Pamela’s Gallery

 Foam Roller Textured Backgrounds

by Judy Parlin, for FireCrackerDesigns by Pamela

The technique is one I did over a year ago. It can resemble textured paper or have a more pronounced look, like a beehive or mohair.  I did this technique using a 4″ paint roller that was on sale.  I found out why, when I submitted my technique to Technique Junkies and Pat could not find a foam roller like the one I used; it had been  discontinued!  (For all you Tjer’s, you will remember a similar technique from the December Issue of the newsletter; Pat took my original idea and tweaked it a little bit)

 I bought an inexpensive 4″ foam roller and made my own brayer out of it.  There are several way to do this but it should look like the example below.  The foam on the left is the original.  You can use a piercing tool as shown, tweezers, or a small pair of crafting scissors. Just pluck out the foam, in a random pattern.

Now that your have completed the hardest part you are ready to have fun creating.

1. You can use most any type of ink I have used Kaleidacolor, Brilliance, or dye ink.
2.  Ink up your brayer, the heavier you ink it will change the texture.  For a textured  paper look just brayer lightly.
3. You can use either matt or glossy cardstock, white or colored (I like the look best on white.)
4.  It’s really that simple. Play with it for different looks. Use two colors to get a plaid effect by going in opposite directions.  The mohair look use two or three more colors and go in the same direction.  The Kaleidacolors give a really unique look.
5. See examples below:

By Judy Parlin  

Ink Release Background Technique

by Ursula Riley (DT)

This technique creates softly colored, well blended backgrounds.
Skill level: Easy-Peasy, but oh-so-fun!

Materials:
• Clean piece of transparency, scrap okay: at least 4×6 size
• 2-3 colors coordinated dye ink (Chalk pads are very nice!)
• Bone folder or popsicle stick
• Light colored Cardstock: smooth to slight texture
• Stamps and coordinated papers of choice
• Scrap cloth or rag & protective paper for work surface (recycled
printer paper works well!)

Technique:
1. Use recycled paper to cover work surface. No need to tape it down.
2. Layer light cardstock base on top of work surface sheet, and then
transparency on top of cardstock. (It won’t stay there, that’s just for
organization).
3. Gently tap 1 or 2 colors of ink directly onto transparency. Be careful
not to muddy your pads. You do not want full coverage ink, but instead a
light layer of color. Do not transfer ink directly from your pads to your paper
- use only the transparency to transfer the ink. (photo 1)

4. Pick up transparency, flip it over, position it where you’d like onto your base, and gently tap with your fingers, (this time) the color onto the
paper. The goal at this step is to transfer “some” of the ink to the paper, not “all.” (photo 2)

5. Pick transparency straight up, and move it to a new location on background. (photo 3)

This time use bone folder or popsicle stick to lightly rub over the transparency. (photo 4)

 The goal here is to transfer some ink, but again not all. Because the transparency is clear, you can easily see
how much ink is left, and to where it would be most pleasingly transferred.
6. Now comes the fun part: Move transparency again. This time you will rub with more pressure (work out your frustrations if you must!) The
goal now is to transfer as much of the remaining ink as possible to your cardstock. Repeat this step if necessary. You’ll be surprised just how much ink can still be transferred.
7. If you feel base piece still needs more ink, or you’d like to switch colors, wipe off transparency with rag, and repeat above steps. (photo 4 above)

TIPS: Try layering ink colors over each other. They blend very nicely this way. Don’t load your transparency with too much ink. Use light pressure or gently tap during first transfer (when ink is fresh). I especially like this technique with Stewart Superior Chalk-A-lots inks.

(aka Distress Ragging-Technique Junkies Newsletter 07)

Stamp sets used: SomeOne Special; Fairy Wings; Bauernmalerei

Supplies Needed:
-Favorite Inks (I used Versa Inks Sage and Bamboo)
-Cut and Dry (c/d) piece or MakeUp Wedge
-Torn strip of card stock
-Stamping surface (card base, card stock etc)

Step 1-Place torn cs on stamping surface. (Fig 1) Pretend my
sample doesn’t have any ink on the torn edges yet. lol
BTW if you tear both sides of your cardstock strip you will have
more options for your pattern. Notice my strip has ink on both sides.

Fig 1: Favorite Inks, a torn strip of
cardstock, either a makeup wedge
or a piece of cut and dry (Ranger)

Step 2- Ink up one edge of the makeup wedge or one corner of the
C/D piece, with the first ink

Step 3-Place the inked part partially on the torn edge and partially
on the bg surface. Using a circular motion, rub the ink along the
torn edge of cs working toward the bg paper. (You want most of
your ink to be going on your bg surface)

Fig 2: Using the wedge/cut and dry
rub ink onto bg in circular motion.

Step 4-Now using the opposite corner of the c/d piece or the
opposite side of the make up wedge ink up the second color. (Feel
free to use a whole new piece/wedge if you are worried about
messing up or smudging the other color)
Move the strip of torn cs over to a ‘clean spot’ (Fig 3) and repeat
step 3 with the second color. Continue moving to the ‘clean spots’
and switching colors until you have completely covered the bg
surface.

Fig 3: Hold torn strip with one hand
and apply ink from torn edge
outward onto bg surface.

Tips:
-I found working in a downward motion was easier then working in
a lateral motion (fig 4)

Fig 4: As you move across the paper, change out the ink colors for wonderful effect. I’ve turned my
papers so I’m working in a downward motion here.

Fig 5: Here’s an 8.5 x 11 sheet half way done. Notice the white bit
showing in between the layers? You can blend these out as you go,or leave them for a different look.

-You can blend the colors where they meet either with the wedge
or c/d piece as you go, OR you can leave a bit of white
showing…OR you can blend the strips of color with a wide, flat
paint brush for some very cool effects! (Fig 6)

Using multiple colors and a wet paint brush you can make magical skies and
fantasea oceans!!    Stamps Used: Dragon Eye, Fairy  Wings, Create a Scene, and Charms and Borders

I discovered this technique when I was working on the burnt edges technique form the Feb/March 07 TJ newsletter. There were all these
neat patterns on my scrap paper so I thought OH YEAH!! HOW cool is that!! Until I finished reading my newsletter and discovered
TJs already had ‘discovered’ this technique before me! LOL (Both techniques Originally shared by Ranger Industries.) Which just
goes to show, Creative Minds THINK ALIKE!!! GRIN

(originally shared on my old website, Spring 2007)