Creative Chemistry 101 Week 4 Challenge Tag

Week 4 Challenge Tag

Here is my final tag for Creative Chemistry 101 Summer 2016.  

I did the usual background technique.  It's become second nature after a month of practice.  Using a blending tool I rubbed different inks onto the tag until I liked it.  I then stamped the image using Ranger Archival Ink.  Next I water colored in some of the image using Distress Ink.  I also added some Glossy Accents randomly over the grapes to add a little dimension.  And finally I did the old spritz and flick!  

I've had a great time in this class and look forward to starting 102 at the end of the week.  Just in time for vacation!

-R

Creative Chemistry 101 Day 10 Distress Stickles

Day 10 Distress Stickles

We learned about a lot of different textural mediums today but only did one tag.

This tag was created by applying a coat of Spun Sugar Distress Stain and then stamping in Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and then heat setting.  Then covering the entire tag with Distress Stickles and drying.  It's a really cool background effect.  If you wanted to add another image you would need to stamp in Archival Ink for it to stay in place.

Thank you for following my learning process.  I am looking forward to using these techniques on new projects.

See you for Creative Chemistry 102 next week!

-R

Creative Chemistry 101 Day 7 Embossing

Tags using different embossing techniques

Today we experimented with different embossing techniques. I enjoyed this more than last weeks lessons even though I had to re-do my first tag after rubbing too hard to remove the ink on the embossing and causing the tag to disintegrate! 

For Tag 1 I stamped my image with Distress Ink and used clear embossing powder.  Notice the difference between the first stamping at the bottom of the page and the second stamping at the top left.  I actually like the look of the second image better.  After setting the embossing powder with a heat gun I used different Distress Inks with a blending tool to color the background.  Then I stamped in the second smaller leaf still using Distress Ink.  I then wiped the ink off the embossing.  It make the image look like it is lying under the embossed image. 

For Tag 2 I rubbed Distress Ink directly on the tag and then covered with clear embossing powder.  Then I flicked the tag from the back in random areas to remove some of the powder.  After heat setting the powder I rubbed different Distress Inks over the tag with a blending tool to create the background. 

For the 3rd tag I stamped using Distress Embossing Ink and covered with Distress Embossing Powder. After heat setting the embossing powder I rubbed it to remove some of the crystals and made it look a little distressed.  Distress Embossing Powder has a different consistency than others and makes this image look almost fuzzy. To finish I used a blending tool to color the background. 

Have fun!

-R

Creative Chemistry 101 Day 9 Perfect Pearls

Perfect Pearls Tags

Today was a bit more fun and a bit more challenging.

Tag 1 was created by using distress inks on a tag and then dropping perfect pearls to the tag with a brush.  When all the pearls were applied I sprayed the tag with water and dried it.  And Voila! A pearlized background.

Tag 2 begins the same.  I used distress ink to create a background and set it with a heat tool.  Then I stamped the image and and then applied perfect pearls over the wet ink.  Next I sprayed it with water and the ink bled out from behind the perfect pearls just a bit.  It needs to be heat set quickly to avoid a blurry mess.  I think it looks pretty cool.  I used Dusty concord to stamp the image with the copper colored perfect pearls over the top.  

Tag 3 was my challenge. I was supposed to mix my perfect pearls into a mister and shake well before putting the sprayer in. and spray it onto a tag to create a background.  I only have the metallic set of perfect pearls and it didn't show up well on either the black or manilla tags I tried.   So I took one of the Mini Misters that I had mixed a few drops of re-inker into water for a previous lesson and added the white perfect pearls powsder.  I then sprayed a tag, and dried it several times and with different colors to create the background above.  So happy to realize I can get the same effect and don't have to figure out storage for all those little jars!

Thanks for checking out my creations. 

-R

Creative Chemistry 101 Day 8 Paint Techniques

Different things to do with crackle paint

We learned how to do different things with crackle paint this week.  Not my favorite thing but good to know for those times when it's the best choice.

Tag 1 - uses crackle paint to create texture on the background.  You can get a better contrast with a darker color of stain over the top of the dried crackle but I didn't have any.  I like the subtle effect on this fairly well.

Tag 2 displays the tags that were coated in Rock Candy crackle paint and then distressed stained.  This is more vibrant with the darker colors but I also like the effect of the silver stain.  The butterflies are stamped on the tag with paint.

Paint resist

These two tags show the use of paint as a resist.  You rub paint all over your stamp and paint onto your surface.  Once it is dry you rub stain over it to bring out the paint image.   Both of these tags are using sticky back canvas.  I did the technique twice because my first attempt (with the white flower) doesn't show up very well.  Even though on camera it shows up beautifully.  The yellow showed up better but the stain didn't bleed together very well.  I may try this again when I have another stain color or two.  Everything I have is so light just disappeared.  The light colored areas on the tag are actually cotton candy stain.

-R

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Week 2 Challenge

Each week of class we have a challenge to use one or more of the techniques we learned during the week to make a tag or card.  This was my creation for week 2.

CC 101 Week 2 Challenge 

I actually combined a few techniques for this project.

The image was stamped from a custom ink pad onto Ranger's Specialty Stamping paper.  I was so happy to find this technique because as you can see the image is quite detailed and any time I stamped it in black ink or tried to emboss it I didn't have anywhere to color. I was about to get rid of the stamp. By creating a custom ink pad I was able to put some brilliant colors in it and I can get the same effect several times or I can add some more colors and create more blending. I could also get this effect with distress markers but I only have about 5 and they are all dingier colors.

You probably can't see it too well but I used some Spun Straw swiped on my Kraft mat and applied with a paint brush to give a light tone to her skin.

I then distressed the whole thing with some Vintage Photo and flicked some water onto it to create more aging.

Hope you like it!

-R

Creative Chemistry 101 Day 6 Creations

My last day of class for Week 2.  Today we worked with different techniques using distress markers.

Day 6 Tags

The first tag was done on watercolor paper.  You can see the different techniques written right on the tag.  It's really all about learning the different blending techniques and determining your preference.

Tag 2 was done on specialty stamping paper (ssp) by Ranger.  I wanted to see how the ssp worked as opposed to the watercolor paper.  The techniques are a little different as noted by each leaf.

Tag 3 was also done on specialty stamping paper.  For this technique you just color right onto the stamp with your distress markers.  Once you have all of your coloring applied you huff on the stamp a couple of times to re-moisten the inks and then stamp.  You can continue to huff and stamp several times or you can spritz with water and stamp on watercolor paper or ssp. The image on the tag is the 4th generation spritzed stamping.  One of the benefits to stamping onto ssp is that once it is dry you can use your Distress inks and other techniques without blurring your image.

Multi-generation stamping using distress markers.

I huffed and stamped twice on ssp and spritzed and stamped on watercolor paper and then spritzed and stamped again on ssp. I didn't reapply ink at all although you can if you want to tweak your colors a bit. The image on the tag is the 4th generation spritzed stamping.  One of the benefits to stamping onto ssp is that once it is dry you can use your Distress inks and other techniques without blurring your image.

I am so happy to have found two techniques - so far - that allow me to make multiple identical images.  First the custom ink pad  on Day 4 and today's distress markers.  This will come in so handy making custom gift card sets!

Have fun crafting!

-R

Creative Chemistry 101 Day 5 Creations

This afternoon was more challenging for me.  We are learning how to use stains. One of the products we were to use is no longer available and there were no alternate choices listed.  I tried to find one on the web but no go.  Oh well, I just had to move past it.  I am also a bit limited on colors with stains too.  I have two colors: A grass green and Cotton Candy which is a very light pink.  I also have three metallic stains and White Picket Fence. I was still able to achieve the techniques.

Day 5 Tags

Tag 1  was supposed to use Kraft Resist paper which is no longer being made.  I tried to approximate it by clear embossing an image on a Kraft tag.  I then used stains to create a background over it.  When it was dry I stamped the flowers on it.  The embossing didn't allow the stamp to come into contact with the paper enough to be really crisp but you can still see the embossed image a bit.  

On Tag 2 I applied the distress stains directly to the Kraft tag.  Then I added a little distress ink for more color.  I stamped the background image using White Picket Stain.  And finally I stamped the butterflies in permanent ink.

Tag 3's background was achieved by applying distress stains to my kraft mat and then swiping the tag through.  I also added a little distress ink for a bit more color.  Them images are then just stamped on using permanent ink.

I'ts margarita time! 

-R

Creative Chemistry 101 Day 4 Creations

Another busy day of class.  I finished Day 4 earlier today.  It was all about how to use your re-inkers.  Definitely like the multiple uses so I will be buying more.

And just in case you are wondering about Day 3 - we skipped it and will return to it at another time.

Day 4 Tags

The first tag was done using re-inkers as a watercolor palette.  Going to have to invest in some Ranger  

archival ink because my favorite ink smeared a bit but I still like the effect.  I really like being able to get really vibrant colors.  It would have been more colorful but I only have 5 re-inkers at this point.

The second tag is mixing re-inkers with water and spraying them onto a tag to create a background.  After allowing the background to dry I laid down a stencil and sprayed over it to create some visual interest.  I don't have a really dark color so it's not as big a contrast as it should be but it sill demonstrates the technique.

The third tag is my favorite.  I plan on using this technique a lot.  Using Ranger's felt Cut-N-Dry I used the re-inkers to make a custom stamp pad.  I can re-create this image over and over and it will be exactly the same.  So cool!!!

Go forth and create!

-R

Week 1 Challenge

 Week 1 Challenge Tag

My Week 1 Challenge tag.  I used four colors of Distress Ink for the background and then flicked it with water drops.  I think it works well with the dragonflies.  

CC 101 2016 Week 1 Challenge

I may try pastels next time just to see how it looks..

Creative Chemistry 101 Day 2 Creations

Here we are at Day two of Creative Chemistry 101 Summer 2016.  Today's tags demonstrate more fun techniques.  My tags are really more about the technique than my personal aesthetic today.

Day 2 Tags

The first tag today uses an alcohol ink background with images stamped over it.  Even though all inks used on alcohol backgrounds need to be heat set some are better than others.  My chicken dried (Momento Ink) and stayed well but the flowers at the top never quite dried (Versafine).

The second tag displays background images stamped in Momento Inks and then blended over with Distress Inks.  I really like the subtlety.  I really don't care for the image I chose to put on it.  I should have chosen something more in theme with the background.  Oh well, live and learn!

The final tag of day two was really fun.  I've experimented with swiping inks on an embossing folder before but this was the first time I stamped onto the embossing folder.  I then covered the tag with distress inks using a blending tool.  It looks pretty cool!  Beginning to think that I really don't need to buy printed paper anymore.

Go forth and Craft!

-R

Creative Chemistry 101 Day 1 Creations

I splurged and signed up for all three Creative Chemistry classes by Tim Holtz this summer.  I'm learning a lot and also having a great time revisiting things I've tried before. It's amazing how much better the projects turn out when you have the information regarding the product properties as wells as the technique. I am posting pictures of my tags that demonstrate each technique I have learned.  They aren't all compositionally perfect but they do illustrate the techniques I have learned.

Day 1 Technique Tags

For the first tag I applied Distress Inks to the tag with a blending tool and then flicked water on it. The properties of the ink cause the color to wick out towards the edges of the water drops and creates that cool splotched effect.

For the second tag I applied distress inks directly to a stamp, spritzed it with water and then stamped the image on watercolor paper.  It didn't puddle enough so I spritzed onto the paper as well.  It didn't spread very much then either. I think next time I try this technique I will try a stamp that is more of an outline.  I suspect it will work better.

For the 3rd and final tag of Day 1 I used a technique that I have played with before.  Swipe several different colors of ink onto a craft mat, spritz and place your tag in the puddle. Dry. Repeat until you are happy with the results.   

Go forth and Craft!

-R