Sept 2018 SMF Challenge - Carved Soap Designs!

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PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THIS FIRST (and ALL Rules) -

General Rules:

1. The only members eligible to vote are those with their names on the sign up list - regardless of whether or not you have submitted an entry.

2. This month’s voting will be password locked. Passwords will be PM'ed to registered participants ONLY. So please check your PMs when the voting begins.

3. No posting your entry photos until the entry thread is made. Non entry photos are very welcome!

4. You are allowed to change your entry photo up until the entry thread closes. So if you decide after you post your entry you want another try, and you like the second better, you can change it up until the deadline.

SMF Challenge General Rules:

1. To enter you must have a minimum of 50 posts and been a member for a month (sorry but no exceptions on this).

2. Please add your name to the sign up list if you wish to participate (however, you don’t have to enter a soap at the end if you don’t feel happy with what you have produced).

3. The challenge thread should be used to upload pictures of any of your challenge attempts where you can ask for advice and discuss the technique with other members.

4. Constructive criticism is welcomed, but please try to keep your comments polite.

5. Competition entries must be uploaded to the separate entry thread before the closing date.

6. After the closing date, the winning entry will be chosen using Survey Monkey and the winner announced on Sept. 30th, 2018. There is no prize attached to this challenge.

7. If you fail to make the challenge deadline, you are still welcome to upload your soap onto the thread, but your entry will not be eligible for voting. We still love to see anything you have produced.

8. Even though there is no prize, this is still a competition. If your entry is deemed not to fulfill the general rules or the rules specific to the challenge in any way, then you will be given the opportunity to amend your entry. If this is not possible then your entry will not be included in the voting.

9. All the challenge mods reserve the right to have the final say on whether a soap is eligible for voting.

Challenge Timeline:
  • Sept 1st: Challenge thread is open! Add your name to the list to join in and discuss the Challenge.
  • Sept 21st: Entry thread opens. ENTRY THREAD LINK
  • Sept 28th: Entry thread closes at 11:59 pm EST.
  • Sept 29th: Survey Monkey password will be sent to all entrants to cast their votes.
  • Sept 30th: The winners will be announced in the Entry thread!
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The September 2018 SMF Challenge is the Carved Soap Design Challenge (also known as the "Intaglio" technique in artmaking). This technique was popularized in soapmaking by Clyde Yoshida of Vibrant Soap.

Rules for the this month’s challenge:

1. Use a minimum of 2 colors (at least one base colour and at least one color to carve through to reveal the base colour).

2. Use a slab mold, or a mold in which you can cut the soap in a slab-like cut (to give you enough surface area to carve your design).

3. The design you choose to carve is totally up to you. It could be anything from a landscape, a portrait, geometric patterns, abstract patterns, words, etc.

Tips:

- Let your base layer harden before pouring your carving layer.

- You can also pour your thin carving layer first, then allow it to harden before pouring your base layer on top. This will insure a nice smooth carving surface.

- You will want to keep your carving layer very thin so you do not need to carve too deeply to create your design.

- You're welcome to use any tools at your disposal to carve your designs. Clay-sculpting tools would probably work the best!
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Great Cake Soaps held an Intaglio challenge last year that had some beautiful entries to provide you with some inspiration.

Holly of Kapia Mera Soap Co has created a great tutorial video of the process here:
Intaglio - Carved Cold Process Soap - Great Cakes Soap Challenge

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Thanks for participating and please sign up using the sign up sheet below. :)
 
Last edited:
Sign up Sheet -

1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
 
Sign up Sheet -

1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
 
Sign up Sheet -

1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
 
Sign up Sheet -

1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
6. dibbles - time to put on my big girl pants and try this
 
1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
6. dibbles - time to put on my big girl pants and try this
7. Primrose - not something I've seen before. I'll give it a go
 
1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
6. dibbles - time to put on my big girl pants and try this
7. Primrose - not something I've seen before. I'll give it a go
8. Redhead1226 - I bought the tools a year ago and haven't made this yet lol - Thanks for the push!
 
Sign up Sheet -

1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
6. dibbles - time to put on my big girl pants and try this
7. Primrose - not something I've seen before. I'll give it a go
8. Redhead1226 - I bought the tools a year ago and haven't made this yet lol - Thanks for the push!
9. SaltedFig - :)
 
1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
6. dibbles - time to put on my big girl pants and try this
7. Primrose - not something I've seen before. I'll give it a go
8. Redhead1226 - I bought the tools a year ago and haven't made this yet lol - Thanks for the push!
9. SaltedFig - :)
10. Zanzalawi - tricksy hobbitses!
 
Clyde from Vibrant Soaps has some good tips for cleaning up your soap after carving.

(Don’t know if they repeat some of the tips in the linked video, it wouldn’t load for me)

Editing to avoid a double post:

I also found this video about softening hard soaps to carve. A good idea for some practice runs if you’ve got some ugly bars laying around. Though this probably best for a soap low in oleic acids to avoid the Castile slime

Method one: wrap bar in damp cloth and microwave for 20 seconds
Method two: wrap bar in damp cloth then in plastic wrap and let sit for 5-7 days (depending on how deep you’ll be carving)
 
Last edited:
1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
6. dibbles - time to put on my big girl pants and try this
7. Primrose - not something I've seen before. I'll give it a go
8. Redhead1226 - I bought the tools a year ago and haven't made this yet lol - Thanks for the push!
9. SaltedFig - :)
10. Zanzalawi - tricksy
11. LiLiSoapz- I am going to have some fancy soaps for my initial stash. Wooohoo!
 
Last edited:
1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
6. dibbles - time to put on my big girl pants and try this
7. Primrose - not something I've seen before. I'll give it a go
8. Redhead1226 - I bought the tools a year ago and haven't made this yet lol - Thanks for the push!
9. SaltedFig - :)
10. Zanzalawi - tricksy
11. I am going to have some fancy soaps for my initial stash. Wooohoo!
12. Obsidian- lets see how bad I can do
 
1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
6. dibbles - time to put on my big girl pants and try this
7. Primrose - not something I've seen before. I'll give it a go
8. Redhead1226 - I bought the tools a year ago and haven't made this yet lol - Thanks for the push!
9. SaltedFig - :)
10. Zanzalawi - tricksy
11. I am going to have some fancy soaps for my initial stash. Wooohoo!
12. Obsidian- lets see how bad I can do
I apologize, I realized that I didn't add my name, thereby throwing off the tally, here is the proper list.

1. earlene - I've been wanting to try this!
2. SoapAddict415- this looks like fun! But then again, all the challenges look like fun lol.
3. Alzie-oh the possibilities! I'm in!
4. BattleGnome - crossing my fingers that I’ll have time before vacation
5. mommycarlson - just ordered some carving tools!
6. dibbles - time to put on my big girl pants and try this
7. Primrose - not something I've seen before. I'll give it a go
8. Redhead1226 - I bought the tools a year ago and haven't made this yet lol - Thanks for the push!
9. SaltedFig - :)
10. Zanzalawi - tricksy
11. LiLiSoapz- I am going to have some fancy soaps for my initial stash. Wooohoo!
12. Obsidian- lets see how bad I can do
 
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