Ink blending has become one of my go-to techniques for adding color to die cuts, backgrounds, stamped images, and pretty much everything! I don't claim to be an expert at it, but there are a few tips I have picked up along the way that has helped my blending. I'll share a few of these tips with you in this post.
For the color on the background of this card, I blended some different shades of red together to create an even color to stand out behind this piece of vellum that was stamped and embossed. The vellum piece on the card is embossed in some of Brutus Monroe's Gilded Embossing Powder, and the stamp used is Brutus Monroe's Rose Garden Background Stamp. I also added a piece of gold washi tape to one side that I die cut with a scalloped border die. Ok, so on to the ink blending tips! I'm just covering a few questions that I most frequently hear asked. Q: Do I need high quality cardstock to get a good blend? A: Yes and No! I say this because YES, a high quality cardstock will get you a better blend because it will take the ink better, but at the same time NO, because ink blending is still possible on cheap cardstock. All the cards you see me create are built on cheap department store cardstock. Also remember that sometimes if you leave your paper for 10-15 minutes and come back, it may look a little smoother because you have given the paper time to soak in the ink. Q: Why does my ink tool leave lines or marks? A: Several reasons, one of them being that your foam blender may be new or not yet "broken in". Once you use your foam pad for a while, the fibers get broken down a bit and become softer. Also, as you use it, the fibers also become more saturated with ink, which will help to apply ink more evenly. Another way to avoid those lines is to start blending off your page and then to lightly blend into the paper coming in from the edges. Q: Why doesn't my blending look smooth and seamless? A: Again, there could be a few reasons here. One being the last question we covered, and two being that you may not have added enough ink! Sometimes to get a nice even blend you really have to work at it. My motto is, "Just Keep Blending!" (think like Dori!). Put some time and elbow grease into it and also try to add enough ink. When you start off on white paper, you might see some of those foam pad marks or lines, but as the paper gets saturated they even out. Also, blending lighter inks can be more difficult than darker inks. Get some ink on your foam tool, tap it off on some scratch paper, and lightly start your blending. You can always go darker but its harder to go lighter! I hope these have been some helpful tips for you! I have a video here of the card I made, and I also explain some of these tips. Enjoy! If you have any wisdom to offer on ink blending, or if I forgot to mention something that would be helpful, please feel free to comment below! I love hearing from all of you! Happy Crafting! More from Marie Nicole...
1 Comment
4/5/2017 08:04:59 am
Gorgeous card! It's so elegant and pretty.
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AuthorSo glad you found me! This blog is my little space where I can share bits about my life and my latest crafting projects (mostly handmade cards). My goal is to share, inspire, and to be a positive presence in the creative community. Find me on Instagram!Archives
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