Polished Stone Technique - Help!

[Yvette]

I have been trying to do the polished stone technique this morning with very unattractive results. I'm thinking I'm doing something wrong. The directions I'm following are: Step One: With a clean cottonball, apply gold or silver metallic ink randomly on glossy cardstock. Step Two: Then take another cottonball and soak it in alcohol, squeeze out the excess and apply 3-5 drops of reinking ink. Dab this color randomly all over glossy cardstock. If you want different colors, repeat step two (with a new cottonball). My end result always looks muddied and I'm ending up with very distinctive lines of color. I'm not getting the soft, muted color that I've seen in many of the examples in the gallery. What am I doing wrong? Can someone post step-by-step directions for doing Polished Stone?

One more question - do you always have to use the gold or silver metallic ink when doing polished stone? Some of the card examples in the gallery look like they didn't.

Thanks!

Yvette

[kimmery]

Hi Yvette,
I just found directions for this technique in the techniques forum. Just look at page 4. I haven't tried the technique yet but I trust in the great stampers here on SCS! I'm so excited to try it! Hope that helps!
---Kim

[cathystamps]

Hi Yvette,

I absolutely love polished stone! I only tried it once, but I made enough that day to last me for a while. I looked at directions on a number of different sites before I decided what I wanted to do. The directions are all similar but do have small variations. I chose to try the one that to me sounded simplest.

Some directions,like the ones you posted, call for metallic reinkers . Some call for using shavings from the metallic pencils in the back of the catalog. I used a gold stamp pad. I bought a stamp-spot-sized one at Michaels expressly for this purpose. Mostly use the edges of the pad to randomly mark lines on your glossy card stock. The rest is the same as what you were doing. I also worked fast so the gold could bleed before it dried.

Hope this helps,
Cathy

[kwit1995]

HI, When I do polished stone this is what I do: On glossy cs, put some drops of the metalic ink straight from the bottle (don't use too much or it is overbearing), On a cotton ball put some rubbing alcohol ( I just put the ball on the opening and tip the bottle real quick one time). Then I put the reinker color on the cotton ball, I always use 2 colors. When using 2 colors put one color at 12 o'clock the same color at 6 o'clock the next color at 3 and 9. You will make a diamond shape with your colors, then dap it on your card stock blending in the metalic at the same time. Hope this makes sense. It is a really fun and easy techinique with a striking finish. I have never heard to put the metalic on with a cotton ball or saturating it with alcohol. Write me a PM if you have any more questions. Good Luck, Kris

[Jovi]

Hello Yvette,
When I do the polish stone I use felt. I dip a small 2 x 2 square piece of felt in rubbing alcohol, squeeze some alcohol out, then place a coulple drops of matallic and then a few drops of reinker onto the wet flet, then I pounce it softly on glossy c/s. After it dries some I spray it with hairspray. Usually I have to spray it twice!
I love the polished stone look, I think I'll have to try some today! Have fun
Jovi

[lisa]

Yvette,
I realize there are a number of ways to do polished stone, but here's the way I do it. I have a card on the SU Stampers Showcase under In the Wild with my technique if you want to check it out. I saturate a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol (not dripping, just thoroughly saturated). Then I add 2 drops of 1 color reinker directly on the cotton ball - 1 drop at the north position, 1 drop at the south position. Then I add 2 drops of another color reinker- 1 drop at the east position, 1 drop at the west position. Then I do use a metallic reinker and kind of connect my "dots" with it. I immediately go to my glossy cardstock and "pounce" all over the cardstock. When the alcohol has dried, I spray it with cheap aerosal hairspray, otherwise the metallic ink will never dry and alway smear. I absolutely love this technique and have been showing it for about a year now. My card on the SU website uses creamy caramel reinker, more mustard reinker, and metallic gold. Let me know if you have any more questions or if I can help you in any other way!

Lisa

[Yvette]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! :P

All of you had terrific suggestions and I am now going to go back and try it again. If it turns out, I might even upload it!

Yvette

[stacyescrapsandstampsalot]

When doing polished stone, is it better to use classic reinkers or craft?? Could someone please email directions on technique to [email protected]

THANKS!!