Creative Chemistry 102: Faded Alcohol Ink Layers

I found this stray set of pictures from my Creative Chemistry 102 class.  This technique is interesting and I definitely need to play with it more.  First, a layer of various colors of alcohol ink is applied to the alcohol ink paper using a this technique.  While the ink is still wet, place a stencil over the inked background.  Apply Ink Blending Solution to the felt pad on an Ink Blending Tool.  Lightly tap the blending solution through the open areas of the stencil.  In my case, I used the Tim Holtz Bubbles stencil and a letter stencil from the stash- at least a decade old.  After I lifted enough ink off, I dried the entire surface with my heat tool.  The rose is stamped using Archival Black ink.

Creative Chemistry 102- Shabby Chic

I still have a few techniques that I've not tried yet.  I'm hoping to get to them this week.  I thought I would share this last photo which was sitting in the blog queue un-posted.  This technique is pretty cool.  I used this rather small die cut from my Stampin' Up Apothecary Accents Framelits because it seemed to have the correct style.  I can see where a larger die cut would be more impressive, but you make due with what's at hand when you are in class!

The technique is accomplished by laying down a layer of Black Soot Distress Paint over the entire die cut.  Be sure this layer is completely dry before the next step.  I then stamped using Embossing Ink the swirl images from a Fiskars stamp set.  I embossed the images with clear embossing powder.  After the piece had cooled, I covered the entire die cut in Picket Fence Distress Paint.  Any light color would do.  The pink shade is particularly nice.  Allow the paint to dry slightly and then spritz some water on a soft cloth and wipe over the embossed area.  The water will lift off the Distress Paint and create the soft, shabby look.  I'm not sure this technique would work well with non-Distress acryllic paint which aren't reactive with water, but you might give it a try just to see.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again.  One of the reasons Tim Holtz is a papercrafting rockstar to me is that he encourages us to use what we have and to look at what we have differently.  For a not-so-closet-craft-hoarder that is a encouraging inspiration.  I want to encourage each of you to do the same. Play and try.  It will eventually pay off.

Creative Chemisty 102- Faux Tarnished Silver

 While trying to get the post out for our Play All Day I stumbled upon a couple of pictures that I'd taken and not posted from the recent Online Card Class, Creative Chemistry 102.  This technique is called Tarnished Silver and Tim explained that the technique came from Shelly Hickox.  I trolled around the internet and found this tutorial at Splitcoaststampers.  My sample started as a chipboard swirl.  I took this photo of the back so you could see the transformation.

I tried to manipulate the light to get this photo which shows a little more of the contrast.  I'd recommend playing with this technique a couple of times to get the balance between heat (my "bubbles are bigger than the tutorial and I suspect that might be concentrating the heat to high) and the application of black paint at the end.  Give it a go- it was a lot of fun.

Creative Chemistry 102: Embossing Through a Stencil- A Second Try

This is a second attempt to use Distress Ink to create a patterned emboss through a stencil.  This is achieved by applying Distress Ink (I used Seedless Preserves) through the stencil (I used Tim Holtz's Bubbles).  The stencil is removed and clear embossing powder applied.  The powder is randomly removed from the image by flicking the back of the tag and then heated to melt the embossing powder.  After the embossing has cooled, the stencil is returned to the tag in the exact same location.  A darker contrast (I used Vintage Photo) Distress Ink is applied to the image, pushing ink down over the stencil.  Some Distress ink was applied to the background to finish the look.

This is a technique I need to try again.  It seems a little bit tricky.  I so loved the rusted enamel technique that I'm going to keep at it until I get it right.

Creative Chemistry 102: Colored Crackle

This technique uses the Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint.  The shapes were die cut out of Grungeboard.  In this case, one of the Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret flowers and a leaf from the Classic Leaf dies.  A thin coat of Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint is applied.  Once completely dry, Distress Paint in various colors are daubed onto the crackles.  I really don't like the result, but that could have to do with the colors of paint that I have, none of the bright colors.  I thought the paint would have a richer brown color but the result ended up being this dull color of brown.  Some improvement occurred then Distress Ink is applied to the image with an ink blending tool.

Water was spritzed on the piece and the Distress ink soaked into and defined the crackles more effectively. 

Still, this will take me some time to play and figure out how to effectively use this technique.  That may not happen as I don't know that I plan to purchase much more of the Distress Paint

Creative Chemistry 102: Sticky Embossing Powder

This technique involved using Ranger's Sticky Embossing Powder.  This embossing powder has a small window after melting where the powder will be sticky and glitter will adhere to the embossed image.  I decided to give it a try using my Heartfelt Creations Delicate Aster stamps.  I thought this might be a good test because the aster stamps are so delicate and intricate. 

I used Embossing Ink to stamp the images and sprinkled the Sticky Embossing powder over the stamped images.  I then heated the three flowers to melt the powder.  When the image was still fluid and hot, I poured Peacock Feathers Distress Glitter.  After allowing the images to cool, the glitter is pretty well adhered to the images. 

This close up allows you to see a couple things about the technique.  First- I'm not sure that a delicate, intricate image will be the best result.  A lot of the detail in these stamps is lost.  Second, Distress Glitter is not "micro-fine" in size.  I think a micro-fine glitter might give a more intricate stamp definition.  The idea that Distress Glitter matches to the tone and palette of the Distress line is very appealing.  After having worked with micro-fine glitter, I'm  partial to the detail it provides.  Distress glitter does not provide that detail- guess it make sense with the whole Distress idea.

Still, I'd recommend the Sticky Embossing Powder if you'd like to try something new.

Creative Chemistry 102: Rusting with Distress Embossing Powder

This is a technique using Distress Embossing Powder.  After inking the chipboard swirl with Embossing ink, Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder was applied to the surface.  The surface was heated using a heat tool to  melt the powder.  After cooling, the release crystals were rubbed off until the surface felt like sandpaper.  The edges were inked with some more Vintage Photo Distress ink using the Ink Blending Tool.  I chose to emboss the wheat swirls from Heartfelt Creations on the tag and

reached into the stash to find some yellow poppy flowers.  A little Vintage Photo Distress Glitter in the center ties this monochromatic tag together.  I really like the result- one of the true benefits with the Distress palette across all different types of products. 

Creative Chemistry 102: Eroded Metallic

I went out and got some blue Distress Paints and gave the Eroded Metallic a second try.  Here's the result.  Once again, this results is created by layering Distress Paints in blues and greens onto the tag and mixing with a foam pad on the Ink Blending Tool.  Once the layer is mixed and you have a nice mottled effect, the paint is dried using a heat gun.  This layer of paint need to be completely dry.  Next apply an even layer of Antique Bronze Distress Paint to the tag.  This needs to be a good even layer- no skimping here- coat the entire surface so that you can't see the blue.  Flick drops of water onto the surface.  Use a heat tool to begin to dry the bronze paint.   Watch the edges to see it begin to dry.  This is where you stop drying and lay a piece of paper towel or napkin over the tag.  Press to soak in the bronze paint.  It should look splotchy as the paint soaks in unevenly.  Lift the towel/napkin off quickly removing paint as you go.  This example to the right is my best result.  I think the  trick is to try and get splotches.






This second failed attempt is too much water- it run off the card instead of pooling successfully.  You'll also notice the dotted pattern transferred from the paper towel.  I ended up using a smooth napkin for the successful tag above.  Much better.  This is a very cool result and could be used to much effect on die cuts, etc.  The key is try it out a couple of times to get the method/timing together.  I still have a few pictures to blog.  I appreciate those of you who have tolerated my multiple posts this weekend.  Hopefully they are a source of inspiration to try new tricks with your supplies.

Creative Chemistry 102: Paint Monoprint

This ink monoprint made with a stencil and some Distress Paint.  I wouldn't consider this a total success, but maybe it qualifies in the realm of mixed media art.  The images are made by daubing Distress Paint on the opposite side of a stencil, mixing colors a bit.  Then the stencil is pressed onto the paper creating the print.  Here I used the Tim Holtz Bubble stencil and another stencil I had on hand. 

I applied some Distress ink to blend and smooth the background.  The result is probably a little dark.  I'm thinking if I use some of the brighter paints this would work a little better, though a dark background has it's places.  It might also be good to have a couple of different stencils- my assortment is limited.

Creative Chemstiry 102: Alcohol Ink Monoprint

This technique used the gold metallic mixative of alcohol inks to create a background.  This works a lot like the Wrinkle Free Distress technique.  The metallic mixative and various colors of alcohol inks are applied to the craft sheet and a piece of Alcohol Ink Paper is swiped through the inks to create this background.  I was shooting for a fall like color.  Unfortunately, I'm thinking the coloring wasn't bright enough to make the piece super interesting, but it works nonetheless.  The leaves were stamped on using Archival Brown ink.  Makes a lovely background, don't you think?

Creative Chemistry 102: Alcohol Ink Ombre

Oh yeah!  That was my response to this technique.  The ombre coloring was created using Alcohol Paper and two different colors of alcohol ink.  Tim suggested using a "light", "bright" and "earthtone" ink.  I didn't have any "light" inks so I applied the bright to the felt pad and daubed it onto the top 1/3 of the page.  I then added the "earthtone" ink to the same spot felt pad and blended the two colors with the top 1/3 and the second 1/3 of the page.  Finally, I added "earthtone" to a clean spot on the felt pad and daubed it onto the bottom third.  I replaced the used felt pad with a new pad and added some Ink Blending Solution.  Just a bit.  This is used to blend the different 1/3rds together in order to create seamless-like transitions blending as you go.  In person, there's more transition than the camera picked up on.  After the ink was dry, I stamped the HeartFelt Creations Delicate Aster images using Archival Black ink.  Oh yeah!!!

Creative Chemistry 102: Tinted Tinsel Twine

I'll admit to being skeptical of this supply when on the supply list for class.  The brightness of the tinsel, the wispy flyaway pieces- it all seems so juvenile to me.  However, after altering, I can see the use and could ultimately find myself using this on a project.  The Tinsel Twine is stretchy out of the package.  The technique involves applying alcohol ink to a felt pad on the Ink Blending Too and daubing onto the tinsel rotating the tinsel as it goes.  In the end, the tinsel isn't totally colored, but just enough to alter the color.  The bottom piece is unaltered.  The middle piece is altered using Mushroom Alcohol ink and the third I used a red alcohol ink.   After inking, the tinsel is heated with an embossing tool.  Slowly heated.  You can actually watch the tinsel pieces shrivel.  This creates that more shriveled look that the two altered pieces have.  It also makes the tinsel look less cheap and more, well, altered. 

Creative Chemistry 102: Faux Patina

This technique using Alcohol Inks is really cool.  I've heard of using alcohol inks to color metal.  Tim's trick here is to use an opaque alcohol ink like Snowcap or what I used in this case- Pearl.  Apply drops of alcohol ink directly on the metal.  In the picture above, the original metal color is in the middle.  This first sample I used two different colors of blue and one green along with the Pearl.  After dropping the inks in place, a fresh foam pad is used with the Ink Blending Tool to daub the inks around on the metal creating the various layers.  The color is much more vibrant in person.

This frame was made using two different purple inks and the Pearl color.  Again- very nice result. 

I'm looking for a purpose for these two frames.  Something special.   I've also got some plans for a couple of metal medallions in the stash...

Creative Chemistry 102: Distress Glitter

One of the new Distress supplies is the Distress Glitter.  Brandy and I were a little skeptical since we have plenty of glitter in the stash that is easily a decade old.  Glitter doesn't go bad or out of fashion and if you are stash supply collectors, you can quickly find yourself the owner of multiple sets of glitter.  We both happily fall into that category.

Still, in the interest of being good class participators, we picked up a few colors of Distress Glitter.  This technique was a simple application of Glossy Accents to a die cut piece of Grunge paper.  Tim's point is that Distress Glitter will pick up Distress Ink if applied.  I didn't particularly enjoy the results for the other pieces where I used Vintage Photo, but this heart where I used Victorian Velvet glitter and Seedless Preserves ink worked for me. 

I found that I didn't apply enough Glossy Accents and/or it wore away as I handled the edges of these tiny die cuts.  They look nice, but I'm not sure they look significantly nicer than the plethora of glitters already in my stash.

Creative Chemistry 102: Distress Stain Brayering

This technique using a brayer and Distress Stains is one I really like and with my literal brain I probably would never have come up with myself.  The technique is achieved using Distress Stain.  The stain is applied to the  craft sheet, one color at a time.  The brayer is tapped or bounced along the craft sheet picking up the stain in drops.  Then the brayer is rolled in one direction across the tag.  This process is repeated over and over until the layers of stain create this lovely background.  One trick to getting this right requires that you not roll the brayer through the stain.  Rolling causes the brayer to be to evenly coated with ink.  It is necessary to have large drops of stain to make this work. 

I can see this technique being used as a background on a male card- probably sometime in the future.  This is definitely one for the win column.