Distress Inks

[SWLady]

Ok, so I bought these new colors of distress ink thinking if I had a few colors I liked I might like them better. So I like the colors but I still have issues with the distress ink.

I think it may be my applicator that I am not liking. I have the Ranger ink blending tool. 1. I never remember to start off the paper. 2. When I do remember, I bend my paper blending onto the paper. 3. I get big splotches instead of pretty blending.

So, what other types of applicators are there that may work for me? I have a dauber but it doesn't seem to work any better.

[howdyheidi]

#1 idea, use a much lighter touch.  If you have the rectangle ones, I still have that issue sometimes and that is why I want to use the round smaller ones. 
#2 idea, Tsukaneko daubers (is that what you have?).  They come in a big size and a little size and my Michael's carries them.
#3 idea, put less ink on the sponge, no matter which one.  The distress inks are more wet than other inks.


I have also used the makeup sponges, but I think that makes it even harder.

Maybe someone else will have some more original ideas. 

[Far North]

I agree with Heidi that Tim's smaller round applicator is easier to use.  However, I am unclear what Heidi is talking  about in her #3 suggestion of less ink.  While the ink is formulated to react to water and it is active for about 15 minutes I have never felt it is wet or juicy...and it does not run unless water is added.  To ink a full size tag with the applicator takes many, many returns to the ink pad.  Perhaps Heidi can further describe how she feels that would work better.

But perhaps watching Tim demonstrate beginning video in the last video on this page may help you see what you are doing different.  Do note tim's hand is holding the base of the applicator not the handle. Holding the handle cause too much pressure on your paper surface.  There is a little learning curve to catch on to making circles beginning on the craft mat. The applicator should slide across the mat with only a light pressure.  Wrinkling the paper happens when one is pressing down too hard with the applicator and it doesn't glide across the craft mat and the paper you are inking.  I hold the applicator with the stem between my 2nd and 3rd fingers, resting the finger tips on top of the short side of the rectangle and my thumb and 4rd and 5th fingers rest lightly on the long sides of the base. 

Hope this helps!...Jan

[SWLady]

Thanks for that link Jan. I watched a couple of his videos. He states that the inks should be really wet. My pads don't seem to be that wet, maybe that is also part of my problem.

I will try again holding the applicator differently and not pressing as hard and see how that works. I also like his crinkle technique. I may try that with a tag I already messed up by blending hehehe. It should cover that!

[yellowcherrios]

This is what I have found with distressed inks in relation to your numbers:

1. I have found that starting off the paper on a slick craft mat (or other slick surface) really does make a difference on getting the soft blending ink effect…..when I start on the paper I am distressing, I get splotches and some soft blending/smears.  I always move the blending tool in circles first on my craft mat (I have the beige, slick craft mat---are you using a craft mat?), then move it onto the paper to blend-----and when I say "move it onto the paper" I mean keep the blending tool on the mat and do not lift it up when coming across the paper.  In my mind, I figure starting off the paper and on the craft mat somehow distributes the ink around in the sponge on the blending tool to minimize the blotches.  Not sure why it works better for me, but starting off the paper does.  (I have started off the paper and on a scrap piece of paper I put under my tag before and I found that the scrap paper sucked up the ink and made blending on the tag a slow process---so that is why I am pointing out to use a craft mat or another slick surface to begin the blending tool on).

2.  I make sure I have stabilized the edge of the paper I will brush over with the blending tool----to do that, I spread my thumb and middle finger (or index finger) apart over the paper edge and press my fingers down to make sure the paper is taunt with no gaps or relaxation to the paper edge---keeping the paper edge you are going over taunt seems to help keep from getting unwanted folds/bends. 

3.  I regards to splotches: sometimes I do want the splotches.  I like inking the sponge, then just pressing the sponge directly on the paper, without ever moving/blending the blending tool---it creates pretty speckles.  I like to sometimes put the speckles over what I have blended or sometimes I just leave just the speckles.  Having speckles in 2 or 3 different colors is really pretty.     

Other things:

1.  I also hold the rectangle block rather than the handle of the applicator. 

2.  I will say that it does take practice to learn how to color using the blending tool.  I tried makeup sponges before I bought the blending tool and found them hard to use---thus I bought the applicator.   I haven't tried the smaller blending tool---I have the larger size. 

I too had a hard time with blending distress inks in the beginning, but I recommend sticking with it and practicing---using the challenges is a great way to practice.   

I read on the tag thread that you were trying the inks, Kathy, but you were hesitant b/c of distressing not being your style---and I never got to reply and let you know that that was why I avoided them for a long while.  Now I just see them as a color (like that of crayons or markers) and not as a distress product as they were marketed.  Plus there are many bright colors now!  I would recommend the peacock feathers and picked raspberry and mustard seed---I love how vivid and bright these 3 are--nothing like how I think of the word "distress"!  I'm glad to see you are trying them Kathy!!   

[howdyheidi]

No, I was not talking about the ink running.  My thought is that if you have less ink on the sponge, it is going to be a bit easier to control in the beginning and the pressure issue will be less of an issue.  It is often hard to know what advice to give in a forum because you cannot see how the person is currently doing something.  So it may or may not be helpful. 

[lovepug2]

Great tips, Ladies!

I agree with Jan and Heidi. The smaller circle ink applicator works so much better for blending. If you have a Hobby Lobby they carry them.

One thing that helped me with distress inks are the thinking inking videos from Jennifer McGuire. I'm not sure if they're still available since they were affliated with twopeas though.

For some reason, I always struggle with blending the browns and dustry concord distress ink. I always have to practice with those first for some reason!

[SWLady]

Well, I am hesitant to buy the round blending tool since I have the square one and don't like it. Another thing I bought that doesn't get much use, like the stampamajig, hehehe. I think I've used it twice.

I may try cutting up a sponge and see how that works. I am not working on a craft mat, I am using an old creative memories board. Next time I will try wax paper. That would probably help with the paper bending.

Thanks for all the tips ladies! I am off to work this morning but will try some of these out tomorrow.

[SWLady]

So I put some wax paper under my cardstock that I was blending my distress ink on to. That stopped the paper bending. I don't have a craft sheet, guess I should get one, but so far wax paper has worked.

Still not good with the blending tool. I have a sponge I am going to cut up and see if that is better.

I have another question though. What if you decide you want to do the distress blending after all your stamping. Can you do it after? will it smear the other inks? I am guessing it won't smear the Stazon, but what about other inks or alcohol markers?

[yellowcherrios]

Wax paper sounds like a great idea Kathy!  Or freezer paper too --- that's what I've been mixing my glue and acrylic paint on.

I usually always color after I have stamped and I have not had a problem as long as the ink is dry from your stamping.

If you are using glossy CS (or photo paper), you really have to make sure the image is completely dry, b/c the image will smear if you blend before it dries---but the smearing is not b/c of the distress ink composition "eating" the image's ink---it's just b/c of the ink being wet (your finger would do the same thing if you blended over the ink with your finger on glossy CS).   

I would say as long as what you are blending is dry, then it should be ok. 

One thing to note:  I have blended over things that had tiny glitter or shimmer on it (for example, blending over pearl accent spray) and I will say that the glitter WILL get into your sponge and thus onto your distress ink pad and thus onto your future projects.  I have had to change to a new sponge with one of my colors b/c the glitter never fully came out and it was always making glitter when I didn't want it in my future projects.  And to get the glitter off the ink pad, I brushed it best I could then I used scotch tape and lay it over the pad until all (or most) of the glitter was removed. 

HTH!

 

[Far North]

Tim shares that distress inks will never be permanent. They are created to always re-wet when they get wet.  Once they get wet the ink will move away from the wet spot.  They remain damp enough to heat emboss for about 15 minutes.  The colors will blend after they sit a spell.  Solvent (Stazon) and oil base inks are permanent inks.

Distress inks are dry on the blending tool.  Ink should only be one the surface of the blending tool. Ink is deeper in the pad and shows up stronger if it is smeared directly from the pad onto the paper. More circular motions are needed if you want more intensive color with the blending tool. 

The light colors do not show up much of manila tags.  Try darker colors or if you don't have many colors one can always add a layer of darker ink on the blending tool with the lighter color.  Tim indicates this is not enough color to cause cross-contamination.

Gloss paper is different from photo paper in that it has a special coating.  One needs to read the packaging to know what inks work best.
works.

I tried using the blending tool with wax paper as the surface and found it very challenging not to have it wrinkle when moving my tool over top of it. The weight of the craft sheet makes a significant difference. 

[howdyheidi]

Before I had a craft sheet (which I strongly recommend) I had quite a bit of success with this smooth super thin cutting board I had.  I already had used it in general for crafting, so I tried it with the blending and it was a good substitute for a while. 

[SWLady]

Oh my gosh Jan. I just realized, if it always reacts with water, I can soften it up with a wet sponge maybe! Hmm.. I will have to try that! Or maybe spritz it and see what happens.

I have luck with the wax paper so far. I don't know why I've never gotten a craft sheet, guess I just haven't seen them.

Thanks for all these tips! I can't wait to try more.

[yellowcherrios]

Kathy, incase you ever decide to get a craft mat, I had seen in the past the Ranger craft mat at Hobby Lobby that I use.  I am not sure if they still carry it, but I do know they have craft mats.  I also have been seeing a craft mat (can't remember the brand name) at Hobby Lobby on clearance lately.