# Crackle?



## Ghoul Friday

Ok. So I had a total flop experience with a crackle product. I'm here to pick your brain.

1) What crackle product do you find works best

2) Has anyone ever tried the technique with glue instead of a product?


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## Just Whisper

Guess I have never used it, but i am curious what it is?


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## Ghoul Friday

Crackle is a faux finish technique that creates cracks in a paint finish to make something look aged.

Example 1

Example 2

Usually, you paint an object one colour. You apply the crackle product. Then you paint a second colour on top. The base colour shows through the cracks.


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## Sickie Ickie

If I remember correctly, crackle used to be done years ago by using egg whites in the paint.


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## Dixie

GF, I have used several crackle mediums for smaller projects - therefore the small 4 or 8 oz bottles have been fine - I have used both Delta and Folk Art - sold at craft shops by the acrylic paint.

I used to use Aleene's crackle formula, but I can't find it anymore. I did find that humidity highly effected the end result, as well as the type of brush I applied it with... but I generally had success with all 3 products.

Never used glue before.


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## STOLLOWEEN

I know I've tried a crackle product years ago for something (can't remember) and it didn't work...nadda...nothing...not sure if I used a bad product or just screwed it up completely but I remember I got no result. 

This is a good thread because I would be very interested in a product that worked well with consistency to give the "crackled" look.

Will have to look into Dixie's suggestions. Thanks all!


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## frstvamp1r

Sickie Ickie said:


> If I remember correctly, crackle used to be done years ago by using egg whites in the paint.


I thought egg whites was used back in the day to mix your dry powdered colors with. I could be wrong.


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## IMU

Very short story ... I was redoing a wooden bed frame and wanted it to have that 'old' look. I painted for 2 days and got all the base coat down. I used the Folk Art Crackle medium, applied with a foam brush and when it came time to apply the top coat of paint ... NOTHING! So, sanded and touched up the base coat and tried again with a regular paint brush, NOTHING! After almost 2 weeks ... I gave up on the project.

I know it doesn't answer your question ... but you are not alone in having 'issues' with crackle products! I have heard of using a white glue but never tried it. Good luck!


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## Don Givens

I wish I had a good answer for you GF but unfortunately I only have the obvious, stupid answer. 

Rice Crispies is a good crackle product and it also can be used to add snap and pop.


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## Ghoul Friday

Don Givens said:


> I wish I had a good answer for you GF but unfortunately I only have the obvious, stupid answer.
> 
> Rice Crispies is a good crackle product and it also can be used to add snap and pop.


Yeah, but to make them work you have to add milk, and it just makes the props mouldy 

So far, from other artists I've gotten votes for Folkart's 2 Step Crackle and the delta brand.

Still hoping more people chime in.


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## KimilyTheStrange

GF - From the Acrylic artist books that I have, they suggest using Hide Glue
I haven't tried it due to not being able to find it locally. May be an inexpensive way to go for larger pieces..??

**update**
Found this website that describes Crackle finishes with Hide Glue, even though they are discussing the uses on wood, I would imagine it could be used on any project.
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/A_Little_About_Crackle_Finishes.html


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## Dixie

Been thinking a lot about this thread. Here are a couple more of my thoughts.

1. All the products I have used have been 2 step (2 different bottles) processes. I don't know how anything else would work.

2. I would not use a sponge brush to apply the formula, you are trying to get it as bubble free as possible.... I always use an artists nylon square wash brush.

3. The thicker you apply the medium, the bigger the cracks will appear. The size of your piece sometimes dictates the size of the cracks, and therefore, how thick you should apply.

4. Here is something I found on the glue technique, a video which shows the user applying a coat of acrylic, let dry, then a coat of Elmers, then 2nd coat of acrylic over the wet glue. This would be a cheap enough method to test on a scrap piece of wood. (And yes, I did notice they used a sponge brush, LOL)





I have found several articles regarding the Elmers Glue theory, including one that does not have you applying the glue full strength, but rather in 3 different layers of dilution. I'm off to try that one on a spare piece of wood right now.


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## Denhaunt

I'm sure I saw a crackle spray paint at the Depot. Several different colors. I havent tried it - but it's made by Rust-Oleum so it's probably a good product.


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## Ghoul Friday

Kimily: thanks for the link. People always praise wood glue as better for use in projects, but I wonder if it makes a huge difference in this case. I've heard the same advice for paper mache, and while wood glue might be tougher, white glue has served me well in the past.

Dixie: I read about not using a sponge (besides, most of your product would get sucked up into the sponge! What a waste).

Saw that youtube vid too 

I get the feeling this one shows the most accurate results, which is why I get the sense using Elmer's glue on small projects might be completely useless (the cracks are just so big).


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## Ghoul Friday

Another brand that's been suggested to me by an artist is "Apple Barrel" available at Walmart (at least in the American locations. I haven't checked here yet). I have one of her pieces and the crackle is super fine and beautiful.


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## Dixie

Oh, I forgot about Apple Barrel, yes, that is almost exactly like Delta... I have used it before as well. If you put it on in very thin, even coats, it does make very tiny cracks, and would be good on smaller pieces.


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## Frankie-s Girl

I'm going to try the elmer's glue with gold metallic acrylic paint on a picture frame I'm trying to make look old... I really appreciate this info and will post if this turns out well. 

I already have it painted black for the basecoat, and wanted to do the gold to simulate a goldleafed frame...

thanks!


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## Frankie-s Girl

and the glue didn't work at all. 

I didn't use a foam brush, applied it just like the videos did, and nothing. 

It may be because the metallic gold paint didn't react the same as basic paint, but I'm kind of disappointed. The hubby says the frame still looks decent, but I'm going to hit it with another coat of gold and just sand off some areas so the undercoat shows through.


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## Ghoul Friday

sorry to hear it  

I've been told that 'over brushing' i.e. making more than one stroke with the top layer of paint can ruin crackle. Logically I might guess the same applies for the glue - if you fuss with it too much, it mixes the glue into the paint. 

I think experimentation with all these techniques on a throw away item is the best way to avoid heartache.


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## Frankie-s Girl

I probably did overbrush it. The metallic paint was a #@!$ to apply as the metallic didn't want to blend with the suspension, even after shaking the holy crap out of the bottle. 

I'll try it again on some sample pieces of wood to see if I can get the technique down, but the frame still looks pretty nice considering, so I'm not too disappointed.


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## Devils Chariot

While I can't solve your problem, I can give you something to think about. In college (artschool) we had a demo on making a crackle finish. The materials from any medium can be used, ie oil based materials for oil based paintings, acrylic for acrylic and so on. 

The idea is that the crackle is from layers of medium (like glue) being layered on very thick, and then a thinner faster drying material is laid over the top of it. As the thicker material drys, it shrinks and pulls apart the dry material cracking the pristine surface.

My suggestion is to lay down part 1 very thick. Let it dry so that it is just barely dry (very slightly tacky). They carefully apply the part 2 thin layer quickly and gently. Then apply a warm dry air source like space heater nd a fan.

I haven't done it in 10+ years, but thats how it goes. I used damar over thickened linseed oil, so those materials dont apply, but the theory should.


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## Ghoul Friday

Ok. So I've been experimenting and had some time to post a tutorial that highlights my trials and errors. Conquering Crackle has some pics and advice from a novice point of view for people just starting out.


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## Devils Chariot

Interesting post Ghoul. I haven't used the prepared solutions for crackle, but 1 minute to crackle sounds like a great result. Takes the sting out of a long wait for failed crackle. The gesso step is important, but I totally didn't think about it since I have only tried to crackle on pre-gessoed surfaces. I think I might try a little crackle action this weekend.


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## Ghoul Friday

The gesso idea hit me like lightening. An electric DUH.

I am very appreciative of the quick reaction. Puts me out of my misery 

Be sure to share your results when you go crackle crazy.


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## Devils Chariot

Hey Ghoulie, ever notice how much your avatar/sig pic looks alike a sleestack with ponytails?


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## RoxyBlue

LMAO! What the hell is a sleestack?


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## Ghoul Friday

LOL Well, considering she's modelled after me, I guess that's what I would look like as a sleestack. Mystery solved  Holy crap that's funny.


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## IMU

ROFLMPLBO .... too funny! :laugheton: :laugheton: :laugheton:


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## Ghoul Friday

New things I learnt tonight: if you use a thick paint for the top coat, it doesn't work. And doing a wash (watered down paint) creates an interesting effect over crackle.


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## Devils Chariot

yeah sorry if i misled you, i wrote it backwards in my post. I changed it te next day when i re-read the thread, but yeah, ghouls got it right skinny over fat, thin over thick.


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## Ghoul Friday

Devils Chariot said:


> yeah sorry if i misled you, i wrote it backwards in my post. I changed it te next day when i re-read the thread, but yeah, ghouls got it right skinny over fat, thin over thick.


*shakes fist* Curse you DC!

Seriously though, no worries. I hadn't connected your point (thinner top coat) to using a crackle product since you were focusing on more hardcore/do-it-yourself versions and not my mamby-pamby-crackle-in-a-bottle experiment 

I STILL can't seem to get the same sized cracks all over. I think I need to try a new product and see if it makes a difference.


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## Devils Chariot

I'm gonna go try one right now!


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