Snarkdoodle/Fatpants 1st Madbean/non kit success

[cab_eleven]

Had some problems but after taking a few months away from the build I got it going.

[nzCdog]

Very tidy!  Did you paint the enclosure, it looks awesome!!

[stecykmi]

****ing sweet paint job, how'd you do it?! nice wiring too.

[slimtriggers]

Great swirl!  Is that Dragonfly style or an actual dip? 

Tidy wiring, too

[snz728]

love the paint job!!

[Haberdasher]

Did you dip that?  I dig the swirl!

[cab_eleven]

Thanks guys.
I think its the dragonfly technique.
Just acrylic paint thinned out with water to different viscosities. Rigged a wire coat hanger to hold the enclosure,dripped the paints on while jiggling the coat hanger all around. Then clear coating once it dried. It's messy but its really easy and goes fairly quick.

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

Congratulations on the success and getting it working. I must agree with everyone, this is one sweet paint job. I've tried the Dragonfly technique but I forgot to add water and it didn't run too well. You got it right on the money!

[jimmybjj]

Thanks guys.
I think its the dragonfly technique.
Just acrylic paint thinned out with water to different viscosities. Rigged a wire coat hanger to hold the enclosure,dripped the paints on while jiggling the coat hanger all around. Then clear coating once it dried. It's messy but its really easy and goes fairly quick.

I agree with everyone else that paint is awesome! Can u go into more detail about how you did it. How much did you the paints? Thicker colors first or last? Thanks

[cab_eleven]

The thinnest paint is just basically enough paint mixed in so that the water is opaque, and should run from a spoon but still leave a little behind (think whole milk) this was the cream color on this one.
The thickest is still fairly thin, just thick enough that it drips from a spoon as opposed to running out like water. about 2 drops per second. This was the darker red on this one.
The black and true red were thinned somewhere between the other two.
First prep and prime like you normally would.
I put 3 big drips of the thickest first. Leaving gaps between the drips .
Then the other colors in random order both between the big drips and the occasional drizzle over top of the thicker parts. as I tilt turn and jiggle the coat hanger making sure paint drips down the sides.
I let it dry 24 hours or so then clear coat.
Basically, the thicker paint pushes around the thinner and thats about it.

[jimmybjj]

The thinnest paint is just basically enough paint mixed in so that the water is opaque, and should run from a spoon but still leave a little behind (think whole milk) this was the cream color on this one.
The thickest is still fairly thin, just thick enough that it drips from a spoon as opposed to running out like water. about 2 drops per second. This was the darker red on this one.
The black and true red were thinned somewhere between the other two.
First prep and prime like you normally would.
I put 3 big drips of the thickest first. Leaving gaps between the drips .
Then the other colors in random order both between the big drips and the occasional drizzle over top of the thicker parts. as I tilt turn and jiggle the coat hanger making sure paint drips down the sides.
I let it dry 24 hours or so then clear coat.
Basically, the thicker paint pushes around the thinner and thats about it.

Thanks!!! Exactly what I was looking for. Now just got to get he motivation to make a big mess again.

[cab_eleven]

No problem Jim. It is messy, I did this and 3 other enclosures at the same time so I only had to clean once.

[slimtriggers]

I agree with everyone else that paint is awesome! Can u go into more detail about how you did it. How much did you the paints? Thicker colors first or last? Thanks

Not meaning to hijack, but here's the tutorial:

Swirls

[cab_eleven]

Yep, that's the tutorial I read. I didn't like using a toothpick, the first swirl I did using a toothpick I ended up mixing paints on the enclosure instead of swirling. After washing the 1st attempt off I tried the jiggle technique I read about on some arts and crafts blog or something like that. That method worked out better for me so I stuck with it on my subsequent enclosures. I think it just takes experimentation to find your own technique. But that guide was the best overall how to I found after hours of Googleage, just don't be afraid to experiment, heck thin one color out with alcohol and light it on fire who knows how cool that might look. (KIDDING, that can only lead to baldness and facial blisters)

[jimmybjj]

Thanks for the tutorial. I have read that one before but it lacked the detail provided in this thread, much more in depth.