Layering Sparkling Unicorn Spit – Tips and Tricks
Have you tried layering Sparkling Unicorn SPiT? OMW, the results are amazing. Just look at this little bit of opulent gorgeousness we created a few weeks back on a concrete bell pepper.
Who knew that a common old veggie fruit could be transformed into something that looks like a rare and exotic jewel. Aren’t those colors just gorgeous?
And all it took was a few layers of Sparkling Unicorn SPiT. Magical stuff that. If you’ve never heard of it, Unicorn SPiT is a multi-purpose paint, glaze, and gel stain that creates the most beautiful 3-D, vibrant effect on all kinds of surfaces. I’ve used it on wood to make a fishy boho wall hanging, painted a tiny fabric hammock and turned ordinary glass into a verre eglomise mirror. The possibilities are endless.
So in today’s tutorial, I’ll be sharing how to make a concrete bell pepper and step-by-step instructions to create that seamless, jewel-like effect with a little bit of SPiT 😉 The same technique will work on anything that’s paintable. Right, before we get there, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss a post!
Making a concrete bell pepper
I really enjoy making concrete forms, whether it’s a bootilicious pear, a wood nymph, or a pumpkin. When I found this huge bell pepper at our local store I just knew she was destined for greater things. She was quite a handful in my humble opinion 😉
I mixed up a batch of our 2-ingredient recipe to make a mold of the bell pepper.
If you haven’t played around with making your own molds yet, you’ve got to go check that recipe out. It’s super easy and uses things you probably already have at home. Don’t worry, I’ll wait. I know you’re intrigued.
Okay you’re back 😀 Place the mold around the pepper making sure to squish it into all the nooks and crannies, especially around the top where the stalk is. Wait for the mold to dry and use a sharp craft knife to slice the molded pepper in two.
Remove the pepper, save the seeds so you can plant them later, and add the bell pepper to your compost heap. Mix up a batch of concrete according to the manufacturer’s instructions and pour the concrete inside the two pepper halves. If concrete isn’t your thing you can also use Plaster of Paris.
Gently shake or tap the mold halves to get rid of any air bubbles and place them on a flat surface to dry completely. Make sure the molds are filled to the brim with concrete. Once dry, unmold the concrete bell peppers halves and glue them together using a 1:1:2 mix of water, glue, and cement. Brush a little bit of water onto each half before applying the mixture. It makes the bond stronger. You can also use Bondo to join the pepper halves. Smooth away any rough edges with your fingers and leave to dry.
It’s important to wait for your concrete pepper to dry completely before blending and layering Sparkling Unicorn SPiT on top. Unicorn SPiT gel stain is activated by water, and you don’t want any water seeping through from the concrete when you start painting. When it’s completely dry, about a week, depending on where you stay, you can start layering on all those beautiful SPiT colors.
How to layer Sparkling Unicorn SPiT
I’ve used acrylics and stains on our concrete projects before, but I’ve never tried Sparkling SPiT. So this was a first for me.
For the bell pepper I chose three colors Sparkling SPiT colors:
- Violet Vultures (purple),
- Sapphire Swift (blue),
- and Lavish Lovebirds (green).
Don’t you just love those names 😀
If you haven’t layered Sparkling Unicorn SPiT before, I would suggest practicing on a scrap piece of wood or a blank canvas. It makes it easier to get the hang of things before you start.
Choosing a background color
To create those intensely deep, rich jewel-like tones, I painted the entire bell pepper black.
Not only does it make for an interesting background to paint on, but it also changes the intensity of the colors you add on top. To demonstrate how important the background or base color is when it comes to layering, I used a blank canvas and painted one side black and left the other side white. You can see the difference in contrast, value (color lightness or darkness), and hue (color purity) of the Sparkling gel stain between the white and black halves.
The black background makes the colors come alive. It’s even more apparent when the Unicorn SPiT is spread out and thinned down as shown below.
Underpainting with black is also a great way to harmonize and unify the different parts. I always seal my base color with a clear, water-based matt sealer to prevent any bleed through into the layers I’ll be adding on top.
Layering Sparkling Unicorn SPiT
Before you start layering, make sure to shake your Unicorn SPiT bottles really, really well, so all those gorgeous sparkly bits are evenly distributed throughout the gel stain. If you’re new to layering, it’s a good idea to pick colors from the same color palette; either warm or cool. It makes it easier to transition from one to the other. It’s also important not to add too many layers at once to avoid creating something that looks muddy and overworked. The rule of thumb is less is better than more.
To demonstrate, I’ll use a black canvas. It’s easier to see how it’s done. Start by putting three separate colors down, purple, blue, and green. Use a clean paintbrush, and gently spread the purple. Clean the brush and spread the green. Clean the paintbrush again and then move the blue into the purple to blend slightly.
Don’t move the brush over the surface too much, or the two colors will over mix and produce one flat, bleh color. Use gentle brush strokes and a clean paintbrush to avoid contaminating the pure, vibrant, undiluted colors. Repeat the same process by blending the blue into the green.
Wait for the first “blended” layer to dry before adding the second layer. If you apply a new layer of Sparkling Unicorn SPiT too quickly, you run the risk of “lifting” the previous one. Fortunately, Unicorn SPiT doesn’t take too long to dry. Apply a second layer over the first and blend again.
Repeat until you’ve built up enough layers. You still want to see a hint of that black background through all the layers. Don’t worry too much if your colors appear dull when they’re dry. That’s just how Unicorn SPiT works. Once you added enough layers and applied a clear gloss sealer over the top, those colors will pop again.
Some final thoughts about layering
The key to layering is transparency, and Sparkling Unicorn SPiT is by its very nature translucent. It’s one of the things that makes it so easy to use, and it’s that translucency that makes it so perfect for layering too. Just have fun. Don’t overwork the blending and layering process and focus on letting the underlying layers show through the subsequent ones. I can guarantee you the end result will be luminous and sooooo beautiful.
I do hope that after so many years of all-white and grey neutrals we’ll start embracing glorious, vibrant layers of color again.
If you’d like these tips on how to layer Sparkling Unicorn SPiT don’t forget to pin it for later.
Do you prefer to play it safe or do you enjoy using vibrant, beautiful colors in your décor? Let me know what you think in the comments.
BTW, if you love Unicorn SPiT as much as we do and want to spit on some crazy things, here are a few tutorials you’ll enjoy:
- Verre eglomise a piece of glass and create a gorgeous antique mirror;
- Or apply some Unicorn SPiT to fabric;
- And boring melamine is no match for the power of SPiT either ;-);
- You can even use gel stain to create a cracked up effect for something totally different;
- It’s great for creating faux rust;
- Or for making a mixed media mosaic. The possibilities are endless.
Oh and if you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered Disclosure: Clicking on the links below, means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us come up with more amazing craft ideas to share with you 😉
Or if you prefer to buy rather than DIY
And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with lots of love. Thank you for popping in for a visit.
I’m just starting to play around with concrete. I’ll be making garden orbs with cement and want to put a candle in the middle, most likely a tea light. Loving the beautiful sparkling unicorn spit for the inside. Can I utilize the paint for this and an you recommend what cler sealer I could use please. Thank you for the wonderful inspiration
You can definitely use Unicorn SPiT on concrete. I would give the inside of the concrete orbs a layer of white or black acrylic craft paint first to seal them before applying the sparkling SPiT. Concrete can be quite thirsty and will suck the paint up without the base coat. To seal use a glossy exterior polyurethane or even a glossy outdoor varnish. Have fun playing with the SPiT and concrete.
Hi, can the home made moulds be used for resin?
They can yes. Just rinse them well first to get rid of any cornflour that may not have been incorporated properly into the silicone
I’ve been struggling to blend some of my colours. I can’t seem to find a balance between what colours work together and when it becomes messy. Most of the time I end up with a horrible messy chaotic result. What am I doing wrong. Can you help?
Hey there Melissa. Probably the best advice I can give is not to use too many colors and to stay with colors that are part of the same family unless you’re painting a portrait, then you’ll want to experiment with contrasting colors to create a sense of depth and perspective It’s always best to stick with a limited color palette rather than trying to use every single color you have.
Hello!! I’ve talked to you through the Unicorn Spit Facebook group, and now I have another question. When painting the pepper do you go all the way around the pepper with the blending, or do you do a section at a time? I’m going to try this. Have you done a large piece, or furniture, using a blending technique? I see them do it on the group on bare wood with their hands, and mine just ends up looking like a muddy mess.
Hey there Patricia ? with the pepper I went all the way around and started at the top by blending the green into the blue. I flip it over once the US had dried and then put down a little more blue and purple and blended those two together. If I remember correctly there are three layers in total. WRT to your question about muddy colors, they usually happen when you use colors from opposite sides of the color wheel. So, for example, mixing a purple with a yellow will give you a muddy green color. If you mix red with its opposite green, you get a brown mud. As soon as I get a chance I’ll update the post to include a color wheel. I’m sure quite a few people will have the same question. When blending I like staying with colors that belong to the same family, either warm (red, yellow, orange) or cold (blue, green, purple). If you’re using your hands to blend, wipe them with a baby wipe between each blend, so you don’t smudge one of the other colors in. I used my hands blending and layering a bigger piece with pure Unicorn SPiT (not the Sparkling). You can find that tutorial here – https://acraftymix.com/blog/unicorn-spit-loo/. I hope that helps a little, but please shout if something is still unclear. I appreciate real questions so much. Have fun with your SPiT.
I have never heard of unicorn spit, but it has my wheels spinning. Thanks for sharing!
Unicorn SPiT is the best, you’re going to love it Roxanne
What a cool idea! I love the concrete pepper! Those colors are awesome! Pinned!
Thanks so much, Kim
This is stunning! I wouldn’t have ever thought of doing this. What a creative idea.
Thank you, Meegan
Michelle this is exquisite. How very beautiful. And the tutorial makes it look easy for me.
Thanks so much, Deana, once you get the hang of blending and layering it’s real easy
Wow, the effects are so pretty. I have never bought the sparkling range yet. I’ll have to rethink that decision. It is beautiful.
Oh my goodness Anita, you have to try it. I only got my Sparkling SPiT late last year and I’ve had so much fun with all the colors. If anything they’re almost more intense than the normal Unicorn SPiT and they have all these teeny sparkles inside. So pretty.