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Water Embossing
Betty Goetz Haika2@aol.com
Yesterday I saw some cards done with a technique called water embossing. I thought I could figure this out, but I must be missing something. It looked like the image had been stamped with a waterproof black ink, colored (well, it could have been colored afterward) and then part of the image was moistened and `pushed out' from the back with an embossing stylus. Again, I'm just guessing about how this was done. I can get a similar look by doing what I describe above, but I can't get very sharp delineation of the push-out areas. Does anyone on the list have any experience with this? By the way, I did end up with a nice look that I'll probably work a bit more on. I stamped the large Oriental poppy image from Stamping Room Only! with black Marvy Matchable, and colored it with Tria markers....getting a nice, vibrant Oriental orange. This was on Wausau Papers Exact Index over, which I figured was sturdy enough to hold up to the water treatment. I brushed over the front with a wet brush and did the push-from-behind stuff with a largish embossing stylus. The brush I used had previously been used to play with PearlEx Micropearl in gum arabic....and I'd thought I'd cleaned it off. I got enough pearlescence to give that crystalline orange that Oriental poppies show when you look through them in the sun. I was happy with the look....although I didn't get nice delineation of the front part of the flower, which is the area I tried to push-out.
Yesterday I saw some cards done with a technique called water embossing. I thought I could figure this out, but I must be missing something. It looked like the image had been stamped with a waterproof black ink, colored (well, it could have been colored afterward) and then part of the image was moistened and `pushed out' from the back with an embossing stylus. Again, I'm just guessing about how this was done. I can get a similar look by doing what I describe above, but I can't get very sharp delineation of the push-out areas. Does anyone on the list have any experience with this? By the way, I did end up with a nice look that I'll probably work a bit more on. I stamped the large Oriental poppy image from Stamping Room Only! with black Marvy Matchable, and colored it with Tria markers....getting a nice, vibrant Oriental orange. This was on Wausau Papers Exact Index over, which I figured was sturdy enough to hold up to the water treatment. I brushed over the front with a wet brush and did the push-from-behind stuff with a largish embossing stylus. The brush I used had previously been used to play with PearlEx Micropearl in gum arabic....and I'd thought I'd cleaned it off. I got enough pearlescence to give that crystalline orange that Oriental poppies show when you look through them in the sun. I was happy with the look....although I didn't get nice delineation of the front part of the flower, which is the area I tried to push-out.
Impress_of_the_Night@prodigy.net
The way Denny described it is pretty much how I learned it, except we just used waterproof ink instead of embossing it. Recycled paper works well, I dont' think your Exact Index Cover can absorb the water enough.
The way Denny described it is pretty much how I learned it, except we just used waterproof ink instead of embossing it. Recycled paper works well, I dont' think your Exact Index Cover can absorb the water enough.
Also, the little pad she mentioned is a Webril-Handy Pads which you can pick up at Paper Zone for about $4.50 for a package that will last you forever.
So you stamp your image, flip it over, place it on top of the Webril, which is on top of a lightbox, wet the back of the card fairly generously, and then I just used my large-balled embossing tool and put pressure where I want the dimension. Then color howeever you want.
Laura & John McMullan mcmullan@oasis.novia.net
I've noticed that everyone who has posted, regarding "water embossing" used EP and/or the embossing stylus. I learned a way at one of the "Papers by Catherine" workshops that doesn't require either. Catherine actually may have called it "wet embossing" rather than "water embossing". Let cardstock (matte) soak in water for about 20 minutes. After removing from water, and wiping off any excess water, lay the postcard on a rubber stamp that has little detail. Gently press paper onto the image. You can then use your brayer to press down on the paper. You can also use your fingers. You'll begin to see the image on the backside of the postcard.
I've noticed that everyone who has posted, regarding "water embossing" used EP and/or the embossing stylus. I learned a way at one of the "Papers by Catherine" workshops that doesn't require either. Catherine actually may have called it "wet embossing" rather than "water embossing". Let cardstock (matte) soak in water for about 20 minutes. After removing from water, and wiping off any excess water, lay the postcard on a rubber stamp that has little detail. Gently press paper onto the image. You can then use your brayer to press down on the paper. You can also use your fingers. You'll begin to see the image on the backside of the postcard.
Catherine used a couple of techniques with this approach: She used color on the rubberstamp before she laid the wet paper on top....she also tried color on the brayer when she brayered over the backside of the cardstock.
This was a really neat technique...especially on the butterfly stamp from Magenta!
Denny Cramer cramers@olypen.com
Betty I saw your post on water embossing. I took a class on this about a year or so ago. Then it was called Watermarks - since then I've heard it called several different things. The way it was taught was: First, we embossed the image with black ep. Then we wet the open area we wanted to work. Note: The paper is supposed to be 100% cotton to work properly. We worked over a light box with a piece of weibel (a cotton batting type stuff used in photo developing, I think) between the card and the light box. The card is place face down on the piece of weibel. I would think a soft scott towel folded over several times would work also. We then used the rounded end of a paintbrush and carefully worked the area until it puffed out (on the front) as much as desired. When that step was done we painted the image using marker pens with a watercolor technique. Stamps with a largeish open area work up really nice. That's pretty much it - if you need more info let me know.
Betty I saw your post on water embossing. I took a class on this about a year or so ago. Then it was called Watermarks - since then I've heard it called several different things. The way it was taught was: First, we embossed the image with black ep. Then we wet the open area we wanted to work. Note: The paper is supposed to be 100% cotton to work properly. We worked over a light box with a piece of weibel (a cotton batting type stuff used in photo developing, I think) between the card and the light box. The card is place face down on the piece of weibel. I would think a soft scott towel folded over several times would work also. We then used the rounded end of a paintbrush and carefully worked the area until it puffed out (on the front) as much as desired. When that step was done we painted the image using marker pens with a watercolor technique. Stamps with a largeish open area work up really nice. That's pretty much it - if you need more info let me know.
Diane Bowman dianeb@cfu-cybernet.net
I have seen this at a DOTS party... they wet the paper and use a round source to stretch the paper and it should bulge out a little... like rounded sleeves or puffy coat things...It is also done on a cotton round so as not to tear the paper.
For related information see:
Tips & Techniques: Debossing, Dry Embossing, Embossing Paste
I have seen this at a DOTS party... they wet the paper and use a round source to stretch the paper and it should bulge out a little... like rounded sleeves or puffy coat things...It is also done on a cotton round so as not to tear the paper.
For related information see:
Tips & Techniques: Debossing, Dry Embossing, Embossing Paste