How to make swirl soap with two colors?

[Ratikal]

Hi everyone, I would like to try a design. I hope I'm not getting over my head with this.

The design I had is similar to this image. Obviously, you can't recreate it 1 to 1. If I could somehow get a black base, some greyish white, and gold peppered in there, that would be enough for me. I also wonder if you can get the paint strokes somehow by just bristling the top with a brush.

There seems to be a lot of different swirl techniques. What do you think would be the best one to use here? There's obviously going to be HUUUUGE liberties taken.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I'd do a hanger swirl using the colours you describe. Yes you can 'paint' mica on afterwards.

 

[Zuleika]

I just did a soap with 2 colours (Rose powder and red clay) with a plain base. It was a drop swirl design. I recommend half plain base, quarter each of colour. Or whichever colour you want more of. Batter should be thin enough to let the colours cut through the plain base.

I poured all the base in then all of each colour.

 

[Ratikal]

I just did a soap with 2 colours (Rose powder and red clay) with a plain base. It was a drop swirl design. I recommend half plain base, quarter each of colour. Or whichever colour you want more of. Batter should be thin enough to let the colours cut through the plain base.

I poured all the base in then all of each colour.

View attachment 74765

Thank you for the advice.

So, my trace should be thin for each color? So the base would be thin, and then the other colors also thin? I assume if the base was medium or thick, it would only layer. However, if the other colors were medium or thick, would that work better?

Would I pour my base first, and then pour my colors into the sides I want? Would more of the batter cause it to weigh down and get down to the bottom? I had a failed layered bar with melt and pour where an issue like that occurred.

 

[Zuleika]

I like this video as it explains the drop swirl.

I had my batter a bit thicker than what the video had as I wanted a clear section of plain base that the other colours didn't cut through and big drops inside. At 4:22 of the video, it mentions how high to pour the batter from. I realised from trial and error that a steady hand also helps. Like my initial dollop poured in is always a big blob so I always start pouring from the same side so that the blob is on 1 end only.

If the base is thin and coloured batter is thick, likely it will sink down. If base is thick, the colours won't cut though properly. If your worry is the colours cutting through to the bottom, then have your base a little bit thicker and don't pour the colours from so high up.

See my comparison pieces from each end of the loaf and a middle piece. The right piece was the big blob that went in first with my poor hand control. What I had in mind is the left piece.

I managed to find a drop swirl I did with thin batter. I poured 3/4 of the white base then alternated between the 2 blues and white base. As this batter was thinner, it made less obvious drops. I remembered I had a video of me doing this drop swirl but can't find it now.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Check out Eve's Garden soap that popped up in my facebook feed not long after you posted this thread:
https://www.evesgardenhandmadesoaps.com/product-page/black-marble

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

The first design I saw looking at the picture was a black and gold mantra swirl. In fact, now I’m thinking I would like to try it, too, with black on both sides and gold in the middle. I would color the gold with gold mica sparkly gold in Enviroglitter.

That black marble soap is beautiful @KiwiMoose. What technique do you think was used? I think I could create some things similar with a woodgrain technique.

 

[MomInWA]

That is a pretty fancy design! I’d love to see what you all come up with! I’m on board to investigate and experiment when I get back to town. Thanks for the great idea!

ETA. This video

Swirl technique I dream in soap