March / April Newsletter: Tricks of the Trade

Let’s Talk…TRICKS OF THE TRADE

#1 TRICK

Expo Markers (whiteboard markers)

Some of you may already be using this marker to trace out your window painting displays, good for you!

If you are doing things a different way…you are probably using either a black marker, or a white wax pencil. Both products will produce an effective display. In the beginning we used a black sharpie marker. I liked it because it produced a very clean, crisp outline for graphics and fonts. However, a couple challenges came to light. First of all when we made a mistake, it wasn’t easy to erase the marker. After trying several cleaners, we found that using an SOS pad did the trick. This also came in handy when it came time to take the display off the window. You have to test a small area first before using SOS pads as you certainly do not want to scratch anyone’s window! We have never had a problem with that though. Another challenge with the Sharpie markers were they did not last very long so we had to find refill ink for them. Both the markers and the ink are fairly pricey. One day, someone watching us work suggested we use a dryboard marker and let me tell you that little piece of information cut our production time down substantially. Once we had our display traced out, we still used the Sharpie markers to get the crisp outline simply by tracing over the Expo marker lines. Great idea!

#2 TRICK

FOOD COLORING

Have you noticed that some paint colors just do not have the kick that other colors do? Add food coloring to your paint. Depending upon how much you add, this will brighten up your colors substantially! Be careful though because this will not only stain your clothes but also the clients floor should you accidentally spill. It is wise to premix this to your paints off-site. You can also purchase food coloring in bulk from your local grocery store. Ask and you shall receive!

#3 TRICK

CORN STARCH

There are times when your paint will not flow as nicely as you want it to. Add alittle cornstarch to the paint (about 1 teaspoon for every 4 Liters of paint). You will find that this addition will make the paint glide on easier to the window. Careful not to add to much and to mix it up well. Remember lumpy gravy? Premix the cornstarch with water before adding to paint.

#4 TRICK

DISHSOAP

When window painting displays have been on a window baking in the sun for quite some time, removal may be challenging. Add alittle dishsoap to the paint before hand and you will find that when the paint is made wet during the removal process, it will come off alittle easier. Removing window painting displays is not the most enjoyable job on the planet, so every little bit helps!