Class taught by Kate C. on 3/10/06.

Link to gallery:
http://orientalstampart.com/v-web/gallery/DistressInks

Technique: using your inkpads for backgrounds, embellishment & stamping

Materials:

* Distress inkpads 1 light brown and 1 darker brown and reinkers if they have and 1 of the newer 6 colours eg fired brick or weathered wood. If some don’t have all or any of the inkpads, they can use adirondack or fluid chalks, but they wont quite get the complete result.
*black or timber brown permanent inkpad
*white or ivory card stock
*dark or black cs
*a couple of sheets of copy paper (0r the like), as long as it is white.
*Iron
*spritzer bottle
tissues
*oriental image of a person, can a whole or head, just not too big or a landscape of say a garden
*oriental writing background stamp or a stamp that can be used over and over to get same effect.
chalks or pencils to colour image if needed.
If you have a pre done background eg credit card, coffee stained or shaving cream background in a similar colour to one of their inkpads that would also be good.

Optional: wooden kebab sticks or similar, ivory or white mulberry paper, plastic container glue, double sided tape etc.

Step 1:

Get your background stamp and on the white copy paper stamp it in a permanent black or brown ink all over, completely cover the piece of paper.

Step 2:

When you have done that, clean the stamp as you will need it again to stamp with your LIGHT colour distress ink. Stamp the same stamp on your light cardstock in light-coloured distress ink.

Step 3:

Grab your white stamped copy paper and scrunch it up in a tight ball, then open it up and scrunch it up the other way, if you don't think it has enough crinkles do it again.

Step 4:

Get your darker distress inkpad and brush it over the paper, imagine you are ironing with your inkpad. If you're unsure how much to do don't worry it is probably be a lot lighter than you think and you can always add more after. If you have the reinkers, the little bottles, then put a little in a palette and use a sponge to dab on your paper.

Step 5:

Get your water spray and spray it all over the paper, not one or 2 sprays, but 4 or 5 good sprays. Really wet it, and when you have done that tilt the paper to get the ink to run more.

Step 6:

Once you have done that, get a clean sheet of copy paper and put it on the top of the other and give it an iron, ironing as you would clothing. Careful it will be hot when you take it off. The reason I always use a clean sheet is that some of the ink comes off on the paper, so you are making 2 backgrounds (use the other sheet for a different project).

Step 7:

When that is done put the copy paper aside and get your cs that is stamped with the light distress ink background stamp. Stamp your main image on it with black or brown normal ink.

Step 8:

Cut the image out, leave a little space outside the border, so it does not have to be exact and then you also see a little bit of the light distress outside the image. You can either follow the outline of your image, or cut a rectangle.

Step 9:

Create a background from black/dark cardstock for the image you just prepared. Make it a couple of millimeters or 1/4" larger than your main image. Use the same cardstock for the base card.

Step 10:

Layer the main image on the slightly larger cardstock, then layer that on your copy paper background, then onto the base cardstock. You're done!

See other artwork on the OSA Gallery

Additional Notes:

Distress inks:
-allow you to blend and shade on paper and are embossable
-will travel across the surface of your paper when spritz with water
-coordinate well with some of the Adirondack inks e.g. coffee.

To Distress:
- crumple up paper / cardstock (gloss or matt) / manila tags, best to press in the centre of heavy cardstock or manila which breaks the surface tension and makes it easier to crumple and not tear it.
- Next rub the distress pad over the surface, use multiple or just one colour, then spray it with water the ink will move with the water as it is designed that way. To dry it use your heatgun or iron, which allows you control over the different tones. Ironing will give you a smoother surface to stamp on, use a blank piece of paper to cover if worried about your iron; if you allow it to air dry the paper will buckle and bend causing the inks to go to the edges of the paper and it might not be the way you want

Double Distress tags:
- Crumple tag and apply 2 colours of the inks from the pads and spray with water and dry.

Stamping:
-stamp on matte card stock and immediately rub with a cloth, this will soften or shadow your image with out smudging any detail; it looks like a charcoal image.
- When you stamp on gloss card stock, some areas of the image will bead up, which gives you a distressed look with out doing a thing.
-Brayering on gloss allows you to manipulate the inks using whatever tools you like e.g. paintbrushes, fingers etc.

Photos:
-These inks are formulated for photos, they work well for any kind of photos (vintage or new ones)
-laser, inkjet, regular photos matte and glossy.
- Always start by using the lightest colour with either a brayer or direct to paper, blend the inks with some foam or sponge. Next age the edges with a darker colour soften the colour by using a sponge or foam.
- To complete the aged look lightly sand the photo with medium grit sandpaper, don't go over faces, just cause a few scratches in the photo

Photo Tinting:
- make a copy of your photo onto gloss paper, select areas to colour, pick up colour from the inkpad and apply it to the areas of your photo

The Reinkers:
- are versatile, the vintage glass dropper vials are perfect for aging tags, fibres, linen and most things like kebab sticks, make a bath for them
- Use your perfect medium pad to create a resist and you can create amazing stained backgrounds

- Print out a scan of a vintage photo and put a few drops of the walnut reinker in a spritz bottle and fill with water, spray onto the copy and it will fade the photo a little bit but leaves some of the walnut and leaves an amazing effect.

These inkpads are fantastic, I have found that, if your are going to colour in a stamped image, chalks work the best and pencils. You can still use tombow pens, but it does not quite give the same overall aged effect.
Craftykids rustic papers look great with them as well, you can stamp them age them or just use them as a background for what ever you have aged.
Have a play with them as you are only limited by your imagination.
They are great to stipple with as well.

MICA MAGIC INK PADS

-Dry to a sheen on glossy & smooth surfaces
-Ideal for all papers, shrink plastic, style stones, clay, glass and ceramic, basically all surfaces
-Acid free, hard to emboss on as dry quickly
-A light coat can produce a transparent effect
-Always order a reinker with them as they need to be really wet and because of the ingredients in them you need to massage it with the back of a spoon to agitate them.
-Clean stamps with water soon after use
-Will appear dry when first opened

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