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Backgrounds
Betsy Bursey bbursey@roanoke.infi.net
I made a neat starry background just last night. I used navy cardstock as the background paper. The stamp was Evo's beautiful star trail, (at least that's what I call it). I stamped that randomly with Color Box Treasure (silver, gold, copper) and embossed with Embossing Arts Iridescent Peacock EP. Then I used my stipple brush to put on clear embossing ink and sprinkled that with the Iridescent Peacock. It turned out really nice.
I made a neat starry background just last night. I used navy cardstock as the background paper. The stamp was Evo's beautiful star trail, (at least that's what I call it). I stamped that randomly with Color Box Treasure (silver, gold, copper) and embossed with Embossing Arts Iridescent Peacock EP. Then I used my stipple brush to put on clear embossing ink and sprinkled that with the Iridescent Peacock. It turned out really nice.
Penelope pennie2@juno.com
Rubber Cement Background Technique
Rubber Cement Background Technique
Get your cardstock any color or styleI used white glossy (great results) Ink up your brayer with rainbow (any color) dye pad and brayer away on the card. Then add rubber cement in any pattern you want. Then put black dye ink on your brayer and brayer again let cement dry first Then let dry a long time I let it sit overnight to be sure and then peel off rubber cement from cardstock and Viola! There you go a beautful piece of art that baffles people! Dee Gruening made up this technigue as far as I know.
Kari jimq@teleport.com
I thought of something cool when I saw Connie's AIG card. She has a background of paper with a phrase stamped over and over again all over it. This could also be done with a computer. And i know you got one of those if you are reading this!! LOL! Could print phrases in all kinds of fonts and sizes over and over again and make some really cool background paper!!!
I thought of something cool when I saw Connie's AIG card. She has a background of paper with a phrase stamped over and over again all over it. This could also be done with a computer. And i know you got one of those if you are reading this!! LOL! Could print phrases in all kinds of fonts and sizes over and over again and make some really cool background paper!!!
Kim Michels tansyflwr@hotmail.com
Just wanted to add my two cents worth on things to try with cards. If you don't mind "bumpy" cards, that is. I have had much success with edging cards with glue and embossing powder. This also finishes fabric edges wonderfully.
Just wanted to add my two cents worth on things to try with cards. If you don't mind "bumpy" cards, that is. I have had much success with edging cards with glue and embossing powder. This also finishes fabric edges wonderfully.
I have also sponged tissue paper, crinkled it in waves, and glued the whole thing on a card. In the glueing process, I tucked, folded, and crinkled even more to get this wonderful ocean look. I then dabbed liquid applique in places to add foam, and glittered this before heating. Great effect! Experiments do work, folks! Just tried spraying adhesive all over a card and added glitter to it. Can't wait to show these off!!
Last but not least, I made a reverse mask, like a stencil, of a cactus. just stamped it on paper, and cut out the cactus, leaving the hole where the cactus was. Using the technique for faux suede, I mixed green and yellow liquid applique on saran wrap. I ran my brayer over this, then immediately rolled it over my mask placed on my card. I carefully removed the mask, and viola! I had a perfect image of a cactus! After heating this, it really took on a great effect!
Patti StamPatti@juno.com
Funny you should mention this at this time. I am right this very minute using one of those matt things to make backgrounds for some cards. I too have embossed with clear over gold pigment on the bumpy mat (the one I'm using today is black, but I have it in sand, burgundy, forest green, navy and white as well) and using it as a layer on my card.
Funny you should mention this at this time. I am right this very minute using one of those matt things to make backgrounds for some cards. I too have embossed with clear over gold pigment on the bumpy mat (the one I'm using today is black, but I have it in sand, burgundy, forest green, navy and white as well) and using it as a layer on my card.
I have also used pieces of these matts as texturing. They have many uses other than as drawer liners (that's what mine said on the labels). And I was fortunate enough to buy a whole bunch of these in the Dollar store some long time ago for $1 a roll. They don't seem to have it anymore, but Publix has some with several different textures for about $4 a roll, but it goes against my grain to pay $4 for something I know can be had for a buck if I wait a while I'vebeen having a problem trying to get a certain effect with sponging. I've seen thateffect on stuff I've received, but haven't been able to duplicate it no matter how hard I try, and following Dee G's directions and everything, still no success. I'm talking about edging a card with color - VERY intense atthe edges, and softer as it goes toward the center, but still very dense, no stippling look - simply a lightening/fading of color until it goes to no color at all. Not easy for sure. But BEAUTIFUL. I had some of those child's bathtub blocks that are so like penscore and was using it to cover the tip of my Xacto knife for packing. I didn't need the entire block for that, so I cut off a piece. Got to wondering if it would work like the compressed sponge that Dee G. is always raving about. Well, I think the effect is not the same, perhaps because I didn't use it the way she does. I tap tap tapped it on the dye ink pad and then patted it on a piece of cardstock. Go some nice coverage -almost exactly what I was looking for. But then I WIPED across the color with the block and it smoothed out soooooooooo nicely. Then I went in circles, and back and forth, and up and down, and I kept trying different effects. Then I used a round block and it worked even better. I LOVE IT. And yes, the block smoshed down, but I could pinch it and squeeze it, and had lots of control. And to change colors, just turn the block a little and tap on a different pad. One or two taps on the inkpad goes a really long way. And if you want/need more intense color just go over it again. And you can blend colors so smoothly and beautifully too. Now, it didn't wash off the block too well, but once it dried, I was able to use other colors over the old ones if I wanted to. No "come back color". I could even do yellow over black and/or red. No show through at all.
Robinstamp@aol.com
OK, take a bunch of rubber bands (about 15-20), and bind them together with another rubber band. Carefullly cut all of the ends about the same length. Now, pounce the bands on a Kaliedacolor or other pad and tap onto cardstock. This makes a great patters for backgrounds.
OK, take a bunch of rubber bands (about 15-20), and bind them together with another rubber band. Carefullly cut all of the ends about the same length. Now, pounce the bands on a Kaliedacolor or other pad and tap onto cardstock. This makes a great patters for backgrounds.
Shannon Green sgreen@wf.net
I was at Office Max the other day and picked up a roll of....darn, I wish I'd kept the wrapper. It's a rubbery feeling, lightweight mat that comes in a roll and is used in offices around computers to prevent static build-up. You just cut what you want from the roll and put it under your computer, on top of filing cabinets, etc. Anti-Static Mat, or something like that. It comes in several colors and a couple of different sizes but I got the small roll of white for around $3-$4. I made some backgrounds today by cutting a piece of the mat and inking it with gold pigment ink, laying a piece of black cardstock on top of it and brayering over the back of the cardstock lightly. It made a really neat looking pattern. I embossed it with clear cuz that's just what I do. Then I dumped clear powder on the inked up mat and embossed it. Worked great for another background, layering or collage. The stuff will melt if you over heat it, but it'll hold up long enough to emboss. Dye inks didn't work well at all...they beaded up. I haven't let it sit very long, but I have a feeling if you want to use a piece of the mat that has ink on it
I was at Office Max the other day and picked up a roll of....darn, I wish I'd kept the wrapper. It's a rubbery feeling, lightweight mat that comes in a roll and is used in offices around computers to prevent static build-up. You just cut what you want from the roll and put it under your computer, on top of filing cabinets, etc. Anti-Static Mat, or something like that. It comes in several colors and a couple of different sizes but I got the small roll of white for around $3-$4. I made some backgrounds today by cutting a piece of the mat and inking it with gold pigment ink, laying a piece of black cardstock on top of it and brayering over the back of the cardstock lightly. It made a really neat looking pattern. I embossed it with clear cuz that's just what I do. Then I dumped clear powder on the inked up mat and embossed it. Worked great for another background, layering or collage. The stuff will melt if you over heat it, but it'll hold up long enough to emboss. Dye inks didn't work well at all...they beaded up. I haven't let it sit very long, but I have a feeling if you want to use a piece of the mat that has ink on it
Cheryl Hester stamphersoon@webtv.net
To make backgrounds I have used twisted rubberbands of different sizes on a wood or acrylic block. You can also scrunch up tin foil, plastic wrap, baby wipes, paper, or anything that will hold a crease and use as a stamp. I took a class from a company rep who even used tampons to stamp with. Use one color, need another - no problem, push it up and cut off the used part and re-ink in the next color. Of course there is always paste paper, encaustic paper (I use melted crayons and smear them around on finger painting paper with an iron, and other methods like feather painting (dabbing a feather in liquid ink and just touching the surface of the paper). I saw polymer brayers at Walmart in the paint section and bought one. It has a random pattern on it that resembles stucco.
To make backgrounds I have used twisted rubberbands of different sizes on a wood or acrylic block. You can also scrunch up tin foil, plastic wrap, baby wipes, paper, or anything that will hold a crease and use as a stamp. I took a class from a company rep who even used tampons to stamp with. Use one color, need another - no problem, push it up and cut off the used part and re-ink in the next color. Of course there is always paste paper, encaustic paper (I use melted crayons and smear them around on finger painting paper with an iron, and other methods like feather painting (dabbing a feather in liquid ink and just touching the surface of the paper). I saw polymer brayers at Walmart in the paint section and bought one. It has a random pattern on it that resembles stucco.
Jody Morrison jmorrison@nm-us.campus.mci.net
Here are a couple of ideas that I like to use:
Here are a couple of ideas that I like to use:
1-layer various papers, each smaller than the one below. Do them off center; cut the edges with decorative scissors; use a decorative punch; use card stock, wrapping paper, anything you have around.
2-Use your computer to create a background which matches your card.
3-Stamp a border using a smaller stamp which goes with your card theme.
4-Don't do a "background"; instead embellish with ribbons, bows, buttons, charms, etc.
Kate Whitridge whitridg@achilles.net
My personal favourite is sponging. You can rarely tell what colour my base card was by the time I finish sponging. I use a big egg-shaped cosmetic sponge and like to overlap colours and use several different colours for sky or grass or whatever. I also have a series of pattern stamps (abstract design elements, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Japanese writing, etc.), including a wonderful marbling cube, that let me stamp patterns all over the card. Sometimes I do the Dee Gruenig thing and stamp a central image/theme on sticker paper and stick it on top, and sometimes I stamp the central thing first and mask it before I use a repeating pattern in the background. I have 4 books of rubberstamping, and 3 of them have sections specifically on backgrounds. The new Dee Gruenig, "The Great Rubber Stamp Book: Designing, Making, Using" has a relatively large section on backgrounds. While it doesn't have the quantity of pictures, Michele Abel has even more ideas in "Rubber Stamping : Beyond the Basics", and her book is a wonderful reference book for all kinds of stamping techniques - highly recommended. There are 2 pages in Grace Taormina's "The Complete Guide to Rubber Stamping", which has some interesting project ideas. While there's no section on backgrounds in Mary Jo McGraw's "Making Greeting Cards With Rubber Stamps", she does use a variety of background techniques in the cards that she makes. Here's a list of the subjects that the Michele Abel, Beyond the Basics, covers in the Backgrounds section: sponges, other types of sponges, templates, paper towels, airbrush, the blitzer, brayers, unusual brayered background techniques (plaid, stamped on brayer, paper masks, torn masks, color washes, with stencils, with a mostise mask, textures) , resist, unusual techniques (strips of tape, crepe tape, colored markers, foam rollers, carved brayers, brayering with saran wrap or bubble wrap). Then in the non-background sections of the book, she covers backgrounds such as Faux Finishes, Pattern Stamping, Making Your Own Paper and Patterned Paper, etc.
My personal favourite is sponging. You can rarely tell what colour my base card was by the time I finish sponging. I use a big egg-shaped cosmetic sponge and like to overlap colours and use several different colours for sky or grass or whatever. I also have a series of pattern stamps (abstract design elements, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Japanese writing, etc.), including a wonderful marbling cube, that let me stamp patterns all over the card. Sometimes I do the Dee Gruenig thing and stamp a central image/theme on sticker paper and stick it on top, and sometimes I stamp the central thing first and mask it before I use a repeating pattern in the background. I have 4 books of rubberstamping, and 3 of them have sections specifically on backgrounds. The new Dee Gruenig, "The Great Rubber Stamp Book: Designing, Making, Using" has a relatively large section on backgrounds. While it doesn't have the quantity of pictures, Michele Abel has even more ideas in "Rubber Stamping : Beyond the Basics", and her book is a wonderful reference book for all kinds of stamping techniques - highly recommended. There are 2 pages in Grace Taormina's "The Complete Guide to Rubber Stamping", which has some interesting project ideas. While there's no section on backgrounds in Mary Jo McGraw's "Making Greeting Cards With Rubber Stamps", she does use a variety of background techniques in the cards that she makes. Here's a list of the subjects that the Michele Abel, Beyond the Basics, covers in the Backgrounds section: sponges, other types of sponges, templates, paper towels, airbrush, the blitzer, brayers, unusual brayered background techniques (plaid, stamped on brayer, paper masks, torn masks, color washes, with stencils, with a mostise mask, textures) , resist, unusual techniques (strips of tape, crepe tape, colored markers, foam rollers, carved brayers, brayering with saran wrap or bubble wrap). Then in the non-background sections of the book, she covers backgrounds such as Faux Finishes, Pattern Stamping, Making Your Own Paper and Patterned Paper, etc.
Pamela J. Black psketty@cent.com
I use a product called Pen Score to create backgrounds. This is an inexpensive (around $5) item available from many stamp stores and stamp supply companies. I heat the Pen Score with my heat gun, then press it onto a textured surface, such as crocheted doilies, a hank of raffia, jute bows, uncooked rice, etc. This creates a textured impression on the Pen Score. Ink the Pen Score as you would a rubber stamp, then create your background. The impression will be a negative image of the item you impressed, so instead of the crocheted doily standing out as an inked image against a plain background, the background is inked and the doily image is uninked. This makes a softly colored background. The PenScore will hold this impression until it is reheated. Pen Score can also be cut to create image background, but once it is cut it does not "heal", even when heated. The package gives some hints and ideas about how to use it. If you would like to see a background image stamped with Pen Score, look in "The Stampers Sampler", June/July 1997, page 27, image #2 (top row, middle). This card was created by Lois Drobot. She used a crocheted doily to create the impression on the Pen Score. You will see this gives a softly textured background.
I use a product called Pen Score to create backgrounds. This is an inexpensive (around $5) item available from many stamp stores and stamp supply companies. I heat the Pen Score with my heat gun, then press it onto a textured surface, such as crocheted doilies, a hank of raffia, jute bows, uncooked rice, etc. This creates a textured impression on the Pen Score. Ink the Pen Score as you would a rubber stamp, then create your background. The impression will be a negative image of the item you impressed, so instead of the crocheted doily standing out as an inked image against a plain background, the background is inked and the doily image is uninked. This makes a softly colored background. The PenScore will hold this impression until it is reheated. Pen Score can also be cut to create image background, but once it is cut it does not "heal", even when heated. The package gives some hints and ideas about how to use it. If you would like to see a background image stamped with Pen Score, look in "The Stampers Sampler", June/July 1997, page 27, image #2 (top row, middle). This card was created by Lois Drobot. She used a crocheted doily to create the impression on the Pen Score. You will see this gives a softly textured background.
Kathleen O McCaffrey kalicokathy@juno.com
I had this great idea for background paper. While I was reading about the wallpaper someone got , the suggestions made was to use them as background paper. I got 2 wallpaper books a few months ago and made envys from them. I like to use a glue gun for the gluing. Anyway, I thought "backgrounds"! what a great idea! Besides envys , I have been cutting out flower shapes from the wp and using them on cards. Is this `cheating in RS land'? Then I was looking in a bag that had wrapping paper in it and the thought "struck me!" what a great source of background paper. I ran to my `wrapping box' and started pulling out these beautiful pieces of wrapping paper. I have seashell wp that will go with a seashell stamp I have, etc.
I had this great idea for background paper. While I was reading about the wallpaper someone got , the suggestions made was to use them as background paper. I got 2 wallpaper books a few months ago and made envys from them. I like to use a glue gun for the gluing. Anyway, I thought "backgrounds"! what a great idea! Besides envys , I have been cutting out flower shapes from the wp and using them on cards. Is this `cheating in RS land'? Then I was looking in a bag that had wrapping paper in it and the thought "struck me!" what a great source of background paper. I ran to my `wrapping box' and started pulling out these beautiful pieces of wrapping paper. I have seashell wp that will go with a seashell stamp I have, etc.
I'm sure there are many people already doing this, already. Any other brilliant ideas?? Maybe we could use those cat food can wrappers in the same way. How about Campbell's soup label on a get well card??
a.larue@juno.com
Hi all! Was shopping the other day and picked up a new paint...by "Accent", just in with all the acrylic paints in the art section..it was cheap ($1.49, I think) ...called "Crown Jewels..double pigmented acryllic metallics" I got the color called "Baroque Pearl". I am not sure what this translates out to actually be, but thought it cheap enough to invest and play with. So I got the stuf out today while working on a swap. Thought it might be kind of like interference paints. I ended up diluting it with water and then using my bubble stamp and repeat stamping all over a piece of light blue paper...made a nifty background paper. Then I stamped over it using a dark blue Marvy and the final effect was that the bubbles were on top of the marvy..sort of tranlucenty looking, and kind of neat. Anybody else played with this stuff? Is it the same as interference paint? It also gives sort of the same look when you paint it over marker..the look is colored pearlescent.
Hi all! Was shopping the other day and picked up a new paint...by "Accent", just in with all the acrylic paints in the art section..it was cheap ($1.49, I think) ...called "Crown Jewels..double pigmented acryllic metallics" I got the color called "Baroque Pearl". I am not sure what this translates out to actually be, but thought it cheap enough to invest and play with. So I got the stuf out today while working on a swap. Thought it might be kind of like interference paints. I ended up diluting it with water and then using my bubble stamp and repeat stamping all over a piece of light blue paper...made a nifty background paper. Then I stamped over it using a dark blue Marvy and the final effect was that the bubbles were on top of the marvy..sort of tranlucenty looking, and kind of neat. Anybody else played with this stuff? Is it the same as interference paint? It also gives sort of the same look when you paint it over marker..the look is colored pearlescent.
Janet Anderson thewriteco@juno.com
One of my favorite backgrounds is cloth. There is so much variety and you can almost always find it pretty cheaply. This is especially effective if you like to use the "country" look in your work. One thing I've been using this week is just taking watercolor paints and swirling them around in the chosen colors for the card/picture/project. Last week I checked out a book from the library that taught how to marbleize paper. They were beautiful. Of course there's also the paper-making route. There's a great article in May /June issue of Somerset Studio magazine about adding flower petals and small leaves to your hand made papers. They're lovely.
One of my favorite backgrounds is cloth. There is so much variety and you can almost always find it pretty cheaply. This is especially effective if you like to use the "country" look in your work. One thing I've been using this week is just taking watercolor paints and swirling them around in the chosen colors for the card/picture/project. Last week I checked out a book from the library that taught how to marbleize paper. They were beautiful. Of course there's also the paper-making route. There's a great article in May /June issue of Somerset Studio magazine about adding flower petals and small leaves to your hand made papers. They're lovely.
For a more western look, brayer brown liquid applique to a textured piece of paper and let dry overnight. In the morning apply head as per package directions. It will rise just enough to look like leather. My son loves cowboys (he's 6) and he loves this look.
Have you tried brown paper sacks for your more rustic work? Or how about untwisting that twisted paper that you can buy in soft pastels all the way to bright metallics?
For some new ideas, jog down to your local printer and ask to browse through their excess papers (papers left over from prior printing projects.). Most printers will sell this excess at a minimal cost. I have a printer around the corner and can get just about anything...like a dark or light cardstock that contains flecks of all different metallic sparkles or just plain white card stock or glossy card stock. Last week I found some red coated (glossy) ard stock that will be perfect for Christmas....and since I don't want to take a chance on it being gone in a couple of months I bought it. My printer charges $1.50 a pound for these excess papers (and you can get a LOT for a pound).
Paula Jo Green pjgreen@cybertime.net
Subject: RS: Salt technique
Subject: RS: Salt technique
As far as the salt technique goes, here's the basic steps:
1. Make a "wash" of color (mix water into your acrylic paints, use watercolors, or scribble your markers on waxed paper & add abit of water)
2. With a paint brush, paint the wash onto your paper.
3. While the wash is wet, sprinkle rock salt onto the wet wash and let it dry completely.
As Janet stated in her post, the salt absorbs the paint pigment as it dries. What remains is a starburst effect where the grains of rock salt were. Be sure that you use the rock salt though. Table salt doesn't work as well. Something that makes a fun variation on this technique is to do your wash in several colors, letting them run into & blending with each other. Then sprinkle on the rock salt.
Linda Isarael Linda_Israel@classic.msn.com
Subject: RS: Rock Salt Background
It looks like star bursts on the paper. You water color your paper and while it is wet you pour the rock salt on and let it dry. The Salt will make the paint draw up, and leave a spot where the paint didn't dry. There was also a tip to reuse the salt and it will put color back on the paper. I haven't gotten to make any yet, but I'm sure I'll just love it.
Subject: RS: Rock Salt Background
It looks like star bursts on the paper. You water color your paper and while it is wet you pour the rock salt on and let it dry. The Salt will make the paint draw up, and leave a spot where the paint didn't dry. There was also a tip to reuse the salt and it will put color back on the paper. I haven't gotten to make any yet, but I'm sure I'll just love it.
Paula Jo Green pjgreen@cybertime.net
Subject: RS: Sea Sponge-Faux Marble
Okay, first off let me say that this is technique I played around with for awhile.
Subject: RS: Sea Sponge-Faux Marble
Okay, first off let me say that this is technique I played around with for awhile.
Materials: Glossy white cardstock
Watercolor paints
Pigment ink (to compliment watercolor used)
Clear Embossing powder
Sea Sponge
Heat tool
Spray bottle of water
1. Mist the cardstock with a little water to dampen it.
2. Choose 2 colors of watercolor (light & dark values of the same color work great).
3. Brush the lightest color on the damp cardstock first, covering the entire card.
4. Next, accent the card with the darker shade of color. Mist the card again with the water to get the colors to blend. I like the colors to blend enough that you cannot see any edges where one color ends and the other begins. You will end up with a very soft color. The darker color will highlight, but not be dominant.
5. Let the cardstock dry completely. The paper will curl abit when wet. If you notice the water is "collecting" around the edges or in other areas, lightly soak up the water with a tissue. Be careful not to take too much of the water. I will usually take up only enough to keep the water from beading up.
6. When the cardstock is dry, dampen the sea sponge with water slightly. Just enough to make it soft. Using the pigment ink, sponge the ink onto the cardstock randomly to create the marble "veins". Emboss the "veins" with clear embossing powder.
That's it! This is a really easy technique. Just be real sure the cardstock is completely dry before you sponge the pigment ink onto it. Otherwise the embossing powder will stick to the other areas of the card. Also, if the cardstock is wet, the pigment ink won't stick to it as well.
Rbrstamped@aol.com
I have used coffee filters for background paper by soaking the paper in food color, ink and other tissue paper with intense color. I put the filter out to dry (takes moments) and then either stamp, emboss or use for the background, it's way cool and is inexpensive. Doesn't really look like a coffee filter once it's dried and sometimes you can get a tye-dyed effect.
I have used coffee filters for background paper by soaking the paper in food color, ink and other tissue paper with intense color. I put the filter out to dry (takes moments) and then either stamp, emboss or use for the background, it's way cool and is inexpensive. Doesn't really look like a coffee filter once it's dried and sometimes you can get a tye-dyed effect.
sherry@artist.ofthe.net
answering some of Jeans questions about the Marvy metallic marker technique: she asked ... do you put the metallic markers on the paper in any special design-- I mean do you deliberately swirl them all over (and do you leave any of the black paper showing), or do you color on the paper in some other pattern, but letting the metallic colors touch so they blend.
Swirl the markers in any random, abstract design and do cover all the black cardstock. I think you're right, this stamp would look good on other colored papers. I think what makes it look so outstanding is the solid black embossed design over the colors.
answering some of Jeans questions about the Marvy metallic marker technique: she asked ... do you put the metallic markers on the paper in any special design-- I mean do you deliberately swirl them all over (and do you leave any of the black paper showing), or do you color on the paper in some other pattern, but letting the metallic colors touch so they blend.
Swirl the markers in any random, abstract design and do cover all the black cardstock. I think you're right, this stamp would look good on other colored papers. I think what makes it look so outstanding is the solid black embossed design over the colors.
Ken.Kosmo@pr.uninett.no
You can make an easy background with the inner wheel of a tape roll, a rubber band rolled around it - and an inkpad (or embossing pad and powder). When you are rolling the pattern out, just hold your finger as close to the table as you get (and inside the wheel) . You get a background looking like waves.
You can make an easy background with the inner wheel of a tape roll, a rubber band rolled around it - and an inkpad (or embossing pad and powder). When you are rolling the pattern out, just hold your finger as close to the table as you get (and inside the wheel) . You get a background looking like waves.
Holly Young yungs@swbell.net
I have a few stamps that I have seen others make great backgrounds with, but I can't seem to get the hang of making them look right when I stamp them all over a piece of paper. Mine always end up looking like little blocks of design instead of blending in to one overall design. how do you do this?!
I have a few stamps that I have seen others make great backgrounds with, but I can't seem to get the hang of making them look right when I stamp them all over a piece of paper. Mine always end up looking like little blocks of design instead of blending in to one overall design. how do you do this?!
Leslie Callahan Ryan lcallaha@tuc.com
if the design is very symetrical--if it goes all the way to all four sides of the stamp--don't ink all the way the edges of the stamp (OK that's kinda hard, try wiping the ink off the edges). Your image should be less blocky.
if the design is very symetrical--if it goes all the way to all four sides of the stamp--don't ink all the way the edges of the stamp (OK that's kinda hard, try wiping the ink off the edges). Your image should be less blocky.
Don't line up your stamp at the top left corner, instead stamp off the top and left side of card. Then reink and stamp down the left side, kind of in a column. Then, since the top left image is really only a partial image, stamp another "column" but start this one at the top edge and work your way down. See how this column is offset by about half an image from the leftmost column? If there's room for a 3rd "column", begin it by stamping off the top edge and work your way down. If there's room for a 4th "column", repeat the placement for the 2nd column. Hopefully the furthest right "column" can also be stamped off the right edge of the card, but don't sweat it.
Same as above but across the card in diagonal rows, offsetting each row by about half an image.
Don't rely on the image on the mount's index for placement. Instead, watch the top and left edges of your rubber and match them up with what's already been stamped.
If you tend to overlap images, concentrate on putting more space between. You can always go back and extend the lines or dots or whatever with a matching color marker.
Linda Hengen lindaloo@telusplanet.net
You use webbing spray (we tried it with silver and with black) and just before it is dry, you quickly run foil over it so that it sticks in some places. This is so beautiful! (I want to do my walls with it). Cans of webbing spray can be found at florists and at large hardware stores. I imagine Michaels would have it too.
You use webbing spray (we tried it with silver and with black) and just before it is dry, you quickly run foil over it so that it sticks in some places. This is so beautiful! (I want to do my walls with it). Cans of webbing spray can be found at florists and at large hardware stores. I imagine Michaels would have it too.
Barbara Holl bholl@halcyon.com
I'm not sure what you mean by "run foil over it". Do you brayer the foil over or wad up the foil or what?
I'm not sure what you mean by "run foil over it". Do you brayer the foil over or wad up the foil or what?
Juliet Page julepage@access.digex.net
I'm jumping in late here.... Still have 300+ e-mails to go... But has anyone tried adhering EP to the tacky webbing spray? I haven't bought any of the stuff yet... But it soulds like I'll definately need to add it to my shopping list! :) Can someone out there give it the old chemistry experiment and see if EP will stick to the webbing spray? Also, if you heat the EP what happens? Umm, better yet, check the label and see if the stuff is flammable!
I'm jumping in late here.... Still have 300+ e-mails to go...
Becky Shook bshook@pcpartner.net
I got one of those plastic boxes you can purchase to put floss in..... then in each compartment I put something that would make a different background ie....small baggie of popcorn seeds, various kinds of sponges, a wadded up kleenex, a rolled up with a rubber band paper towel to use on end or side, a cluster of balloons, a rubberband ball(I made it) a rubberband cluster that I cut ends off of, different sizes of bubble wrap, some of that globbyshelf stuff, you get the idea......then I stamp with these items right into my pads and on paper then on my cards....gives great effects my favorites are kitchen sponges 1" thick ones cut in little 1" x 2" rectangles you stamp with those and they give a marbled effect. I also used the green scratchy type and this made great ground.
I got one of those plastic boxes you can purchase to put floss in..... then in each compartment I put something that would make a different background ie....small baggie of popcorn seeds, various kinds of sponges, a wadded up kleenex, a rolled up with a rubber band paper towel to use on end or side, a cluster of balloons, a rubberband ball(I made it) a rubberband cluster that I cut ends off of, different sizes of bubble wrap, some of that globbyshelf stuff, you get the idea......then I stamp with these items right into my pads and on paper then on my cards....gives great effects my favorites are kitchen sponges 1" thick ones cut in little 1" x 2" rectangles you stamp with those and they give a marbled effect. I also used the green scratchy type and this made great ground.
DLMARLER@aol.com
Use liquid applique and brayer it onto cardstock. Let it dry (I've done it in 10 minutes after application, but some say to let it dry overnight). Heat it with your heat tool and you get a leathery/suede-like piece of paper. Use brown and it is great for masculine cards. I haven't tried other colors yet, but I probably will. I think white would be nice for snow or bunnies; it gives just enough texture to show some dimension, but not too much. when I use liquid applique the conventional way, it sometimes is just too heavy looking.
Use liquid applique and brayer it onto cardstock. Let it dry (I've done it in 10 minutes after application, but some say to let it dry overnight). Heat it with your heat tool and you get a leathery/suede-like piece of paper. Use brown and it is great for masculine cards. I haven't tried other colors yet, but I probably will. I think white would be nice for snow or bunnies; it gives just enough texture to show some dimension, but not too much. when I use liquid applique the conventional way, it sometimes is just too heavy looking.
Kari jimkari@ptialaska.net
Bubble Paper (the easy way): Get several different little kids' bubbles, you know the ones that come for like .59 cents. Put a different colored dye ink in each one. I use dye ink reinkers. And then just blow on different colors onto paper. This gives striking results on glossy cardstock!!!
Bubble Paper (the easy way): Get several different little kids' bubbles, you know the ones that come for like .59 cents. Put a different colored dye ink in each one. I use dye ink reinkers. And then just blow on different colors onto paper. This gives striking results on glossy cardstock!!!
Drippy Water Paper: Brayer rainbow pad ink onto glossy/semiglossy paper.
And then spray alcohol with a fine mist sprayer. Wait a few seconds and patterns will start to form. Cool drip marks and ink running. It looks way cool!
Tracy TMortH@aol.com
Here's an easy technique for an accent paper-I decorate my own corrugated. I get big sheets of the industrial brown stuff-mine comes wrapped around tissue culture plates, but you can probably get it anywhere breakables are unpacked.
Here's an easy technique for an accent paper-I decorate my own corrugated. I get big sheets of the industrial brown stuff-mine comes wrapped around tissue culture plates, but you can probably get it anywhere breakables are unpacked.
Anyway, I paint it-I've used water colors, just sloppped in big patches, I've spray painted it silvr and gold for Christmas, but my favorite is to use a toothbrush and splatter acrylics all over the place. I use three or four colors on each piecs and then I cut them up to use under stamped images.
Kinga Britschgi maci@cyberhighway.net
Color with olive green markers a piece of paper towel and wet it a bit with a spray bottle. Take some GLOSSY paper and swirl the crumpled paper towel on it. If you want deeper color, add some more color to the towel and keep swirling until you are happy with the result. Then use a texture stamp (I like one from Stamp Francisco that looks like a crumpled paper) and stamp over the colored paper with the same olive green ink (use dye-base inks! the pigment ink does not dry on glossy paper unless you heat emboss it). For a more subtle look, first stamp off some color on a scrap paper and then stamp over the swirled base.
Color with olive green markers a piece of paper towel and wet it a bit with a spray bottle. Take some GLOSSY paper and swirl the crumpled paper towel on it. If you want deeper color, add some more color to the towel and keep swirling until you are happy with the result. Then use a texture stamp (I like one from Stamp Francisco that looks like a crumpled paper) and stamp over the colored paper with the same olive green ink (use dye-base inks! the pigment ink does not dry on glossy paper unless you heat emboss it). For a more subtle look, first stamp off some color on a scrap paper and then stamp over the swirled base.
Then swirl copper Rub On onto the paper, but let the original olive green show through!
Go over it again very sparingly, this time use gold Rub On. You may want to seal it with Krylon-like stuff (fixative or matte varnish). Experiment with different color combination!
Heppner@aol.com
You use a brayer to coat glossy cardstock using various color inks. When you have one color of ink on your brayer, keep rolling your brayer over the same spot to really get the ink into the cardstock. I normally use three colors... (example: yellow, green, blue). Take a bottle of stamp cleaner (top has a round pad on it) and place it on the cardstock in a random pattern (Also you could coat a clean stamp with the liquid and then stamp onto the inked cardstock). Next take children's bubbles and blow then onto the cardstock. This will produce some striking patterns. While the paper is still wet, fill a fine-mist spray bottle with one part Interference Gold Acrylic paint and one part rubbing alcohol. Mix well... spray randomly onto the cardstock. Let sit and dry completely.
You use a brayer to coat glossy cardstock using various color inks. When you have one color of ink on your brayer, keep rolling your brayer over the same spot to really get the ink into the cardstock. I normally use three colors... (example: yellow, green, blue). Take a bottle of stamp cleaner (top has a round pad on it) and place it on the cardstock in a random pattern (Also you could coat a clean stamp with the liquid and then stamp onto the inked cardstock). Next take children's bubbles and blow then onto the cardstock. This will produce some striking patterns. While the paper is still wet, fill a fine-mist spray bottle with one part Interference Gold Acrylic paint and one part rubbing alcohol. Mix well... spray randomly onto the cardstock. Let sit and dry completely.
Another option is to take a feather and place some full strength interference gold onto the feather and drag that across the paper while it is still wet.
HorsKrzy0@aol.com
One background that I have done and loved is to use a was of plastic wrap and dab Molten Metals on the cardstock in a random way. I really liked the effect by using the green and the gold. Molten Metals is by Poly-Art Products. It's a liquid and dries looking like metal flake. Neat stuff.
One background that I have done and loved is to use a was of plastic wrap and dab Molten Metals on the cardstock in a random way. I really liked the effect by using the green and the gold. Molten Metals is by Poly-Art Products. It's a liquid and dries looking like metal flake. Neat stuff.
Kinga Britschgi maci@cyberhighway.net
Drop a puddle of ink of water color on paper. Use a straw to blow it around. Wait till it dries. Then repeat the whole process using the same / different colors. You do not have to wait to dry if you like: if you blow the second / third, etc color arond while still wet, they'll blend and give you some interesting effect. Experiment and have fun!
Drop a puddle of ink of water color on paper. Use a straw to blow it around. Wait till it dries. Then repeat the whole process using the same / different colors. You do not have to wait to dry if you like: if you blow the second / third, etc color arond while still wet, they'll blend and give you some interesting effect. Experiment and have fun!
Linda Strawn straken@ida.net
Tria background paper supplies:
Tria background paper supplies:
3 contrasting colors of tria's (I use the refill bottles to add the colors)
1 applicator cut into 2 inch sections alchol put into a spray bottle
glossy cardstock
gold leafing pen (you can use gold, silver, copper does not make any difference)
Add straight from the bottle each color on your applicator, about ¼ inch section of color side by side but keep them clean. lightly spritz your paper with alcohol and dot randomly with the gold leafing pen. Working quickly with your applicator squiggle and twist your colors on, add more ink if nessessary to your aplicator. Set aside and let dry, the colors should mingle in with the gold leafing pen colors and produce a marbeling effect. After it is completely dry edge your paper with the gold leafing pen.
Betty Goetz haika@HAIKA.com
Tria Backgrounds
I'm just a beginner at this, but was very very happy with the results. I used just 2 colors of Tria reinkers, King James Cast Coat paper (I have 8 pt), a couple cotton balls and a bottle of isopropyl alcohol. I simply everted the reinker and swizzled a bit of ink onto the glossy paper and smoothed it into an even layer with the cotton ball. If you put TOO much ink on, you'll have enough ink to cover 3-4 pieces of postcard sized paper....I did the first time. Then I added a few drops of a second color. If you have too much ink, you can get interesting patterns and also start a second piece by doing a monoprint (just evert a second piece of cardstock onto the inked one and smoosh).Then I dipped my fingertips into some alcohol and flicked some droplets over the paper. This looks great even with just one color, since the alcohol moves the ink and gives you subtle color gradations. Too many colors can be too `busy' in my opinion. As the ink dries, the pattern clarifies and becomes more interesting. I doubt if I'll add metallic colors as that's not really of interest to me....but you CAN blitz over the top with some Marvy Metallic marker for interest. I've done it with my silver marker and been happy with the results. A stamping buddy sent me one of the `real' Tria applicators, but I haven't played with it. Many folks told me they didn't see the point of the Tria applicator, and, since I tend to be quite happy with the results I'm getting with a simple cotton ball and since I believe in simplicity where possible, this works for me. I'll probably try the Tria applicator eventually.....and others have suggested simply using white felt bits.
Tria Backgrounds
I'm just a beginner at this, but was very very happy with the results. I used just 2 colors of Tria reinkers, King James Cast Coat paper (I have 8 pt), a couple cotton balls and a bottle of isopropyl alcohol. I simply everted the reinker and swizzled a bit of ink onto the glossy paper and smoothed it into an even layer with the cotton ball. If you put TOO much ink on, you'll have enough ink to cover 3-4 pieces of postcard sized paper....I did