What happens if....?

[rparrny]

I make a loaf of half black and half white (using a divider down the middle of the loaf to separate the colors) and then use a taiwan swirl technique?
I want to keep the colors separate so that I have a good portion of each color separate but give just a little swirl. Will the taiwan technique cause too much integration?

 

[Jstar]

That technique will cause some overlapping into the other color naturally but not by much, and by working shallow you wont bother the layers below.

 

[CaraBou]

The thickness of your tool, the thickness of your batter, and the spacing of your zigzag will determine how much integration you'll get. But an inherent beauty of the T-technique is that it's pretty delicate, so your lines should stay crisp even when going all the way through your batter.

Post and prove it (or prove me wrong -- I've never done the T)

 

[kchaystack]

The trick with the Taiwan swirl is in the cut. If you just cut it vertically you only see the design on top. For it to show thru the bar you have to slice on the horizontal.

 

[rparrny]

The trick with the Taiwan swirl is in the cut. If you just cut it vertically you only see the design on top. For it to show thru the bar you have to slice on the horizontal.

Yeah...I was reading about that and I'm more nervous about the cut than the design itself. I'm not working with a big mold here...a crafters choice mold that holds about 1.8 pounds. Is it even possible to cut horizontal with that size mold?

 

[kchaystack]

sure. You cut the loaf into thirds, then turn it on end and cut it like you would a normal loaf.

That is probably a 1501 mold, so it is 8 inches long. So you would cut at about 2 2/3 inches. Turn on end and half those. If filled to the top your bars are about 1 1/4 inch thick. They might be a bit large if you have small hands... you could cut every 2 inches length wise if you want smaller bars

 

[rparrny]

sure. You cut the loaf into thirds, then turn it on end and cut it like you would a normal loaf.

That is probably a 1501 mold, so it is 8 inches long. So you would cut at about 2 2/3 inches. Turn on end and half those. If filled to the top your bars are about 1 1/4 inch thick. They might be a bit large if you have small hands... you could cut every 2 inches length wise if you want smaller bars

Yup it is a 1501...
So I cut it in thirds so that I have 3 eight inch long pieces, then cut each piece into 2 2/3 inch pieces?? These are guy bars so they can be on the larger size.

 

[kchaystack]

Nooo Cut into 3 pieces 2 2/3 long on a normal horizontal cut. Then cut those in half vertically.

Here is video that shows what I mean... tho she trims the top and sides which is not necessary. [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NvSKIN2DuA[/ame]

Not sure how she poured, looks like she did not use dividers.

 

[rparrny]

Nooo Cut into 3 pieces 2 2/3 long on a normal horizontal cut. Then cut those in half vertically.

Here is video that shows what I mean... tho she trims the top and sides which is not necessary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NvSKIN2DuA

Not sure how she poured, looks like she did not use dividers.

I knew I wasn't gettin it...I'm one of those people who learns more from visual and hands on so the video was perfect! Thank you!
Did the soap a little while ago...had a colorant disaster with the black mica so it is now a green/white bar.
I just did the zig zag and then around the edges for the waves, by that time I was so disgusted with all of the problems with the loaf I figured I'd leave well enough alone. Half of my loaf was light trace the green half was medium trace from all crap I had to do to save the color. I have no idea what that will do to the swirl...

 

[Jstar]

Guess I completely missed the point..I thought the OP didn't want the swirl to go all the way thru the soap...guh

 

[rparrny]

Guess I completely missed the point..I thought the OP didn't want the swirl to go all the way thru the soap...guh

No you got it right, but I didn't do a full taiwan swirl only the zig zag from side to side. The whole point of this was to have enough of the darker color (which was supposed to be black but has now been made green) so that after cut I can stamp an initial in gold mica. Since this whole thing ran into so many problems I honestly don't know how I'm gonna cut it. Gonna play it by ear..

 

[not_ally]

I would def. do the Taiwan cut on at least part of it so that you can see how it came out, I think it will be prettier (a divider soap, especially if you do not do a horizontal pass, or something else, is not very pretty cut the normal way.)

I would cut a piece off the end of the loaf (like you would normally), see what you think of the interior side, and then proceed as K suggested if you don't like it. W/r/t the top, I actually kind of like the flecks, although they are *definitely* not black , which I know is what you wanted. But I like the graininess from your pic in the other thread.

I would still try the stamp, as well, maybe just in a darker mica for more contrast?

 

[rparrny]

I would still try the stamp, as well, maybe just in a darker mica for more contrast?

You don't think the gold mica would show up against the green?

 

[not_ally]

It will probably be fine, I just thought you wanted more contrast b/c you started out w/black as the stamping "matrix."

 

[rparrny]

It will probably be fine, I just thought you wanted more contrast b/c you started out w/black as the stamping "matrix."

Yeah I did, but trace was setting in and the green was the easiest to reach...in hindsight I had a really pretty blue that I usually use very light but I'll bet would make a stunning dark blue...now I wish I had grabbed that one first...
Ah well, next batch...

 

[rparrny]

I would def. do the Taiwan cut on at least part of it so that you can see how it came out, I think it will be prettier (a divider soap, especially if you do not do a horizontal pass, or something else, is not very pretty cut the normal way.)

I would cut a piece off the end of the loaf (like you would normally), see what you think of the interior side, and then proceed as K suggested if you don't like it. W/r/t the top, I actually kind of like the flecks, although they are *definitely* not black , which I know is what you wanted. But I like the graininess from your pic in the other thread.

I would still try the stamp, as well, maybe just in a darker mica for more contrast?

Okay, this was weird...
Cut the soap with the Taiwan cut, I don't hate it...not bad for a first effort and not being a true Taiwan swirl. Not thrilled with the color but not bad for a salvage. The extra soap I had that wouldn't fit in the loaf went into a bar mold that I used to experiment with the stamps..which btw, I had a lot of fun with. I look at the two soaps side by side and my bar mold soap is white and green, the loaf soap is that olive oil yellow and green....same batch?? !!

 

[TVivian]

That's beautiful!!!!

 

[rparrny]

That's beautiful!!!!

Thank you so much...it was supposed to be a black and white bar!
And you'll notice my lettering is even on the edges of the mold bar...lol...I was having so much fun I was running out of room...

 

[gigisiguenza]

That's beautiful soap, the swirls are crisp and I like that they a big swooping curls. So pretty.

 

[not_ally]

I agree with the others, I really like the way it came out!