Have you heard? A new product is out which allows you to make an invisible picture that only shows up in the rain: Rainworks Invisible Spray! It?s the only superhydrophobic coating that is absolutely undetectable in daylight. The spray is non-toxic when dry, and doesn?t damage the surface it is applied to. It will generally last a few months, but can go for even a year in the right conditions! So we at Pro Painters thought we should let everyone know about this cool new product.
This unique product comes in a 2 fl ounce bottle of spray with a runny consistency, almost like water, which is enough to cover 10-15 square feet. It comes with a stencil, but you can create your own at home out of cardboard, card-stock, poster board, thick paper, pol board, or MDF. You want to use something slightly absorbent so the spray won?t run off or soak through and cause your design to bleed. You also don?t want your stencil to warp or bend, so avoid using plastic, mylar, metal, thin papers, or glass. Once you have drawn on the material, you can cut it by hand with an exact-o-knife, using a projector, or a laser cutter/desktop cutting plotter. Read their official website to see how to create floating islands in your stencil!
Invisible Spray repels water from absorbent surfaces, including concrete, wood, stone, cardboard, fabric, etc. The image is visible due to the contrast between the dry surface and the wet one. To test a surface before attempting a Rainworks picture, pour some water on it and if it changes color when wet, the Rainwork will show up. The higher the contrast, the better the Rainwork will look.
To make your image, hold the spray bottle roughly six inches above the ground and sweep your hand as you pull the trigger. Release the spray as a fine mist above the stencil, and let it settle down onto the cement. Spray just enough for the concrete to visibly dampen and as evenly as possible. If you spray too heavily, you?ll see the spray puddle up and begin to bleed. If this happens, lightly blot the spot with a paper towel to reduce bleeding. You can also use cardboard as wind-protection, to prevent the spray from being blown away. Apply one coat, wait for five minutes, and then apply another lighter coat to make a crisp picture that will stand out. Then allow 24 hours for it to settle.
If you’re not patient enough to wait for rain then you can reveal your artwork through water balloons, a garden sprayer, or throwing a bucket of water on it. If you don?t want to wait for it to fade naturally, you can remove the art by simply applying a cleaner to it and scrubbing the area with a wire-brush and rinsing with water.
Be aware, the spray is solvent-based, so it is not safe to inhale the vapor or drink the liquid. Once the spray hits the ground the solvent evaporates so only the biodegradable ingredients are left behind. Wash it off of your hands or out of your eyes if contact occurs and keep away from flames.
Once a Rainwork has been created it can be added to the Official Rainworks Map so anyone can look it up! The idea is to have a giant rainy day scavenger hunt. You send in the exact location and a picture of your masterpiece and you will be credited as the creator on the official map!
Pay close attention to the disclaimer on the website stating that this product will NOT make you invisible. This does not function like a cloak in Harry Potter, it only works on surfaces that can get wet, so aim to use it outside.
If you need some Houston exterior painting, power washing, or parking lot striping on your driveway or parking lot, just let Pro Painters know and we?d be happy to come help out. We offer Houston painting services of many types, so check out our website to see if we can offer you a free quote today.
