ALEX and tops

[Mermaid Marissa]

I have heard bad things about ALEX and tailmaking and that it is harmful and stuff but does anyone know if it can be used to make tops?

[AniaR]

it's been done, yup!

[Mermaid Marissa]

ok and can you get ALEX at art stores? or do you get it somewhere else?

[AniaR]

you can get it at hardware stores, you'll want the clear kind, and mix it WITH paint for best results. Also, it can be dangerous so do it in a well ventilated area, and it can take at least 2 weeks to fully dry in most places unless you live somewhere very warm and dry. If you look there are other more detailed threads with photos on using alex.

[Spindrift]

Mermaid Aubrin made a top with ALEX. The link to her thread is here: http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?556-I-made-a-mermaid-top

[Kanti]

You'd probably need a soccer net or something flexible to make the scales on the bra since it's rounded.
I've found that you can handle ALEX pretty well with your bare hands if you have a cup of soapy water
near you while you work and dip your hands in it every so often. It keeps the ALEX from sticking to you.
Using your hands will probably be more useful than those straight-egded tools or a paintbrush.

[AniaR]

Using your hands will probably be more useful than those straight-egded tools or a paintbrush.
WEAR GLOVES. If wet alex comes in contact with your hands it WILL enter your blood stream. Shelly found it turned parts of her hand numb!

[Kanti]

Hmm oops never happened to me before so I never thought
about that o:

Either way! You can still wear gloves and do the soap trick.
May as well take the extra percaution :')

[Mermaid Marissa]

what paint do you use and can you make a shell top out of ALEX?

[Kanti]

I use acrylic / textile paints. Acrylic is very common and it only costs around $1 for a tube with 2-3ounces
inside so it's pretty affordable.
Textile paint is usually used for multiple arts and crafts. It can be fabric paint, dyes, airbrushing, wood painting,
glass painting, etc. Basically a very multi-purpose paint that adheres to many surfaces. You can usually find
them online.

I'd say the process is the same as in your tail. You mix up your alex with the paint you want then add it on
in one layer, then you can either airbrush or paint on more details. You can thin the alex with some water
so it's more of a paint like consistency and brush it on, or you can water it down a whole lot so it can
go through an airbrush.
Apparently the key to painting with alex/silicone is just to layer everything a million times, so take
your time and make sure you do everything nicely.

[Mermaid Marissa]

I was planning on making a fabric tail. Would acrylic paints work on that as well?

[Kanti]

For fabric, I would stick with fabric/textile paint.
I have a couple brands that I love love love! One is Jaquard and the other is Lumiere.
I've used them both and they're very nice. Only thing is you may have to layer the colors
a few times for them to really stand out.
Regular fabric paint works just as well, but often the colors are a bit tacky. Technically, you
can mix acrylic paint into fabric paint to edit the colors yourself.

[MermaidMermeron(Cameron)]

plz show your results when finished i would love to see it/them