Can't see

Do you all use chinese white or is there something else I can use. I ordered some from FDJ and they said it is on back order. The glare is killing me. I have gone over the back posts hoping for something but I can't find it. Man that stuff is expensive too for such a small amount. Hope there is something else. I want to practice and I don't want to wait. Mack

MODELING CLAY Seems to cut the glare. Thats Something you might try. The Chinese white is also available at GRS, but very expensive.

If your using Tom Whites Transfer Magic with the Epson printer. You can use a bit of talcum powder on
it. The powder will stick to TM and cut the glare, it will also not hurt the transfer in any way.

Jim

You can try white shoe polish in a bottle. When it dries you can draw on it with a soft pencil. It can rust steel, so clean it off as soon as you're finished with the engraving. Good Chinese white is expensive stuff. I have it but rarely use it. I use transfer wax for my layouts and to kill glare. Modeling clay or chapstick will also work.

I might add that drawing ON chinese white is pretty tricky. The application has to be just right or you draw through it instead of on it (which is ok for a lot of engravers). Try cleaning the surface of the metal with a pink eraser before applying the white, and use a soft pencil and kneadable artist's eraser very gently.

Mack

Chinese White is a opaque-white watercolor made from zinc-oxide pigment; “Chinese whiteâ€￾ was the proprietary name given to a zinc-white watercolor by the Winsor and Newton Company. It is really a color of artist's water color pigment that has found its way from one art form to another. There is nothing magic about it as it applies to engraving. Check your local artist supply stores for a good zinc-oxide based water color pigment, it is available in both semi-dry cakes and tubes. Like Sam has stated it can be tricky to draw on. You want to use a very diluted solution that is semi-transparent when it dries. If it is too concentrated it will flake off when you try to draw on it. Yes it can be expensive but a little 15 ml tube will be a lifetime supply for most ppl.

You might also want to give "White Out" correction fluid by Bic a try. It can be found at any office supply store. Again you will want to use a very thin coating to keep it from flaking off when you draw on it.

Semi-gloss gesso available at art and craft supply stores will also kill the glare and give the metal a tooth that can be drawn on.

Mike

There's a product called chalk ink that I buy from " AC Moore" . It's much like chinese white. After application I spray on a thin coat of workable fixitive. Works fine for me. They also carry a paste version of chinese white in their water color section .It comes in a small tube. Very inexpensive. Like Sam says, It's hard to draw on top of , that's why I seal it with a lite spray of fixitive.

Have you tried sharpie marker? Some of the colors (green, orange, etc.) cut the glare, but are not so dark that they can not be drawn upon. If you use the sharpie you can then lightly use a scribe and you will see the lines pop out, but the background will have less of a glare.

Here is a past tip in the "Tips Archive" about making Chinese white more durable:
New Transfer Methods

I have used Silver and gold Sharpie metallic markers. But, I'm not an engraver, yet.

OK Thanks for your suggestions. Especially about the zinc white paint and the chap stick. (Who would have thought). I went to my local Wallmart and looked in the craft dept for water color white paint and found something called "Washable Poster Paint" in white. It is a 16 oz bottle (what am I ever going to do with it all) . It is a liquid with a pop up squirt top. I tried some and it is just like chinese white as far as I can tell. It only cost $ 1.98 for the 16 oz bottle. I will try it for a while and let you know. Thanks all. Mack