Modifications, repairs, & beautification options [painting] for Ficcares and fakkares

[dulce]

Ok,am starting this thread,please feel free to post your questions and your pics of your creations.

[rowie]

Thanks for starting this thread dulce. I'm definitely subscribing because i'm interested in learning techniques in repairing old Ficcares that have chips on enamels or scratches, etc. I think this will be a very helpful thread to a lot of Ficcare owners as well.

[dulce]

I have started painting my silver matte Ficcares with fancy Walmart nail polishes,Rustoleum spray and Krylon indoor/out door spray paints.Will post some pics.The light blue primavera original colour was solid gold [before painting] was spray painted with an indoor/outdoor spray paint[you could use Rustoleum or Krylon]Several light coats are applied[let dry inbetween coats]but you also wipe off each coat gently just on the raised floral surface each time you put a new coat on, on to keep the metal raised floral surface clean. Keep building till you get the shade you want.With each coat maybe wait 20-30 secs to let it set slightly before you wipe off.If it doesn't wipe off properly [dried too much] then add a drop of paint thinner on a soft cloth and go over the raised surface very lightly.A week or so,later,spray with clear gloss Rustoleum to add shine and protection.

ETA1:

These are painted with silvery glittery nail polish then covered with large silver stars nail polish.

ETA2:

These are done with lavender glittery nail polish the covered with lavender/gold stars nail polish,then coated with clear nail polish[shiny] then a week later a clear rustoleum gloss spray over all.

ETA3:

Couldn't resist adding my pic of my cat..

ETA4:

my attempt at a blue jeans using mixed blue nail polishes and added a little glitter clear nail polish in the lighter areas then the protective coats later.

ETA5:

these are the blue Walmart nail polishes I used to create my faux[wish I had a real one! ]blue jeans using a silver innovation clip.The finished faux blue jeans is a few pics above.I later covered with a clear nail polish gloss then waited 1 week to cover with clear gloss Rustoleum spray.It's important to wait that week or even more to reduce the risk of incompatibility with your paints and final protective finish.The small car hobby shop told me to wait a month!I tried..

ETA6:

A spray painted silver matte ficcare[ using light blue indoor/outdoor Krylon paint spray] and Rustoleum clear gloss spray after[1 week later].

[Kaelee]

That "blue jeans" is my favorite! The finish on the light blue one is amazing as well, I would never guess it was painted with nail polish!

[dulce]

Thanks Kaelee,desperation creates creativity.I so want a blue jeans!The light blue one[maximas] is spray on Krylon indoor/outdoor paint.

ETA:

Things I found worked for me-practise your different painting techniques on a new no stick light coloured cookie sheet[easy clean up],clamp your ficcares while painting[I like Prevention magazines but anything will do and keep them clamped till dry] use light coats for most techniques except for the marbelling techniques,wait at least a week[longer is better!] before adding your final protective coats to reduce incompatibility issues with the underlying paint,and you can remove paint off a clip with a dremel or fine sand paper,also experiment with Testor enamel paints,assorted fancy nail polishes,spray paints to see which you like the best and have good lighting and lots of newspapers.With the innovations I added a cotton ball on the inside of the lower tip and attached with an elastic,it's not fun trying to remove paint from the under spring.

[Nightshade]

Here's mine

My first foray into Ficarre modification was antiquing my silver Primavara.

1. Clipped it to the side of some cardboard and tapped off anything that might get overspray with masking tape


2. Sprayed with a black enamel meant for metal. After 2-3 seconds wiped it off so the top was silver and the recesses were black. Let it dry. Repeated 2 more times. Once that was dry did two coats of a clear top coat (also meant for metal).


3. only after it was fully dry from all coats did I take off the tape




I don't have a step by step photo record for this one, but this one I did by:
- covering the middle section with contact paper
- taping off everything else
- cutting the design out of the contact paper
- spraying the exposed bits with multiple coats
- removing the contact paper
- clear coating the entire top several times








Here they are in context with my other Ficcares. I've since sent the custom vine one to live with Hypnotica

[ravenhair44]

Here's mine

My first foray into Ficarre modification was antiquing my silver Primavara.

1. Clipped it to the side of some cardboard and tapped off anything that might get overspray with masking tape




2. Sprayed with a black enamel meant for metal. After 2-3 seconds wiped it off so the top was silver and the recesses were black. Let it dry. Repeated 2 more times. Once that was dry did two coats of a clear top coat (also meant for metal).


3. only after it was fully dry from all coats did I take off the tape




I don't have a step by step photo record for this one, but this one I did by:
- covering the middle section with contact paper
- taping off everything else
- cutting the design out of the contact paper
- spraying the exposed bits with multiple coats
- removing the contact paper
- clear coating the entire top several times








Here they are in context with my other Ficcares. I've since sent the custom vine one to live with Hypnotica

I love what you did with the Primavara. I need to do this to mine. And I have another polished silver one that I need to get creative with. Also love your collection especially both Lotus clips.

[woelfchen83]

I don't have a step by step photo record for this one, but this one I did by:
- covering the middle section with contact paper
- taping off everything else
- cutting the design out of the contact paper
- spraying the exposed bits with multiple coats
- removing the contact paper
- clear coating the entire top several times

Did you cut out everything by hand??? Amazing!

I just painted two ficcares with nail polish, that's it but your work is really inspiring!

[eresh]

I just painted two ficcares with nail polish, that's it but your work is really inspiring!

Whoa I love this!

You ladies are very brave, I don't dare touch expensive clips like ficcares, too afraid I'd ruin them.
But what you all have done with them is simply beauiful, and very unique!

[sophiamermaid]

OK, I'd given up on these, because they could never hold my hair up, and even if gravity + sheer volume didn't drag-flop them out immediately, they always snagged painfully and OMG SO IRRITATINGLY that I chucked them after 4 or 5 attempts. Yours, however, are SO PRETTY that I might have to give them another try. Are the swoopy ones with the big space in the middle readily available in the US? I think that might've been my problem.