What are mica pigments?
• Mica pigments are very, very fine powders that they have manufactured for cosmetic or craft purposes. They are water-soluble and can be mixed into paints and/or clays to add to the finished effect. The most popular brand is Jacquard PearlEx pigments, which can be found in most craft stores. They are a bit expensive, so be careful if you plan to invest in them! You can get a kit with 12 or so colors for about $30. Here’s the breakdown on some of the color types: • Basic colors: these are just regular, everyday colors. They do have a slight metallic or pearl finish to them because of the mica pigments. Metallic: they don’t actually contain any real metals in them, but they do give your piece a finish similar to the metal that you’re trying to imitate (gold, silver, copper, etc). However, remember that there is no way to really get it to look exactly like metal so don’t be too disappointed! Pearls: these give your clay a pearly-finish (more like freshwater pearls) Interference: these ar
