7 Fun projects to do with Metallic Shimmer Paint Pens

Shine with Life of Colour Metallic paint pens

Standing out with a little shine (or a lot!!)  is easy with our 1mm set of Metallic paint pens. 

Art is without doubt an impressive way to express and convey your feelings, personality and artistic ability. 

Use a little or a mass of technique splashed across a surface to create a splendid masterpiece! 

However, you do require the presence of the quality tools to achieve the right results otherwise all your efforts can be in vain. Life of colour is here to solve this problem, as we provide high-quality artist supplies at affordable prices.

How to paint a Mandala Rock with shimmer

Our Life of Colour art group member Michelle Avison was inspirational and shared a technique of how she created Mandala stones which inspired us to show you a Mandala of our own using the shimmering and  shining Metallic paint pens!

Step one: Using a compass mark the centre circle onto your rock and using the Life of Colour Metallic paint pens fill each circle in with a different colour

Step two: Create your circles into flowers alternating the petal positions from each circle. Two different techniques are shown in the image where you can fill in the petal painting forward or back towards towards the outer circle depending on what colour you would like to keep for your flower petals.

Step three: To finish off the mandala add some finer details which is really simple and effective using the fine tip Metallic set of acrylic paint pens. Utilise the spaces in between petals for small circles and on the base of petals place some triangular shapes. White dots work really well as they stand out against the darker tones. Try to make spaces even between dots and consistent in pattern in order for the final product to look effective and most importantly don’t forget to have fun!!

Creative ways to repurpose meaningful objects

Our Metallic paint pens can be used on many surfaces including wood! They carry a simple application which makes it easy for artists of all ages to paint with. 

This artwork carries a heartfelt tale of a young artist - Matilda Coorie (Tilly) age 11. Tilly plays the Violin and had in her possession an old Violin - follow the story below to learn about this piece of arts journey.

An accidental Violin drop meant that Tilly would not be able to get the musical instrument to play but held onto it until she could decide what she would like to do with it.

A family task saw her working alongside her Poppy who helped her cut it up and redesign it. And what a stunning redesign! Who would have thought you could turn a Violin into such a great piece of art that also had a set of shelves and purpose for storage!

Tilly used the Life of Colour Metallic paint markers to put a wonderful design on the face of the Violin with tiny musical notes which at first glance appear to be little flowers stemming from the vine, such a great job Tilly and Poppy!

Rock painting with Life of Colour Metallic details 

An all time favourite use for painting with our Metallic paint pens is creating kindness rocks to spread the love amongst the community.

The 1mm Metallic paint marker set is versatile for its many uses with artists utilising the fine marker to add highlights to their rocks, fill in backgrounds, to outline delicate details and to complete whole rocks with Metallic flair.

Options are endless and there’s no wrong way to paint on rocks, some artists like to plan their designs and others like to just go with the flow. 

Art by Ingrid Mitchell

An option for planning a design would be to sketch it out on paper first. We have some great blogs available with tutorials to follow and there is an endless supply of images to search on the internet. Join our Facebook art group and bounce ideas off other artists and ultimately make sure you have fun with it because that’s the best way to create art!

Upcycling Leather Boots

Our Life of Colour art group is full of superstars with awesome painting skills and ideas that inspire many assorted crafts. Painting a set of old or new boots, shoes or heels with Life of Colour Metallic fine tips is just one prime example of what can be achieved to create some absolute shining brilliance.

These dazzling boots were given a new funky life, painted by with a combination of Life of Colour acrylic paint pens and Metallic paint markers.

A variety of shoe surfaces such as canvas, leather, mesh, and vinyl can be painted shoes. Depending on the type of material and the future intention of use will require different preparations.

An old set of leather boots and similar leather surfaces should be cleaned and wiped over with a mild acetone to allow the paint to adhere properly. 

Shoe soles generally do not take paint well so just tape those off to protect them while you paint.

You do not need to use any other products to prepare a canvas or mesh surface however if you do choose to use a base coat or primer on your surface remember to make sure it’s acrylic water based in order to complement the Life of Colour paint pens.

Thin layers are the key to preventing cracking and getting a good end result. 

For Vinyl Surfaces use a light headed sandpaper to gently scuff the surface for the best paint adherence.

Then apply a clear Primer (spray) made for vinyl, rubber, and other plastic surfaces.

Once you have painted your boots consider using a sealant that will protect your art - scotchguard has a variety of products suitable and outdoor clear spray sealant will suit most surfaces too. Apply thin layers to avoid reactivating the paint and always allow ample drying time. Another example of a leather surface that has been painted with the Life of Colour Metallic paint pens is this beautiful phone case by Sophia Balcombe. The image above shows how you can create delicate details with the 1mm Metallic paint markers.

Boho art combining a faux skull and macramé

This piece of art was created by Brielle Barker and it’s in the Bohemian style complemented by the Life of Colour Metallics.

Did you know that Bohemian is a French word and loosely translates to “artist”, as an artist myself I don’t have one particular technique that I stick to so I guess I’m a bit bohemian myself!

We just love the use of the Life of Colour Metallics in this masterpiece- Brielle Barker from Boheme Dreams has incorporated the use of our paint pens into this artwork by painting the horns gold and skillfully placing geometric patterns on this faux goat skull.

She said: "When I purchased my Metallic set I promised Iwould show what I had planned to do with them. I make macramé for a living and for some of my faux skull pieces I hand draw my own design on"

Make cute glass bubble magnets for your fridge

We are always on the lookout for unique ideas and ways to use the Life of Colour paint pens just like painting your own set of fridge magnets! You can showcase your art and even pin it to the fridge with sets of hand painted magnets.

The idea came upon us whilst visiting our local post office where on display at the counter they had a range of glass paper weights and magnets for sale with quite a hefty price tag which made us think “I can do that!” And so can you! 

All you need is Life of Colour Metallic paint pens, clear glass domes, a strong clear glue and a few business card magnets! The glass domes can be cheaply purchased online and some discount stores also have them in stock.

Painting the surface of the dome requires some lateral thinking because you need to start with your foreground image and layer the background over the top.

Once you have completed your images allow ample drying time before placing a magnet (cut to size with glue on its surface) on the back of the dome. And hey presto there you have it, a set of magnets fit for use and display.

Wood slice ideas with paint pens

Life of Colour is now supplying wood slices along with all your paint pen supplies and they provide divine surface to craft with! Get your own set of 24 wood slices ready to be painted and enjoyed!

This is an old wooden sign that we have painted using our Metallic paint markers to give it a whole new design. The sign had grown old looking and faded from sun damage but now with its new design the Metallic pen glistens in the sunlight.

Buy Life of Colour wood slices and create your own signs, ornaments, gifts and decor too!

Explore your creativity with Life of Colour and say goodbye to low-quality art tools!

Our online service breaks down the barriers and provides service to residents Australia wide and in New Zealand to purchase our art supplies.

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