Ink Blending Tool # 7 - Distressed Linen

As promised here is today's Ink Blending Tool Technique #7 - Distressed Linen!

Up till now all of the Ink Blending Tool techniques we've been working with have dealt mainly with the IBT and ink of one sort or another. Today we're going to add another key element to our design....Acrylic Paint. For this technique and a few to follow I will be using Rangers Acrylic Dabber Paints. The dabber top makes this and several other techniques a breeze! If you don't have any of the dabber paints regular acrylics will work but will be a bit difficult to control the application.

Basically this is a resist technique. Once dry the acrylic paints will resist the Distress Inks leaving a faux linen look.

Supplies:

Ink Blending Tool & Foam - Ranger
Distress Ink - Ranger
Adirondack Acrylic Dabber Paint - Ranger
Heat tool (optional)
Cardstock

Instructions:

1. Prime the Acrylic Dabber so there is a minimal amount of paint on the dabber top. NOTE: VERY IMPORTANT - this is basically a dry brush technique! You do not want the dabber to be loaded with paint. A small amount will go a long way for this technique.

2. Lightly skim the dabber in one direction over your cardstock panel. (see photo to the left) You're going for a very streaky look. Trust me...it doesn't look like much now but it will all come together :)


3. Now, rotate your panel and apply additional streaks of paint. This will create a faux linen look! Remember, a light touch is all you need.

4. VERY IMPORTANT STEP - LET DRY COMPLETELY!!! If you don't let the paint dry completely the next few steps will fail miserably! If you're impatient like I am you can speed drying with a heat tool/embossing gun.

As you can see by the examples to the left you can vary the amount of acrylic paint you apply to your panel. It is purely up to you how dominate you want the "linen" to appear. You could have loads of paint like the purple or brown examples or very little as shown on the blue & copper examples. It's totally up to you!

Once you are satisfied with the pattern and it has completely dried you're ready to move on to the next step.

5. It's time to distress! You will apply the Distress Inks using the Ink Blending Tool & Foam. Working in circular motions apply the ink over the entire panel.

This is another step where creative license can take over. While tone on tone is a great look (green & purple examples) you can also mix things up a bit by using contrasting & complimentary colors! For example - I used Worn Lipstick (pink) on the brown linen, Mustard Seed (yellow) on the tangerine linen. Or if you really want to spice things up use several colors of Distress Ink! I used 3 different colors on the copper linen - Spiced Marmalade (orange); Scattered Straw (muted yellow) and Aged Mahogany (burgundy). The color combinations are endless!

6. The final step is to simply run a damp (not wet!) cloth over your inked panel to remove excess the ink from the acrylic paint areas.

(Remember, this is a resist...the ink didn't soak into the areas where there was paint - if you don't remove it it will transfer to other projects that it comes in contact with!!) Let dry.

Here are some finished examples to get your juices flowing....

Point of View

Supplies - Purple Twilight Dabber, Dusty Concord Distress Ink, Ink Blending Tool & Foam, Archival Ink - Jet Black, Stickles - Ranger; Sentiment - Stampers Anonymous; Birds - Inkadinkadoo; Flowers - Prima; Cardstock - Bazzill

Create Yourself

Supplies - Copper Acrylic Dabber; Aged Mahogany, Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo (flourishes) Distress Inks; Ink Blending Tool & Foam - Ranger; Woman image - B-Line Designs; Flourish - Inkadinkadoo; Sentiment - Stampers Anonymous; Cardstock - Bazzill; Watercolor Pencils - Staedtler

Thinking of You/Bird ATC

Supplies - Lettuce Acrylic Dabber, Peeled Paint, Broken China, Spiced Marmalade, Walnut Stain Distress Inks, Stickles, Ink Blending Tool & Foam, Jet Black Archival Ink - Ranger; Stamps - Inkadinkadoo; Cardstock - Bazzill

Make A Wish

Supplies: Copper Acrylic Dabber - Aged Mahogany, Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy, Mustard Seed, Broken China, Dried Marigold, Walnut Stain Distress Inks, Jet Black Archival Ink - Ranger; Sentiment - Inkadinkadoo; Image - Stampers Anonymous; Cardstock - Bazzill

need a HUG?

Supplies: Hazelnut Acrylic Dabber, Worn Lipstick, Vintage Photo Distress Inks, Coffee Archival Ink - Ranger; Images & Sentiment - Inkadinkadoo; Carstock - Bazzill; Flowers - Prima

See, I told you this was going to be easy! Look at how far we've come...7 down only 3 more to go :) You're going to be an expert when we're through!! I hope you're having as much fun as I am with these techniques!!

Have a wonderful Friday

and

a SAFE and Fun Weekend!!!

Tomorrow I'm planning on posting some Birthday Quotes and Sentiments I've been collecting...the list is a bit long so they may have to come in a couple increments...not sure how long it's going to take to type them all out. I have like 45 pages full!!

And don't forget on Sunday another Rubber Stamp Retailer/Designer with a special stamp sheet give away :)

Till then, do something creative...even if it's just doodling some flourishes on a message...let that little artistic muse out of her box for a bit today :)