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I love the distressed and aged look that I see a lot in the gallery but I am not sure how to attain this look myself. Any pointers. What are your favorite, can't live with out tools, for distressing and aging your stamped creations?
I also love the soft sponged edges that I often see in the gallery but have been unable to duplicate this look myself. I have a couple different sponges that I have tried but am just never satisfied with the look I create. I would appreciate any help you could offer.
Thanks in advance,
Amanda
__________________ We do not great things, only small things with great love--Mother Theresa
what you would need to do is to get stipple brush. Tap stipple brush onto ink and tap on wherever you want it to look antiqued. The best result would be Ranger's Distressing Ink by Tim Holtz Walnut Stain or Vintage Photo for brown look. If you want to do in different, Rangers have an assortment of colors. I love those and I can't live without them! You also can do direct inking which means you hold the inkpad and rub around the edges of project. It's one of my favorite technique when it comes to inking! I do this all the time on my scrapbook pages.
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Another thing to remember is less is more and you can always go back and add more if you do not like the look. I use a very light pouncing technique, almost like I am afraid I will hurt the paper if I hit it too hard. Hope this helps.
There are a couple of ways that I distress my cards...I sometimes use the edge of my scissors and lightly go around the cardstock to give a distressed look. I like to lightly sandpaper my cardstock either before or after stamping depending on the effect that you want. Another easy way is to lightly dampen or wet your cardstock and then crumple it up as much as you want. Flatten and let dry; sometimes you can press with a dry iron too. Try these and have fun!! Keep playing and you'll soon discover your favorites.
Well... I agree.... I like a lot of the cards I see with 'this look'..... My problem is.... a lot of times, I don't think to add the sponging and ageing until it's too late! My card is together before I remember!
I also notice quite a few girls have 'speckles' along with the sponging. I think this adds a lot to the overall sponged/distressed/antique look. I finally asked someone how she does it. DUH is me!! The S/U "Itty Bitty Background" set!! I finally got mine, and used it on a challenge card last Friday.... LOVE the look it creates. To see some AWESOME samples of this go to this gallery = jsbrooketrout She does it a lot... that's who I asked.
Hope this is along the line of what you are referring to.
I prefer the stipple brush.. and for torn edges, run directly on the pad. The one thing I might do differently with the stipple brush is that I treat the 'distressing' like I would a stencil. Sometimes it's just too easy to get too much ink.. so I start 'off' my paper and swirl the color onto the paper using circular motions.. If I find I need or want more color, I just pounce (again, off the paper first to measure/feel how much ink is actually on the brush).. pouncing produces more of the speckled appearance though.. unless you make it really intense, then they seem to disappear.. swirling or moving in small circular motions allows me to better control the intensity. ALSO I have the SU brushes and use them religiously at my workshops/camps.. but I prefer the Judykins brushes.. they are smaller and easier to manipulate/control (kind of like a smaller version of an old shaving brush).
I like to use the little fleck from Itty Bitty Backgrounds inked with Creamy Caramel. After lightly sponging the edges, I stamp the specks and it gives the look of aged paper called foxing.
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
For me it is all about the ink. I get the best aged look by using Adirondack Butterscotch. It is a golden look and by lightly sponging that it really warms the card and at the same time it distresses it. My very favorite ink to distress with and it never fails to make the card so much better. I also really recommend Judikins Color Dusters (only about $1.50 each) and you can really control the ink this way.
Thank you everyone. All your info has been helpful. I even put a couple of your tips to use today. I will have to add a few things to my ever growing shopping list of things that I must have for stamping.
__________________ We do not great things, only small things with great love--Mother Theresa
There was a thread on this topic a while back, I think with a look like the link above, they started off the edge of the project, and brought the sponge from the outside in.
I also find sometimes, along with ink choice, that applicator is key..when I can't get it right with a sponge wedge, I switch to a fingertip dauber or makeup sponge..
I also find sometimes, along with ink choice, that applicator is key..when I can't get it right with a sponge wedge, I switch to a fingertip dauber or makeup sponge..
I also love the Distress Inks!
I never though of using makeup sponges...duh...great idea. You gals have been a wonderful help. I have already tried a couple of the techniques suggested. I will just have to keep working at it...and keep adding to my shopping list!!:mrgreen:
__________________ We do not great things, only small things with great love--Mother Theresa