Abstract:
The embodied invention is to create a precoated board for commercial sale that will create three dimensional liquid art when a consumer pours a suitable liquid (such as water) onto a board surface. In an embodiment, a hydrophobic coating is applied and then a hydrophilic coating in the shape of art is applied. The liquid naturally collects into the hydrophilic areas of the board to form defined artistic shapes and is repelled by hydrophobic areas. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the board can be selected with a natural hydrophobic surface or a natural hydrophilic surface, and then a hydrophilic coating or a hydrophobic coating, respectively, is applied in an art shape.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/007,784, filed on Jun. 4, 2014. The entire provisional application is included herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    (1) Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The embodied invention is directed at art, in particular temporary art that is created for decorative and festive events, or more serious artistic expressions. It is three dimensional by the nature of the medium, as it is liquid based such as water, which has a thickness. 
         [0006]    (2) Description of Related Art 
         [0007]    Others have worked in three dimensional liquid art. For example, use of a spray on hydrophobic coating allows for people to stencil off areas, to provide for areas without a hydrophobic coating. After drying, the end result is that areas which have a hydrophobic coating will repel water, and the stenciled uncoated areas do not. If water is poured onto the uncoated areas, the result is water beading up in the shape of the uncoated area. However, this does not provide the best artistic effect as it is desirable for the surface underneath the water to be a different color. 
         [0008]    Others have worked on hydrophobic coatings such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,353 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,091. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The embodied invention is to create a precoated board for commercial sale that will create three dimensional liquid art when a consumer pours a suitable liquid (such as water) onto a board surface. The liquid naturally collects into the hydrophilic areas of the board to form defined artistic shapes and is repelled by hydrophobic areas. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the board surface is covered with both a hydrophobic and hydrophilic coating, in whole or in part, for the purpose of designing a part of the surface to receive a fluid. Paint, particularly enamel paint, is useful as a hydrophilic coating. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment, a hydrophilic board is chosen and only a hydrophobic coating is applied and defined artistic areas are left uncoated. The poured liquid is attracted to only the uncoated areas that are naturally hydrophilic. The uncoated area may be created using a stencil to prevent an area from being coated. 
         [0012]    Similarly, in still another embodiment, a hydrophobic board is selected and only a hydrophilic coating is applied. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1-4  show a method of coating a board with a hydrophobic coating and the resulting art. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5-8  show s different method of coating a board with a hydrophobic coating and the resulting art. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 9-12  show a screen printing method to produce liquid art on a surface. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 13-16  show an alternate screen printing method to produce liquid art on a surface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The method of creating a three dimensional art made from liquid and is done by one of two methods following. 
         [0018]    A board is selected for receiving the art. The board could be paper, cardboard, wood, plastic, glass, metal, or a composite. The board has to be strong enough to support the three dimensional art, and also have a suitable surface to receive a hydrophobic coating. It is preferably clean of dirt, debris, oils, and surface contaminates. 
         [0019]    A hydrophobic coating, such as NeverWet, is then applied over the entire top surface of the board. It could be painted on, applied with a roller, or preferably, applied by a spray system, such as a spray can. Sufficient coating thickness is applied to provide the desired hydrophobic effect. 
         [0020]    After the hydrophobic coating has dried, an enamel paint is applied to the surface of the hydrophobic coating so as to create areas that will receive a water and allow it to bead up. It has been found that hydrophobic coatings will receive paint and allow it to adhere at some level, and the painted areas are very useful to create art. 
         [0021]    After the paint has dried, a liquid, such as water, is poured onto the top surface of the board. The water is repelled by the hydrophobic coating and but will congregate on the painted areas. The hydrophobic coating does not always have a perfect effect of repelling the coating, and a little encouragement to congregate in the desired areas may be needed. A finger, a tool, a light volume of moving air will be sufficient to clear the hydrophobic coated areas. 
         [0022]    The artwork can then be admired as a striking art medium. It is useful for party decorations, for art displays, and for creating watermarks on heavy paper and cardboard. Inks could also be used for printing on another surface. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a method of coating a board surface  101   a  by spraying on a hydrophobic coating from a spray can  102 . The board surface  101   a  must be able to hold a liquid that will be used to create the liquid art work, and also be able to withstand the weight of the applied water. The board could be any of fiber, plastic, glass, wood, metal, concrete, or a composite structure. In a preferred embodiment it is a fiberboard. The hydrophobic coating is sprayed on with a sufficient thickness to create a water repellant coating on the surface of the board. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 2 , the fiberboard surface  101   b  is now coated with a dried hydrophobic coating. A stencil  202  with artwork, such as lettering or pictorial images, is placed on top of the fiberboard surface  101   b , and a hydrophilic coating from a spray can  203  is sprayed onto the coated fiberboard surface  101   b . The stencil is then lifted up and the hydrophilic coating is allowed to dry. The hydrophilic coating is preferably flat enamel paint, and adheres to the fiberboard with sufficient adhesive tackiness so that it will be useful to hold a liquid as further explained. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows a liquid  304 , such as water, being poured out of a container  303  onto the fiberboard surface  101   b . In particular, the liquid is poured onto the hydrophilic letters  305  or hydrophilic art that is bonded to the fiberboard surface  101   b . The liquid prefers to remain on the lettering, and not the hydrophobic coating on the fiberboard surface. The designer can remove any stray droplets off of the hydrophobic coating by sweeping them off, or by using a light air spray to push the liquid onto the lettering such as compressed air from a can. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows liquid art  401  on the fiberboard surface  101   b  with the stencil removed. The end result is water that remains on top of the lettering, not the board surface, where the water ‘beads up’ or collects together on top of the lettering. The raised letters of water create a unique visual art atheistic, and could be called a three dimensional art or a three dimensional liquid art. The liquid could incorporate various colorants and fillers for a dramatic effect. The enamel paint could also be used to create a visual effect. The painted letters could be a color to contrast with the water or it could also clear. A glass could replace the fiber board for a more artistic expression. One important end result of the art is a ‘magic’ type of effect which will leave observers wondering how it is done. The water strongly tends to create solid lettering (or art) without separating into water beads. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows an alternate method to create the three dimensional art when the board surface is naturally hydrophilic. Suitable naturally hydrophilic materials include PVC foamboard or synthetic paper. A stencil  502  is placed on a board surface  501  and a hydrophobic coating  503  is sprayed onto the board surface. The stencil  502  (lettering or artwork) protects a portion of the board from the hydrophobic coating. Again, the board surface  501  will eventually hold the liquid art work and must be suitably strong enough to withstand the weight of the water. 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 6 , the stencil  502  is removed from the fiberboard surface  501  which is coated with the hydrophobic coating, which has now dried. An uncoated area  601  remains, and in this case the eyes and mouth of the artwork are coated with the hydrophobic coating. 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows a liquid  705 , such as water, being poured out of a container  704  onto the fiberboard surface  501 . In particular, the liquid is poured onto the uncoated portion of the board. The liquid prefers to remain on the uncoated area, and not congregate on the dried hydrophobic coating on the fiberboard surface  501 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 8  shows liquid art  806  on the fiberboard surface  501 . As illustrated, the water will collect together and become three dimensional liquid art  806 . Again, the liquid could include various colorants (and fillers such as sparkles) for a dramatic effect. The liquid color might be chosen to contrast with the fiberboard surface  501  or it could be a clear coating. 
         [0031]      FIG. 9  shows the use of a screen printing method to put on a hydrophobic coating. A squeegee  903   a  and a mesh screen  902  are used to put a hydrophobic coating on top of a fiberboard surface  901   a .  FIG. 10  shows the use of a squeegee  903   b  to coat a screen print with an image  904  onto the coated fiberboard surface  901   b . The resulting effect is a hydrophilic coating  905  on top of the hydrophobic coated fiberboard surface  901   b  with the desired image. 
         [0032]      FIG. 11  continues the coating process by showing a liquid container  906  pouring the desired liquid on top of the coated fiberboard surface  901   b .  FIG. 12  shows the resulting liquid artwork  907 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 13  shows a fiberboard surface  1301  that is naturally a hydrophilic coating. Suitable naturally hydrophilic materials include PVC foamboard or synthetic paper. In this case, there is no need to use a screen print or spray can to add a hydrophilic coating. In  FIG. 14 , a squeegee  1402  and a screen print image  1401  are used to put a hydrophobic coating  1403  on top of the naturally hydrophilic fiberboard surface  1301  in a manner to allow the area for desired art or letters to be left uncoated. 
         [0034]      FIG. 15  continues the coating process by showing a liquid container  1501  pouring the desired liquid on top of the naturally hydrophilic fiberboard surface  1301 .  FIG. 16  shows the resulting liquid artwork  1502 . 
         [0035]    All methods of creating the three dimensional liquid artwork allow for the hydrophilic coating (or paint) to include a colorant. This allows a more dramatic presentation by using either a clear or colored liquid on top of the hydrophilic coating which may include additional colors or texture. The hydrophilic coating may be applied in multiple layers. This is particularly useful when screen printing is used. 
         [0036]    In addition, whenever a hydrophobic coating is applied, it optionally includes colors and artwork. It may be applied in multiple layers for a dramatic effect. This is particularly useful when screen printing is used. 
         [0037]    In any of the four methods, (i.e.  FIGS. 1-4 ,  FIGS. 5-8 ,  FIGS. 9-12 , and  FIGS. 13-16 ) a second party that applies the liquid is performed separately from a first party that applies the hydrophobic and hydrophilic coatings. This is especially useful when the first party sells a precoated board commercially so as to allow a second party (i.e. consumer) to purchase a prepared artwork board created by the first party, and then the second party adds the finishing touch of liquid. In this case, screen printing is a desirable method so as to lower costs. 
         [0038]    In addition, the art design of the board (i.e. any colors, patterns, etc. in the hydrophobic or hydrophilic coatings) may be purposefully chosen so that a second party will apply a colored liquid for the desired artistic effect. 
         [0039]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been described, the invention may be modified and adapted to various operational methods to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the description and figure shown herein, and includes all such embodiments, changes, and modifications that are encompassed by the scope of the claims.