Crackle Paint & Distress Inks

If you haven't tried the new Crackle Paints from Ranger, here is a little trick that might entice you to give them a try ;)

Crackle Paints OVER Distress Inks!!

Now, I've not seen this technique anywhere, it's just something I've been messing with. While it's not main stream, it is still way cool. You never get the same results twice because you can't control the saturation of the inks vs. the paints. I've only used this technique on chipboard and canvases so I can't say if it will work on paper or not. It seems as if it would but until I try it I wouldn't give you any guarantee.
How to:
1. Ink your entire piece with distress ink. You can use the Ink Blending Tool or you can apply the ink directly from the pad, whatever works best for you. Let dry at least a minute or two so the ink isn't too wet (Important - if the ink is too wet you could contaminate your bottle of crackle paint.)
2. Apply Crackle Paint over your piece. Remember, this is not like normal paint. You need to apply a thicker layer then you would acrylic or other paints. (**Note: IF you don't apply enough paint you will get little or no cracks!!) Remember, the more paint the larger the cracks.
3. Let Dry! This is when the magic happens! The moisture of the paint will react with the Distress Inks and pull it up through some sections of the paint, blending together creating a totally unique look.
A great aspect of the paints is they match the Distress Ink colors! On the first flower I used Worn Lipstick paint and ink. You don't have to stick with the same colors though....mix it up a bit and try various colors of each. An example is the second flower. I used Broken China Distress Ink paired with Shabby Shutters Crackle Paints. Way cool effect :)
Something to keep in mind when using the Crackle Paints, for a more natural distressed look don't cover the entire piece with paint. You will notice on the pink flower that some sections have been left unpainted. Gives it a well worn effect. You can also take a dull object such as a spoon, edge of a bone folder or if you're very careful the edge of an exacto knife and scrape off sections of the paint once completely dry. It comes off in tiny chips just like really old paint does. Another great look!
So there you go....a little bit of inspiration to give those Crackle Paints a try :)

Have you Crackled something today?