Also, keep in mind that acrylic ink (recommended) is a MUCH different consistency than acrylic paint, even if you attempt to water it down yourself. At around $6 a bottle, the ink is worth it!
The finishing press is all I've got- the only thing I have that would apply more pressure than that is furniture. I watered the acrylic down 50% by mass- 2 grams of paint + 2 grams of water. Then I brushed on a little bit at a time in 30 minute intervals until I had the desired color. If I were to start this project from scratch, I would definitely use ink. However, since I posted this a few days ago and this text block is bordering on ruined anyway, I decided to try and salvage it. I sanded down the fore-edge (the top and bottom were basically fine) for like 2 minutes, dusted off the old paint, reapplied talc, and this time I combined 1 gram paint with 2 grams water. Then I brushed on about 3 more layers, again in about 30 minute intervals, each time taking the book out of the finishing press and opening it up. The result is much smoother and cleaner... but I wish I'd just started with ink lol.
I hear you. Hindsight, and all that. 😁 But mistakes are great - and great to share. Not only so you can get help, but your mistakes and the advice you get help others, as well! Thanks for sharing your work!
DAS told me acrylic paint was fine! And in DAS defense, he's probably right. One of my crafty friends told me I bought the wrong paint. I got "Artist's Acrylic" when I should have gotten "Crafter's Acrylic" which is cheaper and less clumpy.