SMF Swirl Challenge - the warm-up

[rainycityjen]

I signed up for the SMF July Challenge, but I don't expect to blow any minds. I consider it mostly a personal challenge, because I've never done a swirl other than a drop swirl or in the pot swirl. When people "talk swirl" I am like: mantra what? Taiwan who?

So, for your consideration, this is NOT an official entry to the SMF Challenge, but rather one soaper's terror-filled foray into swirling. Yeaaaahhh I'm gonna need a few more tries.

First I chose my tool - the butt end of a paintbrush.

Next I chose my mica: orange, yellow, gold, lime green, mermaid green, and black (to go with citrus/mint fragrance.) Lesson one: Have a spoon for each cup of colored batter. While mixing in the traced oils I had to dump the tangerine due to accidentally mixing it with green mica.

Lesson two: Make sure you have a slow enough trace to last throughout the drop. My drop thickened noticeably in a few minutes, leaving me with messy, blended colors. I'm also severely questioning my taste in color at this point.

Lesson three: Thin and distinct layers are best for swirling. I had a big wide band of yellow-gold due to my gold and yellow micas and the order of pour. This led to a big yellowy blank spot. By the way I chose to do a horizontal zig zag (pattern A) followed by semicircle fish scales (pattern E) followed by ... uh... loop de loops? (patten B)

I ended up correcting the Yellow Zone by dropping some extra black color on top and doing an improv swirl.

There you have it: the Starry Night / Steelers / Edvard Munch Beginner Swirl!

http://www.soapmakingforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

 

[newbie]

Oh, I love the whole right side! I agree about the big yellow section. I did something similar in my video- not enough contrast and it doesn't show off any swirls. For your first foray into swirly-world, I'd say that is very well done!

 

[not_ally]

I agree, excellent work. Much better than my first attempt at this challenge, and I have done other kinds of swirls.

 

[Judiraz]

Nice. I never had the urge to get a slab mold......until today. Your first try makes me want to give it a try.

 

[commoncenz]

I concur with everyone else. Very nice swirls and I LOVE the fact that you added "Steelers" to your description!

 

[jules92207]

Way better then my first one. Nicely done!

 

[KristaY]

I agree with everyone else, that's very nicely done! You did a great job correcting the area that had a large spot of yellow. By the last pic I never would have known it had ever been there.

 

[Saponista]

Thanks for posting this, it's really useful in helping others work out how to fill their moulds with batter and your soap still turned out great. Especially since it was your first try! Really well done