Emboss Resist Tutorial

When I saw the gum4backgrounds stamp from The Stamps of Life, it immediately made me think of a fun technique called emboss resist. So, I thought I would use the large background stamp to share with you a photo tutorial on how to do the emboss resist technique using the Stephanie Barnard color sprays.

Here is a detail photo of the panel I created using the emboss resist technique. Let me show you how it's done!

The supplies you'll need are watercolor paper, embossing ink, embossing powder in white or clear, water, several color sprays, a waterproof craft surface, a heat tool, and of course the stamp.

Start by embossing the stamp image onto watercolor paper using embossing ink and an embossing powder.

You can use white or clear embossing powder, or even a clear based irridescent powder. The powder I chose is irridescent and has a bit of sparkle to it as well. Beautiful, and really adds to the "bubble" look of the stamp image.

Spray your waterproof craft surface with a couple of spritzes of each spray color, overlapping them slightly, but not completely. I chose to use two different blue sprays as well as a bit of purple, for a nice complimentary color palette. Spray water onto the colors until your colors start to form slightly larger pools of color.

Next, lightly spray the embossed side of your watercolor paper with water. This step preps the paper fibers for absorbing the color sprays. Once your paper is dampened with water, set your watercolor paper (embossed side face down) into the pools of color. Press the paper onto the crafting surface so you get color on the entire surface of the paper.

Lift the watercolor paper from the crafting surface to reveal the color. You can see how the embossed area resists the color, and leaves you with a beautiful pattern.

Using a heat tool, dry the watercolor paper to set the ink colors. If you like the results, you can be finished with the coloring stage... or, you can take it a bit further!

To add more color, tap the dried paper down into the remaining pools of color, adding a random assortment of spots to the surface of the paper. Tap randomly, into big spots and little spots. When you're happy with the additional splotches, heat set your paper again to dry the ink.

You can repeat this process until you're happy with the results.

The Stephanie Barnard sprays have wonderful, intense color payoff, and blend together beautifully! I was thrilled by how they took to the watercolor paper. I trimmed my dyed paper to size and assembled my card.

One more thing ... you could simply clean up your craft surface with paper towels, but don't let that left over color on your craft surface go to waste! Use the left over color to make hand dyed ribbon! This is white seam binding ribbon that I used to wipe up my crafting surface after I was finished coloring my paper. Once I had the ink all wiped up with the ribbon, I gave the ribbon a couple spritzes with water to help soften the edges of the inks, and then set the ribbon aside to dry. Now I have some beautiful hand dyed ribbon to use on future projects.

I hope you try out this technique. It's super easy, and so FUN to watch the color transform the white paper (and ribbon!) into a beautiful, one of a kind, surface.

 

Supplies:
Stamps: gum4background and bubblegum4me by The Stamps of Life
Ink: VersaMark, Black StazOn, Stepanie Barnard Color Sprays in Blueberry, Sky, and Grape
Paper: Fabriano Watercolor Paper, Neenah
Other: bakers twine, button, tracing wheel, Stampendous Kaleidoscope Transparent Embossing Powder, heat tool, craft mat, white seam binding ribbon

Comments

[Shellie Daniel]

Love this! So unique and attractive. I love the sentiment too.

[Val]

LOVE!

[Sherri D.]

Ha! How many times have I asked what your engagement ring was like? Finally....a glimmer in a picture!! :)

[Jan Elmore]

The 'clean up' tip was most awesome!
Thanks for the time to share a most cool technique!

[carol dee]

Thanks for the tutorial on the cool BG . But I REALLY love that clean up with the seam tape. What COOL idea. Miss Smarty Pants. :) hugs...

[Troy Louise]

Looks like lots of fun. Great idea to wipe up the left over with the seam binding. Your card is really pretty. Thanks so much.

[Robin Barwacz]

That is so cool! Going to give it a try, even though it's out of my comfort zone! Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend. Hugs, Robin

[Katarina]

Love the way you've used the spray inks. I've always sprayed direct to paper, but I think your technique is better! Those colors are divine, I must try it your way!

[Shala]

I've seen tons of resist projects but this is by far the prettiest! Love the ribbon! Tie dye rocks!

[Linda Palmer]

Thanks for sharing. Looks like a fun technique.

[Beth M]

Love it!