*UPDATED: JULY 2020*
This product is AMAZING! I have been using this product for a few years now, and I have loved the results I have gotten from this product! Continue reading for my tips and tricks when using this product!
First of all, I print out my designs from my computer to my Canon MX922 printer. I use the Photo Paper preset, but the Glossy Photo Paper preset works the same! A VERY IMPORTANT tip is to lighten the colors! The percentage of lightening the colors can vary, but know that the more you bake your designs in the oven, the darker they become! When I used to bake them for 3-4 minutes, I lightened it by 50%, but now when I bake them for 8-10 minutes, I have to lighten them by about 70%!
Second, after I print them, I move on to cutting. The cutting process is self explanatory, but it is also important to HOLE-PUNCH before you bake if you are making keychains. Another thing would be that my hands often times get sweaty when cutting, so I HAVE to wear gloves, since it can leave a yellow stain on your designs.
Third, its time to bake! (The most enjoyable part, but can also be stressful for the first time!) I pre-heat my oven to 300 degrees, put my designs between 2 pieces of parchment paper, and put them into the oven. People say it takes 2-4 minutes, but for me, it actually takes from 8-12 minutes. It really depends on the size of your designs, so you will have to experiment! After doing this many times, I realized that the longer they are in for, the less imperfections that they have! Again, the most important thing is TRIAL AND ERROR, so find that right temperature for you! Another tip would to be to NOT FREAK OUT. The main reason why most of my charms failed in the oven step was because I was so anxious if they were going to over bake! However, this ALWAYS led to me removing them too early and having failed charms. Just remember that over baking is WAY better than under baking, so there is no reason for you to worry! I did read that someone said that they can burn, which I never encountered, but be cautious! Finally, I quickly remove them from the oven, flattening them with a flat pan/plate. BE WARNED that they cool down VERY quickly, so flatten them quickly!
Next, I apply DecoArt Americana Triple Thick Gloss Glaze for one main reason. If you use Mod Podge Dimensional Magic, using it by itself without an under coat will probably make your design smear. This product does make the colors more saturated, so be aware of that! It isn’t my favorite glaze because of it saturating the colors, but I don’t know of any other gloss so I just gotta make do with what I have. I leave it to dry for the whole day or night (10-12 hours-ish), and then move on to using Mod Podge Dimensional Magic.
I have to say, Mod Podge Dimensional Magic is very stressful to use. Lots of my charms have failed because of it. The air bubbles are very stressful, but I typically use a needle and toothpick to pop the big ones. If there are some small ones you want to take out, you can scoop them out with a sticker note or paper, which works most of the time! I also had times where the liquid overflowed, so make sure to not overdo it! Another tip I have for this product is that whenever the liquid covers small spaces/crevices, I wait about 1-2 hours for it to set, and then go in with a toothpick to cut the liquid that has fallen in these areas! Using this product can be very stressful, but when done correctly, the end result will be very nice and will leave you satisfied! I let it fully rest for 12 hours before I call it finished!
Overall, this product was very simple to use! I am so satisfied on how my charms have all turned out and very excited to continue making more! A final tip to you all would be to not give up if you mess up! The mistakes are what allows you to learn and become better at doing this! I hope this review helps someone, as knowing some of these things from the start would’ve been so helpful to me. I know this has been long, but thank you so much for reading this! 💖
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