Backgrounds with Ink

Making prints for cards is one of many ways you can enjoy colors and perhaps discover a new interest.  The products I use are Stampin' Up! and if you're not already purchasing your supplies with them, I'd encourage you to discover the quality and color coordination for all products.  My personal page for ideas, specials and access to the current catalogs and kits is found right here. Take a look then contact me with any questions!

There's so many techniques for making your own prints and backgrounds. Today we're going to work with re-inkers and water, on water colour paper. If you're new stamping or making cards, I welcome you to this creative craft.  I love working with these water colour techniques because every image is different. But if you think in exact methods and wish all designs to be the same, this may be an "out of the box" technique for you.  If so, I do encourage you to read and try these. You may be surprised at how beautiful ink and water can come together to create a unique print!

NOTE I tried these techniques on heavy cardstock but the paper did not hold its shape when the print dried like water colour paper does.

You can air dry your prints or use a heat tool to speed it along. (Do not use a hair dryer. Please use safety)

 TECHNIQUE #1

You'll need dye based ink, preferably in liquid form for this first project.  A palette is needed for the ink.  Any non-porous thing, but I use clear, firm cellophane, window sheets, cut in a 3x4 piece so its easy to handle. Any small piece of clear plastic will work. I recommend this water colour paper which is 5x7 size. It's perfect making 2 prints for 2 card fronts.

On one half of the paper, spritz water about 4 times. By using this spritzer you can gauge the spray area and amount of water. You don't want it too wet or too dry.

Put one drop of ink from the re-inker bottle on a palette. Spritz with water.

Next wet the water painter, which is a paint brush with a barrel that holds water, Squeeze the barrel, and pick up ink with it you've squeezed onto your palette. 

Touch the wet spot on the paper and let the ink flow freely; and slide ink only in wet area. Its not the goal to cover the entire half page. Let dry or dry front and back with heat tool.

This photo shows this technique on the left. The ink is Pumpkin Pie.

Stamp image on top of inked background now dry. 

TECHNIQUE #2 SMOOSHING

Watch a YouTube video by Lisa Curio to see this technique.

On your palette, squeeze a drop of ink then spritz with spritzer until the ink puddles. Pick up the palette piece and quickly turn it upside down on the paper. Smooshing is when you swirl the window sheet piece or palette piece around on the paper which places the ink in unique patterns, and creates a different image each time. 

Another option is to pull the inked  window sheet/palette, upside down across the paper which produces an image of a different shape.

Use the heat tool again to dry the paper which will dry flat if its water colour paper, with high cotton fibers and which can absorb the water. When dry, stamp your image on this background or add a die cut.

You can also stamp on Designer Series Paper for another unique design. This paper is the Harvest Meadow, which like all DSP (Designer Series Paper) is double sided and coordinated with inks, card stock, ribbons, markers, and embellishments.

TECHNIQUE #3 BLENDING BRUSHES

You can also use blending brushes, instead of a water colour brush, with ink to create a background of blended colors. Although the photo shows the re-inkers here, I have found that tapping the blending brush on the ink cartridge is a better method for loading ink on these brushes. While you can tap the brush into the liquid ink, the ink from the cartridge has a lesser water content and produces a deeper colour.

The colors I used for this piece are Polished Pink and Daffodil Delight.

Today we're using Delicate Dahlias which is available for free with a $100 order, which is part of the semi-annual Sale A Bration ending September 30, 2021.  I'd love to tell you about this and other amazing deals. 

(If you are reading this blog post after that date, just keep in mind that you'll have two opportunities to take advantage of free items, because Stampin' Up! has begun to host two Sale A Bration events per calendar year.  So look for a mini catalog to premier in Jan - June with the Sale A Bration to be held Jan/Feb; and a second mini catalog will premier in July with the Sale A Bration for Aug/Sept.)  

To embellish the image, emboss with gold embossing powder and green embossing powder for the leaves.

TECHNIQUE #4 EMBOSSING ON VELLUM

And yet another option is to use white embossing powder with the image on vellum. Then use this embossed layer over the background you've made with Blending brushes. Using vellum creates a more subtle look.

Place your stamp on the Stamparatus to stamp it exactly where you want it, get it straight with even pressure, or repeat for full coverage of the ink. Here the versa mark watermark ink is used before the embossing powder is added. 

The print below shows stamped images over the background made with Blending Brushes.  Using bright colors will make their images show up better under the vellum.  

Polished pink  and Pumpkin Pie are the Dahlia and daisy images.

Once your images are dry you can trim them to layer on card fronts for use with a variety of sentiments and embellishments. 

Here are a few finished prints. I love the Delicate Dahlias with the water colouring techniques.  This stamp set can be used for any season of the year. You could stamp in Pumpkin Pie and Daffodil Delight (orange and yellow) for fall; Real Red for December; Pink for Jan/Feb. Purples and blues for Spring or Easter.  The colour combinations are many.  Check out the four color families of ink and products here, and use your own combinations to create unique prints for card fronts.

This first print, while stamped on heavy cardstock, is not water color paper.  While it took the ink and water well, it did curl when dry, even using a heat tool.   In this instance, I had to cut the print down to make it into a card front, by cutting off the curled edges.  Something to consider is what you're going to do with your prints.  If making cards, be sure to choose water color paper.

The print below shows how the inks blend and spread if too much water is used.  But if you are satisfied with your colours you can use the second stamp of this two-step stamp, and stamp the outline Dahlia and leaves to give it definition.  See the samples below.

Before stamping any images with a two-step stamp, make a matching mark on each stamp where two images are the same so that when lining them up such as these prints show, you can get the petals that are shaped the same to match.

There are lots of techniques and possibilities for making backgrounds and prints with ink.  These are four that I use often.  Make sure to click on the highlighted links for the Stampin' Up! products that I used. I'd love to see what you make. 

If you're interested in the Sale A Bration or learning how you can get a discount on products and free items with a $99 order, I'll be happy to tell you.  Read about how Stampin' Up! has made a difference in my life - this community can made a difference in yours too!  

As always I appreciate you stopping by! Be blessed!sb  

Stamparatus Tool

 I've had a request for how to use the Stampin' Up!  - Stamparatus. I bought it to use instead of buying many sizes of clear blocks and for use with  any large stamp.  (Click on all the highlighted words to go to my current online store.)

There are three purposes I use it for: 

• to line up your stamp perfectly to re-stamp an image that needs more ink. Otherwise its near impossible to realign your stamp to print it again in the same spot.
• to make sure your stamped image is placed directly where you want it when producing multiple cards that are the same. 
• to evenly space the same image down the page by moving the door with each print.
• to use 4 different stamps with the 2 - 2 sided doors, without removing the stamps and attaching to a different block and realigning each time.

Stampin' Up! also has provided videos for learning each of their products so watch  all about the Stamparatus here from 2017 or here from 2020 which is more updated, both on YouTube.

Note that I refer to the movable pieces as "doors" and in the video, they are "plates."

Here are some photos from my Stamparatus for your review. For this explanation I only have one door attached, and this door includes many spots of mini glue dots or here for cling adhesive used to hold on the stamps that are not as sticky as they once were, so I apologize for that.

The grid shown is removable. It is used with the photopolymer (clear) stamps since they do not have the cushion that the cling stamps do. It is also easy to clean. 

This photo shows how the doors which attach on 2 sides are removable for moving to the next slot an inch apart. You'd want to do this instead of moving your stamp and if your design included one word that you wanted to print evenly, down the side of your page at evenly spaced intervals.

First use the very strong magnets to anchor your paper, making sure not to let them touch. Reports have been given that they crack if this happens although I have not experienced this. You may also choose to wrap each magnet with masking or washi tape to hang on to it. Place your stamp face down where you want it to print then press the door down on top of it so it clings and sticks as shown.

Next, ink up your stamp thoroughly then return the door so the stamp pressed down onto your paper. I prefer to use the  liquid re-inker instead of the larger ink pad, using the spot ink pad.The hardest part is next where you must use a great deal of pressure with your fingers or fist or heal of your hand to imprint your image. There is a tool you can make yourself to accomplish this even pressure. (use a finial or similar wood shape that fits good into the palm of your hand. It is called a "Chuckie Tool" and was made by Gina K's friend Chuckie to help her with arthritic hands.

Pull back the door being careful to release the stamp from the paper without it moving. I've found it does raise up when the stamp is new and very sticky. If you position the paper in the corner, even without a magnet it should be easy to line up. Check to see if it needs re-stamping. And if so, re-ink your image and stamp as many times as needed to get the look you want.

After you stamp one image, make a mask with that stamp by stamping it on a Sticky Note and reuse it over and over to block a portion of the image from double stamping where you don't want it to overlap. Keep it in the stamp set case.

Keep moving your stamp or the door till you have the images where you want them.

I used the mask on the flower when I added the leaves. I wasn't as happy with these images as I thought they were too dark. So I added metallic gold embossing powder to set them apart. 

These ink colors are Merry Merlot and Blushing Bride with Old Olive for the leaves. I highlighted a few spots with the Rich Razzleberry Blends marker and Daffodil Yellow Blends Marker for the centers.

I made two prints with each color duo. The second prints are on Designer Series Paper  (Harvest Meadow) with Pumpkin Pie and Polished Pink inks with Old Olive leaves on one and Evening Evergreen on the second for a variation in cardstock. The stamp set is Delicate Dahlias from the Sale A Bration brochure which does expire Sept 30, 2021.

In working with this two step stamp set,  I have to admit that I like the image of the less detailed stamp better, at least for images on printed paper. 

Now that they're done, it will be fun choosing the layers and base card colors, sentiments, and embellishments because Stampin' Up! products are all color coordinated!

So which colors and shades do you like?  I'd like to try this Delicate Dahlia in blue.  Please post a comment with your own project using this or similar stamp.

Thanks for stopping by!  Be Blessed! sb