Home | Product Reviews | Tips & Techniques | Tutorials | Newbie Center | Galleries | Links | New Art | My Art Studio
Interesting Ideas | Guestbook | Humorous Hues | Web Design Services | Items for Sale | Family | Email Me
Bleach
To neutralize bleach after using it: Mix one part vinegar to two parts water. You don't have to spray it on - just apply it the same way you did the bleach.
I used a big PSX rose...stamped it with clear embossing ink on black matter cardstock and sprinkled clear EP and hotted it up. Well, this in and of itself looked interesting. However, bleaching was on my mind...so downstairs I go, grab some bleach and head upstairs to sit at the table. I dipped the brush in bleach...swished it within the embossed lines..and my GOODNESS....wowsa. What I ended up with looks you have stamped/embossed on leather and you can also control HOW much of the color is bleached in an area. So I have subtle shading of tan thru out that rose, with the matte black background in tact. Upon experimenting with bleaching out others stamped/embossed images, I found you can paint straight bleach in some areas for a lighter bleached out look, or you can use a ½ bleach ½ water mixture to get a less lighter bleached out area. If you use a natural hair paintbrush, the bleach will eat it up in no time. However I found if you use an acrylic hair paintbrush, the bleach doesn't dissolve the bristles. I can't take credit for this "technique" because I think I read a little blurb in RSM about it. All you need is some dark cardstock, embossing ink or pigment ink, EP...a brush and some bleach. Emboss on the dark cardstock...paint it with bleach. It's just THAT easy!!!!!
On black matte paper stamp and image in pigment ink and then emboss using black EP. Now, take a small brush and paint portions of the image with bleach (I'm working on the Magenta Southwestern Pots stamp). After the bleach has dried (5 minutes or so), go back with a tiny (clean, no bleach)brush and paint Radiant Pearls over the bleached area. The effect is the same as the RP on white cs except that all the surrounding area is on black cs. Another thing I've done is to just paint the RP (Radiant Pearls) right onto the black cs. This gives the effect of interference paints but a little more subtle. I'm using both techniques in this Southwestern piece I'm doing and it's coming out very neat.
This is VERY easy. You can use any color or texture of matte cardstock. Note that different brands of cardstocks bleach out differently, even if they are the same color. So, you need to experiment a bit with it. Watch out...it's HIGHLY addictive. First, make sure you are in a well ventilated area. The bleach fumes can be troublesome to some people.
Materials List:
1. Bleach
2. White Bristled Paintbrush (bleach eats up the brown bristled/natural hair paintbrushes...get a synthetic/white/off white bristled one to use)
3. Matte cardstock of some color
4. Heat gun
5. Embossing Ink (clear or colored pigment ink, your choice)
6. Embossing powder (clear or whatever you choose)
7. A medium of color to add color to the piece after you bleach it. You do not have to add color to it, but you can if you like. Some mediums which work well are: Radiant Pearls, watercolor pencils, chalks, watercolors, pearlescent liquid acrylics, watercolor crayons, color pencils, markers, etc etc etc
8. Jar of water to rinse brush in and paper towel.
Step -by-step instructions:
1. Stamp and heat emboss your chosen stamp image on the matte cardstock.
2. Pour some bleach into a small container (I use a little plastic film canister). Using your paintbrush, paint the bleach within the stamped/embossed image.
Notes: Periodically rinse your brush out in the water. The dye from the cardstock soaks up into the brush, so this helps to keep your "bleaching" as consistent as possible. Paint bleach...rinse brush...wipe of excess water from brush onto paper towel...paint bleach again...repeat until done.
3. Let your piece dry. Doesn't take long, maybe an hour or so.
4. Now you can leave it "as is"...or add color to it in some way. Radiant pearls look very lovely with this technique.
5.. All done!
Some "options" here....Try using different colors of pigment ink under clear embossing powder on different colors of cardstock when you emboss. This also gives a unique effect after bleaching!
I've been reading the bleach ideas, and have one I'd like to suggest...take dark cardstock and apply bleach (you can lightly brush it on, splatter it on, sponge it on or basically anything to get the bleach applied in a random loose style). After the bleach has dried, brayer over the cardstock with a rainbow pad, and watch the colors where the bleach has been applied. Makes neat backgrounds, and would look good with some stamps as well.
I've found that different brands of the same color cardstock will bleach out to a different color. For instance, I have two brands of black matte cardstock (don't ask WHICH brand, I got them from Evolving Images) one brand will bleach out a nice beautiful tan color, the other brand bleaches out a yellowish icky color. I think it has something to do with the manufacturing process. This is where it would be nice if you kept those "scrap" pieces and could do a test bleach on it to see how it bleaches out. I've only used matte cardstock, as glossy and semi glossy cardstocks don't take the bleach very well. But you can try it on ANY color of matte cardstock, from lights to darks. The only type of "matte" cardstock I found that didn't work well was the linen type of cardstocks. Hey, if you have some of that good ole crape paper, you know the kind that kids use in school? Try bleaching that out and using it. Works well.
So, for me.....native American and pottery pieces usually look best on black matte that bleaches out to a tan. Sometimes House Mouse stamps look VERY nice on red cardstock, which bleaches out to a pink. Florals would also look nice with this.
Navy blue cardstock will bleach to a light blue, usually....and this can also look nice for some things. For instance, you can do a little "mini night scene"....say stamp and emboss a moon stamp. then bleach out the moon and maybe some clouds. Next take a white paint pen, or milky white gel pen or silver pen...and just make tiny little stars (dots) on the navy blue cardstock (where it is NOT bleached out). Color your moon if you like, whatever color. By adding the little stars to the background with the pen, it will make your stamped/bleached image seem more in the foreground. Really is a nice dimensional effect.
This should give you a general idea of where to start. If you have a piece of matte cardstock, just do a light swish of bleach in a tiny area in one of the corners. This will allow you to see how it bleaches out, and also if you don't like the look, you can STILL use that cardstock, just cut and fold it so the little bleached out swish is on the back.
I was wondering if anyone has done any stamping with bleach. I saw a card again yesterday and just had to try it. Method 1: First you take your stamp that has a relatively open image. Ink and emboss on paper using a metallic powder (regular powder doesn't hold up to bleach). Take a plastic bristle paint brush (bleach eats sable) and dip it in pure bleach. Bleach open areas or any area you want to lighten on your paper. If you let it dry and bleach again, it will get even lighter. Each cardstock color will bleach a different color. I had a navy blue that bleached dark turquoise, black turned lavender. When it is dry you can color in with colored pencils, markers, etc. This enables you to color in a shade that is lighter than the cardstock color.
Be careful when you bleach not to splash bleach onto areas you do not wish to lighten. It will not wipe off without bleaching. If in fact you do splatter, you can cut the image out and use it in a collage or layer onto another card.
Method: 2 You can also take a towel and make a stamp pad out of it.
Put enough bleach on it to make it nice and moist. Press your stamp onto it like you would an ink pad. Other methods may work as well - do what works best for you.
Funny you should ask. I just learned this technique last week at a friends house. (Hi Lori!) Anyway, it's really easy and looks really neat. I think the main reason to use this technique is when you work with dark card stock and want to lighten it in different areas.
Sounds like a cool technique. I'll give it a try, did you dilute the bleach at all, or just use it straight out of the bottle?
I just used the bleach right from the bottle. I did not dilute it at all. I suppose you could if you wanted a more subtle effect. Hope this helps. Let me know how it works in general!
Straight out of the bottle. Get a old small container and stick some in there so it's used just for that. Make sure it's got a secure top on it , is marked, and is out of reach of children. Stinky, but way kewl!
I've done this several times. I like using cheap construction paper. I get a foam meat tray (cleaned up of course) and put a folded up paper towel in it. I put a little bleach on the paper towel full strength. I use that like a stamp pad. I lightly touch my stamp to the wet towel. Then stamp on the paper. Sometimes I let the stamp sit on the paper for a few minutes and sometimes I barely put it down. That varies the image a little.
I put the stamp on a cleaner pad wet with water right after stamping. When I'm done for the day, I clean each stamp with soap and water then I stamp them on a Top Boss pad. After that I just give them a little wipe with a dry towel.
Hi ......LOVE bleach stamping. All your ideas were wonderful Here is a few more for you to try out.
1. For a SUPER look....use a Kaleidacolor ink pad and brayer the color on your GLOSSY cardstock diagonally, then...put full strength bleach in a mister bottle....stand back and gently spritz the card ONCE...giving it a light spritzing. (by standing BACK you don't get heavy concentration...just a light mist) Then...LOOK at the card. IT IS startling. AFTER everything is dry...YOU just take your black memories INK and stamp some images ...then layer and mount the card. POOF...easy as a spritz and YOU have a wonderful card.
The best tip I received was to clean out a nail polish bottle (I used Wet `N Wild Clear Nail Protector) then fill with bleach. The brush is already attached to the cap and the little bottle with the round bottom isn't as easy to knock over and spill. Works great for me.