Debbie, Author at Soap Queen

The Making of the Bicycle Soap

May 25, 2010 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

Hi everybody! You may have recently seen Anne-Marie’s post about my Bicycle Soap which I made just for the Soaper’s Showcase at the HSMG Conference in Denver earlier this month. I wanted to use as many techniques as I could to wow the crowd, and I’m thrilled to say it did win for Best M&P Appearance (thank you, Conference attendees for your votes!!), and now I will show you how I did it.

First I printed out a bicycle graphic on soap embed paper using a laser printer. I neatly cut it out, leaving about 1/16″ of white space all around. It doesn’t have to be perfect since the white paper becomes translucent in the soap.

I poured 1/8″ layer of clear soap base into a basic square mold. With a small, flat paintbrush, I mixed green chrome oxide with a drop of liquid glycerin. I painted wispy grass on the hardened layer of clear soap. I let it dry completely.

Next I poured about 1/8″ layer of clear soap onto the painted layer and placed my bicycle into the hot soap. I allowed that to harden then painted more grass. To embed my marbled clouds (I used pearly white mica and clear soap to make a marbled soap sheet then cut out clouds using some fondant cutters), I poured another thin layer of clear soap and put my clouds in. For more dimension I let that set, then set another layer of clouds in yet another layer of clear. (How many layers are we up to now? I lost count!)

At last, we’re ready to make the sky. I mixed blue non-bleeding colorant with pearl mica and stirred it into clear soap base. I poured 1/8″ layer into the mold, then propped one side onto a notepad to make the sky only cover 1/2 of the mold. Finally I topped it off with white scented soap on a level surface. Voila!

This is certainly an “art piece” and not one that I would make to sell. I made another to give to a celebrity designer that I might meet this week which will probably be my last one. But I’m thinking about some variations – this diorama idea has so many possibilities! Can you tell I’m addicted to glycerin soap? I love it!!

Soapylove Tutorial: Sweet and Pretty Parfait Soaps!

April 10, 2010 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

There’s no doubt that desserts are enjoying a huge come back. Cupcakes, cookies, chocolate fountains… you name it. We love watching people make them on TV (thank you, Food Network!) and soaking in the incredible food photography all over the internet. And of course, we excitedly put that sweet tooth excitement into our soap creations, too! What’s better than enjoying a dessert with no calories or guilt?

Well here’s a dessert soap that is just perfect for a summer party favor, a show-stopping craft table display, or a sweet treat for your bathroom counter. Let’s get started, my friends!

Supplies:
1 lb Naturally Clear Soap Base
1 lb Bright White Soap Base
Jewelry Box Colorant Set
Candy Jar Fragrance Oil Set
Scalloped Round Mold
Knife, cutting board, spray bottle with rubbing alcohol

1. Melt 6 ounces of white soap base. Stir in 1 drop of Ruby Red and 5 drops of Sunshine Yellow. Stir well.

2. Pour a thin layer of peach soap into each cavity, about 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick. Allow to harden and unmold (a few minutes in the freezer will speed things up).

3. Cut each round in half, then cut a half circle.

4. Score “segment” lines into soap with tip of knife. Put soap scraps back into your cup and save for later.

5. Melt 12 oz of clear soap base. Color with 5 drops of Sunshine Yellow and 1 drop of Ruby Red. Add 1 teaspoon of any fragrance you like from the kit. I used a combination of Lemon and Tutti Fruity (if you have the Delectable Desserts fragrance set, Orange Sherbet would be an awesome choice as well). Stir well and fill molds 1/2 way with clear orange soap.

6. Let soap cool and get thick in the mold. Spray orange wedges with alcohol and carefully place them, scored sides down, overlapping in the soap. We want the soap to be cool and thick so the wedges don’t sink to the bottom. We’re trying to fake gravity here.

7. Once soap is hardened, spray soap with alcohol and just cover wedges with more clear orange soap. Allow to harden.

8. Reheat leftover opaque peach soap, allow to cool to 120 degrees. Spray set soap in molds with alcohol and top off with opaque soap. Allow to harden overnight and unmold.

TIPS!! Since the bottom layer and the orange wedges are colored with the same mixture as the clear soap, the color bleeding won’t show. In the strawberry version I used Bramble Berry’s non-bleeding red with some Ruby Red. If you make molded fruits like I did, you can “glue” them to the top of your soap with a drop of melted soap.

Have fun!!
Debbie, Soapylove
(Psst! The new Spring issue of Let’s Get Soapy is now available here at Bramble Berry!)

Soapylove Tutorial: 2 Scoops, Please!

March 8, 2010 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

Anne-Marie and I are so excited to release the newest design in the Soapylove supply line – the Ice Cream Cone Mold! With polka dots, layered ice cream scoops, and an adorable “cake” cone, you will have so much fun designing your own flavor combinations. Here’s a quick tutorial to get you started!

Supplies:
1 lb Bright White soap base
Sweet Treats Colorant Set
Poppy seeds
Delectable Desserts Fragrance Set
Ice Cream Soap Mold
Cutting board, knife, bottle of rubbing alcohol, Pyrex cup

Directions:

Melt 1 oz of white soap base. Stir in several drops of Bakery Beige color until you get a nice milk chocolate color. Spray mold with rubbing alcohol, then pour soap into top “scoop” area. I found that if I poured the soap close to the rippled edge then filled in the rest, that I would get the best coverage without overflow. Allow to harden.

Next melt 1 oz of white soap base. Stir in a few drops of Pink Frosting color, then a tiny sprinkle of poppy seeds (you can also use the Rainbow Sprinkles! Very cute!). Spray the chocolate soap and the mold with alcohol, then pour in pink soap filling the second scoop area and covering the chocolate scoop. Allow to harden. If you do have overflow, wait until soap is hard then cut excess away with a sharp knife.

Melt 1 oz of white soap base and color with Buttercream colorant. Spray mold with alcohol, pour soap into cone area and cover both scoops of ice cream. Allow to harden.

* If you want incredibly cute guest soaps or embeds, you can stop here. Let the soaps sit in the mold until completely cool then flex mold to release an edge. Pull soap out of the mold.

For a complete soap bar, melt 4 oz of white soap base and add any fragrance you like from the Desserts F.O. set. Use equal portions of fragrance and vanilla stabilizer. Stir well and allow to cool to 120 degrees. Spray set soap with alcohol, then fill mold. Allow to harden completely either overnight or put in freezer for 10 minutes, and unmold!

You can’t go wrong with this mold. As long as you use non-bleeding colorants, you can do anything! Try using non-bleeding micas for a “sorbet” look, or try marbling 2 colors for a rainbow sherbet effect. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Debbie, Soapylove

Less Can Be More – Using Sheer Colors

February 13, 2010 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

We know that when making multi-colored glycerin soap styles we need to use non-bleeding colors, which are usually made of powders that block light. It seems like we can only do two things – use clear bleeding colors or use opaque non-bleeding colors, but we actually have many choices in between! They’re called “sheer colors.” Here are some tips on how to achieve them (they all use clear soap base to start):

1) Use non-bleeding micas, just a pinch at a time to get a light tinted shimmer that still has clarity. In the Woodgrain Soap above, I used just a hint of cappuccino mica. The engraved design still shows up beautifully and the mica doesn’t bleed (you can find the full tutorial here). In the Daisy Bars on the right, I used a touch of opalescent mica as the background color. It’s still pearly without looking too heavy.

2) Use oxides and pigments with a very light hand. It’s best to start with liquid colorants since it’s easier to add the color one drop at a time, but you can also dilute your powders and add by drops, too. You can see in these Ice Bars that I was able to get a clear blue center that won’t bleed into the white frame. Ultramarines (the blue, purple, and some pink pigments) are very fine powders that keep their clarity very well if used lightly. But remember – one drop at a time!

For a quick reference of which micas and pigments Bramble Berry carries that are non-bleeding, check out Anne-Marie’s recent post here. And for some more great projects using sheer colors, pick up your Soapylove book here! Happy coloring!

Debbie, Soapylove

Soapylove tutorial: Rainbow Carnations!

January 21, 2010 Filed Under: Home Crafts

The weather outside might be cold and unfriendly but these Rainbow Carnations will warm up any room! Plus they’re a great project when you’re stuck inside. All you need are a bunch of fresh white carnations (baby or full size are fine) and your set of Jewelry Box Colorants. Now let’s get started!

First, get 2 cups of warm tap water and 5 or 6 glasses. Fill each glass about 1/2″ full then put 3-4 droppers full of colorant in each (use each color individually, plus mix them to get other shades. Check out this handy color mixing chart here). Pour remaining water into a bowl, then cut your carnation stems about 6″ long, at an angle, under the water. Immediately put your cut flowers in each cup.

Depending on how fresh your flowers are and how intense your color mixture is, you may start to see color in as little as one hour and get full color saturation in 24 hours.

To arrange your flowers in a pot like in the photo, take a small pot, a plastic cup, and a block of oasis. Cut your cup down so the top is below the rim of the pot. Then cut your oasis with a knife until it’s slightly bigger than the bottom of your cup. You should push it down so it’s wedged into the cup. Now start sticking your flower stems into the foam, working from the outside edge into the center. Then fill your cup with water. Ta da!!

SHORTCUT!: If you are feeling impatient and want to see some seriously instant results, cut your flower just below the bud (under warm water!) and put in a tiny cup like a shot glass with warm heavily colored water. I started seeing color in 5 minutes!! Have fun!

-Debbie, Soapylove

Soapylove Tutorial: Ombre Heart Soaps

January 7, 2010 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

At the first ever Soapmaking Weekend Intensive held at Otion in 2008, I had the great pleasure of meeting Paula Kates of PJ Soaps. She is an incredible glycerin soap artist and I learned a little method from her that I haven’t used until now. The interesting surface design on these Ombre Hearts uses her deceptively simple mold-tipping technique. I think you’re really going to like it!

Supplies:

2 oz. Bright White soap base

12 oz. Naturally Clear soap base (or Clear M&P)

Jewelry Box Colorant Set

Candy Jar Fragrance Set

Striped Heart mold

Knife, cutting board, bottle of rubbing alcohol

Directions:

1. Prop top left corner of mold up on something about 1″ tall.

2. Melt 2 oz of white soap base. Spray mold with alcohol, then pour a small amount of soap into mold at the top curves of the heart, allowing soap to run down stripes and pool at one side. You only want total coverage of white soap over 1/2 of the design. Allow to harden.

3. Melt 12 oz of clear soap. Color with 1 or 2 drops of any color from the Jewelry Box set (Fiery Fuchsia and Turquoise Blue are shown) and a sprinkle of Sparkle Dust. Fragrance with 2 dropper fulls of any scent from the Candy Jar set. Allow soap to cool to 120 degrees.

4. Place mold flat on table and spray white soap with alcohol. Slowly pour colored soap into mold, aiming the stream at the edge of the mold where white soap is thickest. This will protect the thinnest area from melting. Allow to harden and unmold.

Although the Jewelry Box colorants are bleeding colors, the white area may become a pastel shade of the colored soap but will always look bright and distinct.

Stay tuned to the Bramble Berry and Otion sites for info about the next “SWI.” It’s a great weekend that you should not miss!

-Debbie, Soapylove

Soapylove Tutorial: Checkered Cookie Soaps

December 14, 2009 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

On this very rainy and chilly day, baking cookies sounds like the perfect project. But there’s just one problem – the last thing I really need right now is a jar full of cookies staring at me. As Oscar Wilde said, “I can resist anything, except temptation.” So today I’m bringing you the fun and satisfaction of iced cookies without the calories (or the dough that refuses to roll out nicely!). Enjoy!

Supplies:
1 lb Naturally Clear Soap Base
Sweet Treats Colorant Set
Delectable Desserts Fragrance Set
Soap Injector Tool
Checkered Heart Mold
Pyrex cup, 4 small mugs or cups
Spray bottle with rubbing alcohol, knife, cutting board

Directions:
1. Fill one cup half full with hot water.

2. Now melt 1 oz of soap base in a cup (15 seconds in the microwave). Stir in a few drops of Pink Frosting colorant, then a drop or 2 of White Icing colorant. Draw up some soap in your injector tool and very gently fill the checker indentations.

TIP: If you spray the mold with alcohol before you start filling the squares, the soap will flow into the corners much easier.

3. When done, squeeze excess soap back into mug, then draw up hot water to clean.

4. Repeat for other colors, using Buttercream Yellow and White Icing colors. Any pattern looks great – you can’t mess up!

5. Allow to harden. If you dripped onto any squares accidentally, use a toothpick or skewer to pick soap off. If the edges seem harsh, use your finger to smooth the soap lines back down.

6. Now melt 12 oz of clear soap base. Color with several drops of Buttercream Yellow. You don’t want to start with Bakery Beige because sugar cookies are a soft color. Add one drop of Bakery Beige to get a more tan tone. It’s better to be light in this case. Now add 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Frosting fragrance oil and stir well.

7. Let the soap cool to 120 degrees. Then spray your checkered soap with alcohol and pour in beige soap. Only fill half way so they’re more like real cookies. Allow soaps to harden overnight and pop out.

Put these in pretty treat bags and tie with ribbon. Your friends will LOVE this no-calorie surprise!

-Debbie, Soapylove

Soapylove Technique Post: Embed Problems

November 28, 2009 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

When I was working on the latest Soap Queen tutorial for the Lucky Star Soaps, I made a batch and ran into a problem. There was a strange bubble trapped over my pretty embedded hearts. See that silvery film over them in the picture above? Well, I’m going to tell you how to avoid that and save you hours of anguish! (okay… make that “a few minutes of puzzlement.”)

The way you make the Lucky Star Soap is to pour a layer of the main color, let it set, then place an embed on the hardened layer and top off the mold. This way, the embed is floating inside the star.

The first time I made the soaps I put the embed directly on the hardened layer, then poured soap on top of it. Unfortunately, the heated soap didn’t get all the way underneath the embed, creating an air pocket. That is why there is that silvery air bubble, which is really distracting.

It’s easy to avoid this. Anytime you are placing an embed into your design, pour some heated soap in first, then place your embed into the soap, and continue to fill your mold. This way, the embed is completely encased in soap with no chance for air pockets. Another way to guarantee a seamless look is to spray your embed with alcohol before placing into the melted soap.

I have included photos of other embedded projects which use this technique. They can all be found in the “Soapylove – Squeaky Clean Projects” book. Have fun!

-Debbie, Soapylove

Soapylove Tutorial: Lucky Star Soaps

November 13, 2009 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

If you love bright colors and plastic jewelry (or did when you were a kid, like me!), then this soap project is for you!A sweet little heart is floating inside the new Soapylove stacked star.It’s simple and fun, and I bet Martha Quinn* would love them!

Makes 4 stars, instructions are for the yellow style.

Supplies:

1 lb Naturally Clearsoap base

Non-bleeding liquid red colorant

Sunshine Yellow from the Jewelry Box Colorant Set

Cherry Pop fragrance oil from the Candy Jar Fragrance Set

Stacked Star Mold

Small heart polymer or fondant cutter

Small plastic storage container or lid, approximately 6″x6″ or smaller

Knife, cutting board, bottle of rubbing alcohol, Pyrex measuring cup

Instructions:

Melt 3 oz of clear soap, color darkly with liquid red colorant. Pour into plastic storage container (or into the lid, like I did), to 1/8″-1/4″ thickness. Allow to harden and unmold.

Cut red soap sheet with heart cutter.

TIP: to prevent your cutter from splitting at the seam, wrap the seam in tape before using.

Melt 12 oz of clear soap and stir in a few drops of Sunshine Yellow colorant and Cherry Pop fragrance oil. Fill mold to second star, spray with alcohol to pop any bubbles, and allow to harden.

Remelt remaining soap if a skin has formed but make sure it’s not above 120 degrees (or too hot to touch with your bare fingertip). Spray hardened yellow soap with alcohol, then pour a thin layer of soap into the mold.

Quickly spray a red heart with alcohol and put into the hot soap. Spray again with alcohol and top off mold. Repeat for remaining cavities.

Allow to harden overnight at room temperature. Pull away sides of mold to create an air pocket, then invert and push on back until soap pops out.

For pink and purple variation, I used Sparkle Dust from the Jewelry Box Colorant Setand non-bleeding purple colorant for the hearts and stars, then Fiery Fuchsia colorant with Pink Strawberry Fragrance Oil for the soap bar. You can create another layer of soap plus an embed to add more dimension to your design, too!

*Do you remember Martha Quinn? She was a “VJ” on MTV. The good ol’ days! 😉

Have fun!
-Debbie, Soapylove

Soapylove Tutorial: Delicious Layered Soap Cookies!

October 10, 2009 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

We’ve been working behind the scenes together for quite some time now on the new Soapylove supply line getting all of the colors, fragrances, molds, and soap bases just right before we were totally happy and ready to put the Soapylove and Bramble Berry seals of approval on them. Now that they’re out, expect some fun tutorials and projects on how to use this fun line of products.

To introduce you to some of our favorites (but it’s hard to pick your favorite when they’re all your babies!), I have put together this easy and super adorable project. The scalloped rectangle mold is used to look like yummy old fashioned cookies and can be made in two “flavors”: vanilla/strawberry, and chocolate/vanilla!

Supplies:
Sweet Treats Colorant Set
Delectable Desserts Fragrance Oil Set
1 lb. Naturally Clear Soap Base, cut into small cubes
1 lb. Bright White Soap Base, cut into small cubes
Scalloped Rectangle Mold
Rubbing alcohol in spray bottle
Cutting board and knife

For the strawberry/vanilla combo, for each soap you are making, melt 3 ounces of clear soap base (20 seconds on high in microwave). Stir in a few drops of Buttercream Yellow colorant. Then add a few drops of Vanilla Frosting fragrance oil and a few drops of Vanilla Stabilizer.

Pour in a layer of this soap, just to 1/4″ thickness. Allow to harden at room temperature.

Now melt 3 more ounces of clear soap base and color with a few drops of Pink Frosting colorant. If you would like a softer shade, you can stir in a drop or two of the White Icing colorant. Now add a few drops each of Strawberry Jam and Vanilla Stabilizer.

Check soap temperature to make sure it is no hotter than 120 degrees. Now spray your Vanilla layer in the mold with alcohol and pour in the Strawberry soap until 1/4″ from the top of the mold. Allow to harden completely.

Briefly reheat the Vanilla soap for 10 seconds or so in the microwave. Check the temperature again, spray the Strawberry layer, and top off the mold with soap. Allow to harden.

Gently pull sides of mold away from the hardened soap, invert and unmold. Voila!

For the Chocolate version, use clear soap base with Bakery Beige for the “cookies”, then white soap base or clear base colored with White Icing colorant for the center. I recommend the Chocolate Fudge and Vanilla Frosting fragrance oils.

Make sure to check back here at The Soap Queen often because I’ll be back with lots of great projects featuring the new Soapylove supplies! See you then! — Debbie

Technique Tip : Dusting with Mica

October 21, 2008 Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Mica is a beautiful colorant that makes glycerin soaps, bath products, and cosmetics shine. But there’s another way to use it which will bring out another dimension to your soap designs!

When I made the Gloomy Ghosts Soapsicles in the picture above, I wanted to create a faded effect to look like fog and mist. The process of both embedding my soap ghosts and making a smooth 3 color transition was really beyond me, so I had to figure out a new way.

My solution was not to use mica in the soap, but ON the soap. I made a clear bar with the ghosts inside, then dusted mica on the outside of the soap. It worked great because I could totally control the amount of color, creating a nice foggy look.

To do this, simply take a soft brush blush. Put some mica on a plate or just use the inside of the lid of your mica jar. Get some mica on your brush, tap off the excess and softly brush it onto your soap. You don’t have to prep the soap with alcohol or anything. Fresh glycerin soaps will have a slight tackiness anyway. It goes on subtley at first, so you can build up the color until you get the brightness you like.

For the Gloomy Ghosts, I used Bronze Mica for the top part and Violacious Violet for the bottom.

Here are 2 other designs I used this technique on. The navy marbled bars have Bronze Mica dusted here and there to add some dimension, and the Coat of Arms Soap has Heavy Metal Gold just to highlight the beautiful detail of the crest.

Sometimes a difficult challenge turns into a simple solution. Try this technique with your next soap – it’s fun, easy, and you’ll get great results!

Debbie, Soapylove

Tutorial: Textured Headstone Soap

October 16, 2008 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

To complete the set from Monday’s post, here is how to make a cool headstone with the same mold used for the Crypt Soap. This is a really fun way to add some technique to a soap but without needing any artistic ability. If you can dab, you will have great results. Try it with the kiddos!

What You’ll Need:
5 oz White Melt and Pour Soap Base
Black Oxide
Dragon’s Blood Fragrance Oil

Halloween Trio Mold
A small cup

A paintbrush (flat stencil brush works best)

1) In your small cup, melt 1/2 ounce of white soap base. Stir in a generous pinch of black oxide. It won’t dissolve completely, but the lumps will give your texture more dimension.2) Take your stencil brush and dip into soap. Dab soap into mold, creating a rough texture. It can be really random and sloppy since it’s good to have some light areas and some heavy areas.

3) In a larger cup, melt the rest of your soap base. Stir in some of your leftover gray soap from step 1 to make it light grey. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon fragrance oil. Allow to cool as much as possible (to 120 degrees or less). Pour into your mold and spray with alcohol to pop any bubbles. Allow to harden and unmold. Voila!

To see this technique used on a Coat of Arms Soap, click here.

Check in next week to see how to enhance your soaps even more with a cool mica technique. With melt and pour, the fun never ends!!

See you then!
Debbie, Soapylove

Tutorial: Bubbles from the Crypt

October 13, 2008 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Melt & Pour Soap

Halloween is coming soon! If you love to make Halloween as creepy as possible, or if you have a friend to play a prank on, this project is for you. As the soap is used, a white skeleton slowly emerges – like bones being found in a grave! Don’t worry – you don’t have to cut out these bones by hand. A great skeleton mold does all the work for you. You’ll just have to bury it in it’s final resting place!

Materials for one bar:

2 ounces white melt and pour soap base

8 ounces clear melt and pour soap base

Brown oxide colorant

Black oxide colorant
Dragonsblood fragrance oil

Melt and Pour Tool Kit

Halloween Trio Mold (CHAL-2)

Heavy Duty Rounded Rectangle Mold

1) Melt your white soap base. Using the injector tool, fill just the skeleton bones in the mold. Allow to harden.

2) Meanwhile, melt your clear soap base, and color with brown and black oxide to get a nice dark soil color. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon fragrance oil. When white skeleton is set, spray with alcohol and fill mold 1/2 way with brown soap. Now pour a small amount of brown soap into one rectangle mold cavity, just enough to cover the surface. Allow skeleton soap to harden and unmold.

3) Cut feet off of skeleton soap so it will fit inside the rectangle mold. Spray hardened brown soap in rectangle mold with alcohol and fill mold 1/3 way with brown soap. Place skeleton soap, face down, into brown soap. If necessary, add more brown soap to cover skeleton soap. Allow to harden and unmold.

This soap is cool the way it is since it’s a total mystery what lies inside. But if you’re feeling ambitious, you can also do this…

Place your soap on a cooling rack, with a piece of waxed paper underneath. Melt your leftover brown soap. Pour soap over the bar (like icing or ganache on a cake), and quickly sprinkle ground green loofah over the top to resemble grass on a grave.

For the headstone, come back on Thursday to see how to make it look like aged stone. This makes a great little bathroom display for a Halloween party! Or a gift set for a special someone!

Until then…

Debbie, Soapylove

Tips on Soap Photography

October 9, 2008 Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Since I started making soaps, I always wanted to take pictures of my projects. Even before I sold them online I wanted to keep an album of what I made. When I started to sell them on Etsy I realized that good photography was essential to being successful. Unfortunately I had no experience with product photography, but over the last few years I’ve learned a few things (check out my flickr account to see my online portfolio). Here are some tips for those of you who don’t feel all that comfortable with a digital camera or aren’t totally satisfied with your pictures:

Lighting
Do you marvel at those pictures that have a completely white background with no shadows at all? Me, too. I still don’t know how to do that perfectly, but I find that natural light gives me the most realistic colors possible. I NEVER use my flash!

When I set up to take a picture, I use a little mini-studio that I made. With one 12″ square piece of white foam core (found at art supply stores) as my floor, and one 12″x24″ piece (scored so it folds) as my background, I create a little area that reflects light from my window to minimize shadows. I can use it as is or put sheets of colored paper inside. To take away any distracting corners in the background, I let the paper bend up onto the back wall (as shown). See how pretty the light is?

Color and composition

One concept I learned in elementary school art class that I still use today is “complimentary colors”. Here’s how I remember mine: there are 3 primary colors (blue, yellow, red). Take one (blue for example), then mix the other 2 colors (yellow + red = orange) and you have your complimentary colors. In the picture above I had an orange soap, so I used blue as the background. For whatever reason, our eye loves seeing complimentary colors together. Red and green for example! This always helps me set up my color scheme when color is important. I did that for the Energy Bar, too. The primary color was orange so I chose a blue plate. Have a stack of colored and patterned papers around and play with combinations until you find one you like.

Composition is important to make your photos interesting. Try stacking them, putting one on an angle, or using props. You’re basically making a little “still life” so be creative!

Cropping and touching up
When you’re done, use your photo software (I use a cheesy one from Office Max that was $9), and crop the photo tightly. You want your soap to be the focus, so don’t waste any of your viewer’s energy on empty space. If you’re selling on Etsy, crop it square. Then, if you have shadows or smudges, learn how to touch them up. To get a very bright, crisp picture, use your “brightness” and “contrast” settings to fine tune your lighting. But be careful! You don’t want it to look unrealistic.

As you keep taking pictures, you’ll find your own style. I focus on color and humor, but you may want something earthy and natural. Outdoors on a branch may be your favorite setting when you get comfortable. So have fun and your work will shine!

-Debbie, Soapylove