Gold & Silver Dip Plating Solutions for Costume Jewelry

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Several techniques can create the look of hand dipped jewelry.

If you've made a homemade costume jewelry piece, like a necklace or set of earrings, you may want to change the metal of the jewelry to look like gold or silver. In a professional jewelry making factory, a dipping process is often used to achieve this look. At home, there are a few strategies you can employ to get the look of hand-dipped jewelry.

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Metallic Spray

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Metallic spray paint is a quick way to get a gold or silver look on your jewelry. Lay the jewelry on a sheet of newspaper and spray a thin, even coat of the paint all over the jewelry item. Metallic spray paint can be found at craft stores, building supply stores or art supply stores.

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Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint is a good alternative to spray paint if you have jewelry that can't be coated all over, like a necklace with a pendant that you don't want to get paint on. You can purchase gold or silver acrylic paint from most art or craft stores. Then, just apply the paint as needed using a thin paint brush.

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Leafing

Gold and silver leafing is a simple process that can achieve a beautiful metallic effect. Gold and silver leafing can be found at craft shops and looks like small flakes. The flakes are applied to the jewelry using a small paint brush or finger tips and can be molded around the jewelry, much like molding aluminum foil.

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Paint Pens

Paint pens can be found at craft stores or art supply shops and look like regular markers. Paint pens come in several metallic colors, including gold and silver, and give you the flexibility of a small tip to work with. This can help if you have a small surface you need to cover, like a necklace clasp.

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