Glitter Guide
What’s most important when choosing glitters for crafting Tumblers?
We'll walk you through everything you need to know so you can choose the best glitter for your projects.
- Glitter Quality
- Particle Size
- Glitter Effect
- Opacity
GLITTER QUALITY
Quality is key. When referring to a glitter's quality, especially when it comes to glitter crafts that involve epoxy/resin, and sanding, glitter needs to be durable, and able to withstand high temperatures without melting when crafting with epoxy and heat guns, and retain color.
The better the glitter quality, the better the result.
High quality glitter is generally made of polyester and is both solvent resistant and heat resistant. This means a high quality glitter won’t lose it’s color or bleed into the resin (or finish) when crafting with epoxies and finishes that create heat.
(See below, MakerFlo Glitter Northern Lights compared to other glitters in resin)
For the best results in crafting glitter tumblers, we recommend using glitters made of a quality polyester with a high heat resistance.
MakerFlo glitters were made especially with “tumbler makers” in mind, but they can also be used in other glitter crafts.
GLITTER PARTICLE SIZE
Glitter particle size creates the final look, the size will also determine the care you must take when crafting your tumbler.
Our fine glitter measures 1/96 (or 0.25mm). It provides full coverage and is easy to use.
Our chunky glitter mixes include 4 sizes ranging from ultra fine 1/128” (0.2mm), fine 1/64” (0.4mm), large 1/24” (1.0mm) and jumbo 1/10” (2.5mm). Chunky Mixes are beautiful for their sparkle and shine, but they can be a little tricky to apply.
Our glitter shapes are 3mm in size.
FINE GLITTER
Ease of Use: Easy
Coverage: Full
Generally speaking, finer glitters are easier to work with and are recommended for beginners. This is for two reasons.
One, the finer (or smaller the glitter particle) it lays flat more effortlessly than a larger glitter or chunky mix. This means fewer finishing coats (and sanding in between). It also means more even coverage. While a chunky mix or larger glitter particle may create “peaks and valleys” as applied, generally speaking a finer glitter will apply more evenly.
Fine (or ultra fine glitter) looks amazing when used alone, it can also be used to fill “the valleys” when using chunky mixes, and or mixing with other glitters. It’s highly versatile, a little goes a long way, and if crafting with only fine glitter you will generally have fewer top coats.
CHUNKY MIX GLITTERS
Ease of Use: Moderate to Difficult
Coverage: Medium
Chunky Mix Glitter creates dramatic sparkle and shine. It can be used as an all over glitter or just the top or bottom of a tumbler to create a two-toned ombre sparkle effect. Chunky Glitter is fun and sparkly but it can be difficult to work with.
The larger the glitter particle size, the more difficult it is to work with, for a few reasons.
Chunky Glitters are trickier because of the “peaks and valleys” they create when applied. To maintain a result with maximum sparkle and shine, it requires making sure the glitter lays flat on the tumbler. Often chunky or larger glitters can stick to the adhesive by their edge, if this happens, the glitter will not properly reflect light.
To smooth out the surface and minimize the “peaks and valleys” many crafters will use fine glitters in a matching color to fill the “valleys” to achieve equal coverage. This is where fine glitters can become super useful in crafting with chunkier mixes.
If you’re working with epoxy, resolving unflattened glitter has an even shorter window time, as the epoxy hardens which requires more finesse when applying chunky glitters and quick acting “tap and fill” skills to resolve glitter that does not lay flatly.
When you’re working with epoxy or CrystaLac, the tap and shake method is recommended when applying to remove larger pieces before they adhere by their edge.
Speaking of finishes, Chunky Mix Glitters also use a lot more layers of top coat (epoxy or CrystaLac) to ensure a smooth, hard-coated and protective finish. More coats mean more sanding.
Top coats should be sanded carefully when working with larger glitters (whether applying epoxy or CrystaLac as a finish) since over sanding can rub the color and holographic coating off the glitter, thus eroding the beauty of the designed intention.
GLITTER SHAPES
Ease of Use: Hard
Coverage: Light
Glitter Shapes are the finishing touch and in most cases require more coats of epoxy or CrystaLac.
Shapes in most cases are layered on top of already cured and sealed glitters. Glitter Shapes come in a variety shapes such as hearts, stars, butterflies, diamond rings, stiletto heels and are often used to personalize tumblers.
Because of their holographic coating and larger size (3-5mm), glitter shapes can be lightly applied while adding extra bling to the tumbler.
GLITTER STYLES
In the above image you can see the different glitter styles.
From top to bottom,
-UV Fine (Cotton Candy)
- Color changes in full sunlight or UV light source
-Iridescent Fine (Dreamsicle)
- Subtle sparkle with a stable shimmer
-Metallic Fine (Gunmetal)
- Mirror like reflections & constant sparkle
-Holographic Chunky Mix (Champagne)
- Prismatic radiant reflections
-Color shifting Chunky Mix (Cupcake)
- Shifts colors at different angles
GLITTER OPACITY & COVERAGE
Each glitter has an opacity rating that relates to the glitter's translucency, to what degree can light penetrate the glitter.
Generally speaking Holographic and Metallic glitters are opaque while Iridescents, UV Glitters and Color Shifting may offer a degree of translucency.
Glitters that have a greater degree of translucency will pick up the base coat color of your tumbler, which can create a really pretty effect.
