(Click on the pics to enbiggan)
Couldn't resist. Now you'll be singing that song all day long, right?! chortle
I recently had a chance to play with the HeatWave Foil Pen by We R Memory Keepers. Funny, when I see the word foil, my head snaps up and my eyes get fixated. Beautiful, elegant foiling will get me every.single.time.
But, sometimes, I want that shiny effect in a fun/funky look that isn't necessarily "classic". For me, that's where this Foil Pen can be quite handy! If you like to doodle and draw freehand, or love the idea of foiling your handwriting/lettering, I think you'll have fun with it!
Recognizing how well the pen works with stencils, We R Memory Keepers have designed stencils created to work especially well with the tool, so if you are not crazy about your own handwriting, you can simply use a stencil to guide the pen!
Some things that you should note about this tool:
- It is battery operated (you'll need 3 AA batteries to power it up); I personally like this because I don't have to worry about the cord getting in my way!
- Although the Starter Kit comes with a nice and generous assortment of foil, the foil refill packs are very reasonably priced, contain a generous amount of foil sheets, and you can also purchase the colors individually! fist pump
- The Heatwave works only with the specially designed foil, not with other brands (i.e. Minc, i-Craft Deco Foil, other transfer foils) This is not a negative, in my humble opinion (see my previous note about the inexpensive refills)!
- It can be used with many other stencils; keep in mind that that the tip is approx. 2 cm 1/16" +/- wide, but slightly domed, and not super-fine/pointed. It will work best with stencils that have wider/open spaces, as opposed to narrow or tiny/fine-line designs.
- I found I got the best/most consistent results when I held the pen at a slight angle, instead of completely straight up and down or at my normal hand-writing angle. Practice a little to find what works for you!
- Draw slowly. I repeat: S.L.O.W.L.Y. I had to remind myself of that. Again, practice a little. There's plenty of foil in the Starter Kit to do that with. :)
- Taping the foil temporarily down against my project helped keep it taut against the surface and also gave me better results, eliminating any shifting of the foil due to "drag" from the tip. Washi tape is your friend. :)
- I personally loved the results on smoother but heavier weight papers such as Bazzill Card Shoppe, and Neenah 110# (I had very inconsistent results on more textured papers such as letterpress and watercolor papers. I will have to test more on glossy card stock as my initial experiments were on the dismal side.)
- The foil colors do show up with great contrast against dark/black card stock.
- The finish is somewhat different from transfer foils, yielding a "lustre" type foil effect. On the heavier weight card stocks, it also debosses down into the paper, due to the pressure from the nib, which I feel enhances the look.
LINK: View in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE.
It's tricky trying to capture the shine of the foil on camera, but hopefully, this gives you an idea of the effect.
If you do not have a Minc or laminator but still want to be able to add hand-drawn foil accents to your projects or foil your writing, this is another fun foiling option!
Thanks for joining me today!
SUPPLIES:
