Watercolor Background on Different Substrates

In my last video, I wanted to take one technique - Ink Smashing, which is a great watercolor background technique, and show you how the same technique looks on different substrates (card stocks, in this case).  This is what I coined this technique about a year ago, in one of my very first videos!

 

Just a reminder that I go Live on my Facebook Page every Thursday at 11:00am ET.

 

If you were not able to catch me live, you can still watch it on my Demonstrator Page later, OR on YouTube.  If the picture does not appear below, you can click HERE to get to it on YouTube.

I absolutely love this technique for getting a few different colors on to your surface, at one time.  The gist is - you smash your ink pads on a glass mat, or craft mat (something non-porous).  I use at least TWO colors, sometimes THREE.  Smash the colors in a line, so you'll have stripes.  Mist liberally with water, and then drop your pieces directly on the ink.  

It really makes for a fast background.  You have to let them dry for a few minutes, and then they are ready to be worked on.

 

I demonstrated the technique using FIVE different substrates:

• Watercolor paper - DRY
• Watercolor paper - WET (I sprayed it on both sides)
• Basic White THICK cardstock 
• Shimmery White - has a slight coating
• Basic White Regular cardstock

I made tags to show this technique.  All papers are cut 3" x 6".  This is a great size for tags - hang them off of a plain gift bag, use them as bookmarks, write a message on the back and mail to a friend, or use them in journals!  I love having a tag in whatever notepad I'm currently using, as my placeholder.  

I used two of the NEW (coming very soon) In Colors- Fresh Freesia and Soft Succulent.

After everything dried, I went back in with the NEW Quiet Meadows stamp set, and stamped a collage of images.  The flowers and greeting are all in black.  Everything else is tone-on-tone.  

I purposely wanted the greeting bit to hang off the side.  Finish off with some gems. 

This first picture shows both of the watercolor papers.  DRY is on the left, WET is on the right. See the difference?

Here's a closer look -  Notice with the dry watercolor paper, it absorbs the colors quickly, but doesn't move around.  On the WET watercolor paper, the inks really move a lot, blending together for a traditional watercolor wash look.

The next three are Basic White THICK, Shimmery White, and Basic White.  It's hard to see a huge difference, but in real life, the Basic Whites (both of them) appear flatter/duller/softer.  They are not intended to take any water, yet they slurp it up quickly.

On all of these papers, there is not a lot of ink movement - nothing like the wet watercolor paper.  I still like them all!

I backed each of the tags with either Soft Succulent, or Fresh Freesia, to make them a little sturdier.  

You can see from the pictures that I finished off the tags with some ribbons.  I used (3) ribbons - white, Fresh Freesia, and some thick weave Mint Macaron that I had left from the holiday catalog...it matches close enough to the Soft Succulent.

Supplies you'll need to create these (Stampin' Up, unless otherwise noted.  Items may be retired.):

Stamps:  Quiet Meadow

Ink: Fresh Freesia, Soft Succulent, (Catherine Pooler)

Paper: Watercolor, Basic White Thick, Shimmery White, Basic White, Fresh Freesia, Soft Succulent.

Other:  Fresh Freesia Sheer ribbon, Whisper White 1/4" Crinkled seam binding, Basket Weave & Metallic Ribbon Combo (ON SALE RIGHT NOW!!!), Basic Rhinestones, Clear & Frosted Epoxy Droplets.

Don't forget there is only just about one week left to take advantage of my April Retirement Workshop. See details here!

Thanks for visiting, and Happy stamping!

Toni

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