Ok here's my best attempt at explaining exactly how I stipple:
Equipment:
-Fine Tipped Soldering Iron from Wally World (about $10)
-Small block of wood
-Something to drink
Technique:
-Decide on the area you want to stipple based on where you grip and then choose how to make it aesthetically pleasing for yourself.
-Use a marker to mark the outline so it helps guide you (eventually you won't need to do this)
-make sure to press straight up and down into what you are stippling so it gives you even sized/shape dots
-Press lightly and quickly, just until you see a puff of smoke
The job:
-Start by doing the outline areas of what you are stippling. Be careful to not press too deep and to make sure each dot touches another.
-After the outline is done, start at random areas building out your stippling. DO NOT TRY TO DO A PATTERN!!! You want it to be natural looking so don't force it.
-Let the whole stippling meet up as it sees fit, by randomly starting in those various areas and stopping.
-Make sure every single dot is touching another dot, that will give a full completed look.
-When you notice excess plastic, touch your tip into the wood block to burn off excess plastic that has built up.
-After all is stippled, take 800+ grit sandpaper and lightly sand the stippled area to take off loose peaks and pieces.
-Enjoy!
Here's some close ups that show what I am trying to say:
My BK9 I just did:
Should look like velvet when viewed not in macro, but feel like sandpaper:
Other Becker examples of mine:
Hope that helps. Not sure it does hahaha.
