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Tim Holtz Distress Inks? Honestly, I have 5 pads that I know I bought for a great reason, but I can't remember what my plan was for them. I bought them about a year ago and now I don't remember why I got them, especially since I wasn't in a "creating" groove at the time....
So, if you don't mind, what should I use them for? I don't really like the "distressed" look, I prefer clean cards. But I love to watercolor, I wonder if that was my purpose?? I've been watching TH videos on his site and looks like some really cool stuff can be done with them.
What are your favorite techniques?
Also, having watched the videos has made me really want the distress markers! They're really up my alley!
Gosh, what don't I use them for!
I love embossing a stamped image or background in white or clear powder, then sponging over it with distress inks- embossing powder resists the ink.
I use them to sponge in a sky. You can punch a circle of the moon from a sticky note, place it on the cardstock, and use any sky colors you want to make a great looking sky. Combine pinks, oranges, purples for a sunset.
Make a daytime cloudy sky by cutting out a cloud shape, then laying it on your cardstock like a mask and sponging over it with a blue distress ink.
Sponge an ombre background with a few shades of the same ink going from dark to light. Or just use the same ink and use less ink and pressure to get a lighter color.
Sponge a distress ink background, then flick waterdrops on the inked cardstock. The ink reacts with the water to make a mottled looking background.
Sponge the edges of your layers lightly with any color ink. If you do it lightly it will look soft and subtle, but make each layer stand out against the paper that is behind it.
Check out the tutorial for water stamping too, though I haven't had much success with it yet. And because it sponges so well, it's great to use with different embossing resist techniques.
I LOVE my Distress inks and reach for them so often. I do so many things with them; sponging, water stamping, using over a mask etc, etc.
If you check out my gallery or my blog, you will see how regularly I use and love the look I get with them. Hope this helps!
Here are just a few examples:
I had to smile when I read your post as I love those inks (and stains, and paints) and have them all. They are used all the time by me. There are a lot of colors now, so you can get bold looks if you like those, or soft pastels if that is what you like. I watercolor with them, die seambinding wtih them, accent focal images with them etc. Not everyone likes "grunge" looking things, but they can be bright and happy in feel too. Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner use them often in those ways. That may help you get the most from your pads.
i didn't like my distress inks at first too and they sat for a looooooooooong time. but once i used them for blending, distressing and "like" chalking i'm loving them. even just stamping. the colors are great. it's just a matter of getting used to them.
Gale: The other major difference between regular dye ink and distress is the way it reacts to water.
Including the fact it's colour-stable. Water will "bleach" colour if you splatter a background that's been inked with Distress but (at least as important for me!) the colours will stay true when you mix water with them. I remember the first time I hit on the idea of using ink to watercolour an image. The yellow petals went fine and then I used a brown ink to do the centre of my flower - what I got coming off my brush was purple! Distress won't do that to you - if you add water to a brown ink, it will still be brown. Not all colours of dye inks break down to their constituent colours of course (and it can be fun sometimes if they do) but the fact you know what you'll get makes Distress a great choice for watercolouring with.
I like to smoosh a few colors on a non stick craft sheet and mist with water. Then run my cardstock through it. It makes awesome background paper. Heat to dry quickly. If you don't like it, repeat or add another color. If you want you can drop a water on to give another look.
If you go to Rangers website they have tutorials plus Tim Holtz has ideas on his blog. There are so many things to do with them. I love them. Even for just plain stamping.
Thanks for the fabulous ideas, ladies!!! Until now, I have only used them for sponging edges or inking inside a Spellbinder die. They do blend beautifully, I have to say!
I like using them with the blender handles/foam pads to do a pretty sky! I've done the same card with a city skyline at two "different times of day," one having a deep blue to bright blue gradient and the other a red to orange to yellow sunset look. They are GORGEOUS for making softly blended backgrounds. I do want to try to watercolor with them some day, just haven't worked up to that yet!
I LOVE my Distress inks and reach for them so often. I do so many things with them; sponging, water stamping, using over a mask etc, etc.
If you check out my gallery or my blog, you will see how regularly I use and love the look I get with them. Hope this helps!
Here are just a few examples:
I've had that problem with adirondack ink. I used to use it to watercolor but some of the colors changed when added to water.
Yes, a lot of the Adirondacks are stable but not all of them.
Stonewashed is one that breaks down with water and can be quite fun because of that - I'm attaching a sample so you can see you get blues that have more turquoise and purple tones which makes an interesting wash where you want a sort of sky background (but would be irritating if you didn't know it was going to do it and you wanted a true blue).
Yes, a lot of the Adirondacks are stable but not all of them.
Stonewashed is one that breaks down with water and can be quite fun because of that - I'm attaching a sample so you can see you get blues that have more turquoise and purple tones which makes an interesting wash where you want a sort of sky background (but would be irritating if you didn't know it was going to do it and you wanted a true blue).
I had to smile when I read your post as I love those inks (and stains, and paints) and have them all. They are used all the time by me. There are a lot of colors now, so you can get bold looks if you like those, or soft pastels if that is what you like. I watercolor with them, die seambinding wtih them, accent focal images with them etc. Not everyone likes "grunge" looking things, but they can be bright and happy in feel too. Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner use them often in those ways. That may help you get the most from your pads.
I want to ditto Winnie's suggestion of Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner for their use of Distress Inks. Jennifer has videos at her own site, jennifermcguireink.com, and at Hero Arts and Two Peas in a Bucket. Kristina Werner IS Two Peas in a Bucket, as you all probably know.
Carolyn
__________________ mcw519 m Carolyn w
Fan Club Member
I do not have the reinkers. Can I smear ink on my craft sheet and pick it up with the water pen or do I really need the reinkers?
Sure, use the ink from your pad. My favourite way to do this so that there's no waste is to squeeze the pad while it's closed so that the lid dips down and touches the pad inside. When you lift the lid, there'll be a patch of ink on it that you can pick up with your brush. If you don't use it all, just close up the pad and it will be there next time!
Yes, a lot of the Adirondacks are stable but not all of them.
Stonewashed is one that breaks down with water and can be quite fun because of that - I'm attaching a sample so you can see you get blues that have more turquoise and purple tones which makes an interesting wash where you want a sort of sky background (but would be irritating if you didn't know it was going to do it and you wanted a true blue).
Why did I buy.....?
