Technique

How do I get a perfect acrylic bead?

December 1, 2008

Begin by conditioning and preparing your sculpting brush before each acrylic service. Fill a clean dappen dish about half way with fresh sculpting liquid. Submerge the hairs of the brush into the sculpting liquid to remove any air bubbles trapped in the hairs of your brush. Begin to shape the tip of the brush on a disposable table towel or brush wipe. Repeat several times.

To achieve optimum mix ratio, dip your brush into the sculpting liquid, up to, but not touching the ferrule. Wipe the brush along the side of your dappen dish. This should leave enough liquid in the brush to create a medium-sized bead. Adjust the number of times you wipe the brush along the side of the dappen dish to create smaller or larger beads.

Gently touch the tip of the brush into the sculpting powder to create a bead. The bead should be smooth, round, and have a frosted satin finish. With the bead still on the tip of your brush, gently press the back of the brush to the table towel. This will remove any excess liquid trapped in the belly of the brush. Removing any excess liquid from the brush will ensure that the bead remains the correct mix ratio throughout the application.

The perfect bead will result in less service breakdown and will give you the control you need to achieve the finished look you desire.

— Jeteca Overman Larson is an educator and customer relations manager for Entity Beauty.

Topics:Entity Beauty acrylics

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