"Nebula" Style Dye Tutorial

[Odyssey113]

Well, the detergent bed was either too deep, or, JohnnyPhive was right - the karo should be the base (how I'm leaning now, too)

Putting the disc into a karo base tonight. No results to post today, as 90% of the dye sunk under the detergent during the soak.

Sound like that makes sense. I wouldn't think the karo syrup would be a good mixing agent with the dye as i think detergent allows the dye to absorb into the plastic much easier. You may be onto something with using the karo syrup as a base though then the detergent/dye mix on top. I think one of the keys to this is having a farely shallow base layer no matter what base you are using (soap or karo). Cause you will be adding a fair amount of dye mix to the top once the base is layed. Then it spreads out quite a bit once you lay the disc down.

Also one tip I have found with detergent and dye mixes is if you want it to thicken up let it sit open to air for a while before using it. 6 hours or more. It will thicken up quite a bit which would probably mean it would spread less as a result.

Please post your results once you give it another go. Got me curious about this syrup.

 

[Jenga54]

Thought I could get away with using shaving cream to get this effect. I like shaving cream because I can make up 3 beds and mix up 6 dyes for a buck with barbasol. Did them in varying degrees of wateriness (drone-bed not watery, mako-bed just sloshes, XCal-bed sloshes easily). The XCal looks good but still not blurred as much and doesn't quite have that warp speed look as it didn't sink much in the bed over the 12 hours. Wanted to post my try - maybe it can be done, but the SC bed would have to basically be water, so soap makes a lot of sense.

 

[JohnnyPhive]

Thought I could get away with using shaving cream to get this effect. I like shaving cream because I can make up 3 beds and mix up 6 dyes for a buck with barbasol. Did them in varying degrees of wateriness (drone-bed not watery, mako-bed just sloshes, XCal-bed sloshes easily). The XCal looks good but still not blurred as much and doesn't quite have that warp speed look as it didn't sink much in the bed over the 12 hours. Wanted to post my try - maybe it can be done, but the SC bed would have to basically be water, so soap makes a lot of sense.

Those still came out pretty damn good. I like the idea of really thinning the SC with water and making it more runny. That good make for a good base to build the dye on if the dye is only mixed with detergent and not SC. Don't know if it will float on SC or just sink below it.

 

[Jenga54]

It would sink. I made the dye too runny and it sank into the SC so I had to thicken it up a little to get it to sit on the surface. It's a delicate balance, if it's too watery I suppose the dye would just all run together, so I still like the idea of using soap so that it doesn't just immediately mix together.

 

[Odyssey113]

It would sink. I made the dye too runny and it sank into the SC so I had to thicken it up a little to get it to sit on the surface. It's a delicate balance, if it's too watery I suppose the dye would just all run together, so I still like the idea of using soap so that it doesn't just immediately mix together.

Could try mixing the shaving cream with dish soap...Dish soap i have found to work as a much better base than detergent. Its thicker. I am sticking to only using detergent to mix my dye mix since it seems to work best for holding and transferring the dye. Also thickens up well with some sitting/airing out time.

I am curious to see how Bmxpunk's experiment with karo as the base only comes out as well. Im thinking that might be a good combo as long as the dye/detergent mix sits well on top of the syrup. Can't see why it wouldnt. Its definitely of a thicker consistency.

Glad to see others joining in on this with me. I've exhausted my funds on dyes :\ Only got a few more discs to try. One I gotta do up awesome cause its my new buzz!!! Probably gonna start that one tonight.

Eating is overrated anyways...good thing im working a food gig at the moment. :thmbup:

 

[Jenga54]

I'm still using old RIT dyes that I have mixed in glass jars- just about a cup of water and packet of RIT. With the soap, what dye are you using? Looks like you also have it pre-mixed - so you add the water/dye solution to the soap?

My dye goes quick as I use only concentrated dye and SC and add to the bed, don't want to dilute anymore than I need, but maybe it can be a little more dilute?

 

[Odyssey113]

I'm still using old RIT dyes that I have mixed in glass jars- just about a cup of water and packet of RIT. With the soap, what dye are you using? Looks like you also have it pre-mixed - so you add the water/dye solution to the soap?

My dye goes quick as I use only concentrated dye and SC and add to the bed, don't want to dilute anymore than I need, but maybe it can be a little more dilute?

That may be possible and work okay for this application. I really haven't done much at all with RIT since most of it doesn't work anymore. If you read my instructions, i posted that I was using Prochemicals disperse dye for the tutorial, but most likely other dyes should work as well. Also keep in mind (free & clear) laundry detergent seems to mix the best with dyes at least for myself. I had layed mine in a small pool of dish soap for the base and then applied the laundry detergent/dye mix to the pool of soap. I think one of the main things that helps with the outcome is just making sure you have a well fitting plate for the disc you are dyeing. Making sure it conforms well to the disc. Then just have patience and let it sit for a while (10-12 hours or more).

Best of luck to you! Post your results :thmbup:

 

[bmxpunk01]

Well, my experiment is going to be delayed. I don't like the pie pan, and the shape of my plate isn't right. Hopefully get a better plate tomorrow, and give the karo a whirl...

 

[Odyssey113]

Well, my experiment is going to be delayed. I don't like the pie pan, and the shape of my plate isn't right. Hopefully get a better plate tomorrow, and give the karo a whirl...

Thrift shops are my best friend for dye equipment! Look forward to seeing what you come up with Got my new buzz sitting in a soap/dye bath right now. Gonna go for a half nebula half spin dye n see what happens.

 

[Jenga54]

I guess what I was asking was this - does your dye come in powder form? If so, do you pre-mix with some water, or just put the powder right in the detergent and stir it up to dissolve it?

 

[Odyssey113]

I guess what I was asking was this - does your dye come in powder form? If so, do you pre-mix with some water, or just put the powder right in the detergent and stir it up to dissolve it?

Yes and yes. My dye does come in powder form. Mixed approximately 3 tspns to a 1 pint jar of water. My prochemical dyes contain a dye carrier and a wetting agent as well. I posted my measurements used for those in the alternative dyes thread If you want more info on those.

Hope that helps

 

[goosefraba1]

I believe a bit of both - but my thought is actually backwards, there -

This is what I want to try - In a pie pan, just big enough for a disc to fit into,
*lay down a bed of detergent, thin - just enough to float a disc
*add a dye-syrup mix to make the design (heavier/thicker than detergent)
*Set the disc on top, and place just a bit of weight (maybe a shot glass), on top, so it forces the syrup to displace the detergent and keep either from 'floating' on top of the other one

I'm hoping for this type of result:

This actually looks like the punky color dye to me... I might try to thin some punky out with just a touch of soap and try it out. I have been getting some bolder colors by keeping the punky color dye covered up.

 

[Odyssey113]

Here's my new buzz (so far)...gonna do some bright circles on the outside tonight after work. Im pretty happy with it, I probably could of done just purple and green instead of mixing in black dye as well. I think it will pop more as it fades a little. I definitely am liking this technique so far though. Can't wait to see what else we discover using this idea as a template.

 

[bmxpunk01]

Hey goose, have ever thinned punky with a bit of alcohol or acetone?

 

[JohnnyPhive]

I have my first experiment in the plate. Using a white pearly Halo, so hoping it comes out well. Only issue may be I forgot the Synthrapol in this mix, got distracted.

Mixed 2 tbsp of dye carrier in a pint jar of hot water to dilute as instructed. This dilution is meant for large batches, so I will be using a small amount in each of my dye mixes. Set aside to cool and use in dye mix.

In a 4 oz mason jar:
- 3 tsp of dye dissolved in 1 tbsp of boiling water to allow super saturation of the liquid
- 3 tbsp of free and clear detergent to thicken the dye mix
- 1/8 tsp vinegar
- 1 tsp dye carrier dilution
- 1/8 tsp Synthrapol (wetting agent); as stated above I forgot it prior to making the dye bed, but in preparation for a second attempt I added it to the mixes.

Stir all ingredients well.

Using a small pool of corn syrup as my base, I dropped pools of the above dye mixes in. Leaving some open space for spreading and hopefully keeping a bit of the white.

I missed a picture of the design before putting the disc in. The excitement had me distracted. Shooting for a 6 hour set, since I did a rather concentrated mixture.

 

[JohnnyPhive]

First attempt

This is the disc in the mix setup.

 

[bmxpunk01]

Looking forward to seeing the results!

 

[JohnnyPhive]

First out and second down

Here is the first finished product from the above mix. I pulled it after 2 hours rather than 6. I have a second one down already and made more of a sloppy mix in the bed before setting in the disc. Again forgot the dang picture of before. Will post in about 3 more hours, going for a 4 hour soak on this one. I think the added concentration of my dye mixes makes the time a bit shorter.

 

[Odyssey113]

Here is the first finished product from the above mix. I pulled it after 2 hours rather than 6. I have a second one down already and made more of a sloppy mix in the bed before setting in the disc. Again forgot the dang picture of before. Will post in about 3 more hours, going for a 4 hour soak on this one. I think the added concentration of my dye mixes makes the time a bit shorter.

That looks pretty cool. How are you liking using the syrup as a base so far?

 

[JohnnyPhive]

It's a little weird. It's so thick some of dye will stay in a drop and roll around for a second before settling in place. Not bad though. I'm thinking it will need less dye in bigger areas. The center color kind of pushes out and interferes with the outer colors. A little more playing around may reap more rewarding results.

BTW, the second one was on a glow teebird, not good. It just doesn't show well enough. I know others dyes do about the same on glow when dyed cold, but thought I would give it a try.