please can you help fix my neon rainbow tiger?!?

I am just not happy with it. And it is SO stinkin' popular I cannot stand it! In fact, this pic was the first and I was so unhappy with it, and then a bunch of other kids wanted it after seeing it on that girl (so the kids still think it is fine, though I absolutely do NOT). I think I am okay with the sponging (though I always get my hands so dirty - any advice for that?), and I know my overall shape and linework are not great, but those I can work on. It is the white parts that I cannot get right and need help with.

My white is so streaky! I tried Snaz white and DFX white and DFX metallic white. I use a paint brush and am really really really hesitant to use a sponge for the white parts, because I am a "brusher" and not a "sponger" and just do not like the control I have with a sponge. I also tried Starblend white - great powdery look (not streaky) which I love, but I need better coverage at the outside of the white area, because it needs to cover small parts of neon rainbow, so I cannot use Starblend.

I am at a loss. I do the rainbow colors first, and then paint the white on top, if it matters. And I glitter the heck out of it, you know why! LOL

Help appreciated!
Barbie






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I have a rainbow dog I do. Which I would not even post next to your tiger for lack of skill on my part. But for me the white is the least of the problem. I use the Wolfe white and it covers right over the edge of the rainbow.

Tamara

I think it looks great other than the blending of the rainbow and the white. I always place the white first and cover a larger area than what will be in the end and then blend to two together. I never use Wolfe white for that part as it is harder to blend. I would use Paradise or Snazaroo.

Oh and if you sponge the white on first it is very forgiving so you don't have to be perfect with your sponge work. I blend by blotting the rainbow on the outside edges of the white.

This is how I do my tiger. Many versions but this one is with painted eyes and muzzle. I think you just need to continue to the center of the eyes towards the nose with the white paint. Yours kinda looks unfinished.
And the white up the nose needs to continue up between the eyes or none at all. Yours just does not flow. Know what I mean. More blending is needed. Try different versions of where the rainbow goes and where the white goes. I would also start with the white and any mistakes can be blended into your rainbow colours.

Well... I think it is fine, but....

Keep the muzzle white, not up the nose so much, blend the rainbow over the nose too... use a stiffer sponge for your rainbow cake (tack sponge or Fantasy Worldwide green work very well) and it won't bleed through so much.

You need to get over your fear of sponges and white... it will work SOO much better if you sponge the white - load the sponge and TAP TAP TAP. Don't drag or swipe.

OOOOOHHHHHHHH (light bulbs above my blonde head LOL) - I need to put the white FIRST and BLEND! Aha. I don't know why it didn't occur to me that I could blend... duh.

LOL.

You guys rock. Thank you!
Barbie

ps: WMeventservices (or anyone) - when you "blot", do you use a dry sponge? A little blending and a little removing color, is that what you mean?

Shannon, I totally have a FEAR of sponges... I just don't know why. My hands get all dirty and I feel like I just don't have control over a sponge. Practice, practice, pratice, eh? You think that will take care of it?
Barbie

My hands don't get dirty... I use tack sponges and the paint does NOT bleed through. Get better sponges and you might like using them!!

I first used the Wolfe Bros orange ones (standard ones, I guess) and now have a bunch of FWW green ones. It still turns messy. Sigh, oh well....

Maybe I should YouTube sponging and see if anything pops up!

Barbie

You have FWW and you're still making a mess? Too much paint, too much water....???? You don't need to load the sponge, just swipe it to get colour on it, then apply to the face.

the only thing I don't like is the nose... Should look more like the nose in glitterfly's example. Otherwise gorgeous and use sponges

I completely understand! This last gig I did, the first kid wanted a kitty I hate my kitty design....of course the next 2 kids also wanted the kitty Ugg! All 3 kids loved it, but it's my least fav. I guess I needed the practice! LOL

I think your tiger is beautiful! The nose is really the only thing I wolud change. Another thing you might like is adding white dots to your strips. It just adds more detail, but really your tiger is gorgeous!

Here is a pic of one of my tigers using an SF tigerrr cake. I was practicing on my son and forgot to put dots on the top stripes

BarbieSmith wrote:Shannon, I totally have a FEAR of sponges... I just don't know why. My hands get all dirty and I feel like I just don't have control over a sponge. Practice, practice, pratice, eh? You think that will take care of it?
Barbie

I have very dry skin which soaks up face paint and stains like crazy so I always wear non latex disposable gloves when I sponge.

CottonKandyClown:
Great tiger.
Love the dots in your stripes!