Metallic Paste for Dimensional Effects and Stencilling
This product is part of Part 2 of the Playing with Gels & Pastes series, where I explore the individual gels and pastes included in my experiments.
Prima Marketing Finnabair Icing Paste is a smooth metallic paste designed to add dimensional effects and detailed designs to craft and mixed media projects.
According to the product information, it can be spread with a palette knife, silicone brush or texture tool and used either free-hand or through stencils.
Different Icing Paste colours can be mixed together, and other products such as micro beads, Art Stones and glitter can also be added to create customised effects.
I tested Rose Gold Icing Paste as part of my Getting to Know Your Gels & Pastes experiments to explore how this speciality metallic paste behaves and where it is most useful.
Characteristics
Icing Paste has a smooth, creamy consistency, but has enough body to create dimensional effects.
It dries opaque with a beautiful metallic sheen. I wouldn’t describe the finish as either matte or glossy; the metallic particles create their own reflective finish.
The dried surface is very smooth and remains flexible.
Ways to Use Icing Paste
Create Metallic Stencilled Designs
Icing Paste works beautifully through stencils.
Its creamy consistency has enough body to hold the design without easily spreading underneath the stencil, creating crisp, defined edges and a dimensional metallic finish.
This is one of the techniques where I think this product really shines.
Create an Ink Resist
Once dry, Icing Paste creates an excellent ink resist.
This provides an interesting way to combine a metallic stencilled design with inks added over the surrounding surface.
Both Distress Ink and Distress Oxide Ink could be blended over the dried paste.
Paint Over It
Painting over the dried Icing Paste was not particularly successful.
Since the main appeal of this product is its metallic finish anyway, painting over that finish isn’t a technique I would choose it for.
Use It as an Adhesive
Icing Paste also demonstrated surprisingly good adhesive properties.
It successfully adhered both the button and sand in my experiments.
As with some of the other speciality products I’ve tested, however, I wouldn’t necessarily reach for an expensive metallic paste simply because I need an adhesive. Its adhesive properties become particularly useful when I want to embed or adhere something as part of an existing metallic effect.
Heat Embossing and Foiling
Icing Paste could be used for heat embossing but created small, droplet-like embossed effects.
Foil also adhered successfully to the paste.
Both techniques work, although I would consider whether adding another shiny finish actually enhances the metallic effect already created by the Icing Paste.
Tint the Paste
I was able to alter the colour slightly by adding All Purpose Ink, although the result wasn’t as bright or obvious as it was with some of the other gels and pastes I tested.
The existing metallic colour and sheen continue to influence the final colour.
Silicone Moulds
Icing Paste performed particularly well in my silicone mould experiment.
The paste filled the mould successfully and produced a beautiful metallic moulded embellishment.
This is another use where its thicker consistency gives it an advantage over a thinner metallic product such as Nuvo Embellishment Mousse.
My Favourite Uses
Finnabair Icing Paste
- Metallic stencilled designs
- Dimensional metallic effects
- Silicone moulds
- Ink resist
- Adding metallic details
It can also be used for:
- Adhesive
- Heat embossing
- Foiling
- Tinting
Not my first choice for: Painting over
I would reach for this when: I want a dimensional metallic effect, particularly for a crisp stencilled design or a moulded embellishment.
Explore More
- Getting to Know Your Gels & Pastes
See how I tested the different gels and pastes in my stash and what I wanted to discover. - Ways to Use Gels & Pastes
Explore which gels and pastes worked for stencilling, ink resist, adhesives, moulds, heat embossing, foiling and more. - Icing Paste vs Nuvo Embellishment Mousse
See how Icing Paste and Nuvo Embellishment Mousse compare and when I would choose one over the other.
PLEASE NOTE: All the opinions are my own. None of the products have been sponsored.