Wednesday, June 16, 2010

What is Mica?

The mica group of sheet silicate (phyllosilicate) minerals includes several closely related materials having highly perfect basal cleavage. All are monoclinic with a tendency towards pseudo-hexagonal crystals and are similar in chemical composition. The highly perfect cleavage, which is the most prominent characteristic of mica, is explained by the hexagonal sheet-like arrangement of its atoms.The word "mica" is thought to be derived from the Latin word micare, meaning "to glitter", in reference to the brilliant appearance of this mineral (especially when in small scales).
How 'bout that for to technical??
Ok....so the fun facts. I use Mica for my fairy wings. The sheets that I sell on my website are transparent- Kind of light tan. There are many layers with in each sheet. They can be "delaminated" or split apart into several thinner sheets. Natural mica is heat resistant, acid free and lightfast. Each Tile is distinctly different from the other. They can be delaminated and relaminated making them perfect for preserving photos, pressed flowers and mementos. Uses include jewelry making, painting, embossing, collage art, card making and ornamentation. You can drill holes and add rivets. It is archival, lightfast, acid free, heat resistant. Tiles vary in shape and size. It can be easily with your sharp junk scissors. It can be stamped on, embossed, glued, painted, alcohol inked, decoupaged.....What else can you think of?
I have also used Mica in flake form. The come in numerous sizes and colors of flakes. Some of the larger pieces look like crystal shards. I really like the gold flake as it really does look like gold. Here are pics of the flakes glued to white and black:





There are also Mica powders available. They are ground very finely. Imagine the glimmery look of eye shadow. Mica power are metallic colored, non-tarnishing natural tiles of mica. They can be used with most any adhesive, acrylic medium, or transparent finish. The flakes adhere to most any surface and can also be applied dry to any tacky surface. Mica powders are great for collage, papermaking, rubberstamp embossing, and wherever a natural, shimmering, glittery effect is desired. The flakes are pigment coated, heat resistant, acid-free, and archival.
You can see the Mica products I carry by following this link: MICA
Michelle Mahler minidolls.com Doll Artist's Workshop

1 comment:

Minnie Kitchen said...

her legs are beautiful!