okay so today's post is filled with pictures! So exciting.
But first thing I want to discuss that the STIX 2 blog is up and running showing lot's and lot's of examples and cool ladies! go check them out!
Okay, so last week I was discussing the Perfect Pearls, and Anam asked me if I had seen what Tim Holtz has done with them. Well was I in the dark. I think the guy is a master genius when it comes to altered art but I have not checked his blog out for a really long time. Yes I know, where have I been????? Well after some serious "learning" time there, I left so super inspired. He shows right now how to demos with the distress ink reinkers & perfect pearls. I tried this out, works like a gem. I won't show any examples since you can go to his blog and watch some beautiful projects take place. go here. But I decided to try the similar technique with the alcohol inks since I now had them out and was playing with them. I LOVE alcohol inks and the more cool techniques to use them with ...the better. So I mixed up 2 little batches of perfect pearls with the coordinating colour of alcohol inks. In this case, I went with a blue & a green. They glistened so awesome! Then I decided to work on glass (you know the little specimen glass we used to use in Chem class.) I painted in random shapes and blotches all over the glass.
Then I added some gold alcohol ink to just add a little more bling.
This side I'm working with has now begun to become a little thick. Let completely dry. When dry, flip it over. This is the actual surface that I am going to decorate.
The reason for this is, I intend to stamp and image on the glass and if the texture is quite bumpy (which it will be on the back side) then the stamped image won't be clear. So pick out a stamp, use a pigment ink (which means it will stay wet and workable for a while)
I sprinkled UTEE, (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) This does come in small sizes but this is what they had sent me to work with, and I don't have a small jar to take a picture of. UTEE makes the image you stamped become raised and glossy, giving some excellent dimension! Love it!
I really like working on these glass slides because you can work on 2 surface areas to create one look. I love how the perfect pearl colours shine through behind the stamped image.
There is quite a bit of more fun you can have with UTEE. I took a random piece of scrap paper and stamped it with pigment ink again.
Stamp all over the entire surface area.Then sprinkle with UTEE. Heat it up completely, sprinkle with UTEE again. Repeat this process until you have a nice thick pool of embossing powder melted and built up. Now this next step I couldn't show you as you HAVE to work FAST! Immediately after heating your final time, stamp and image into the wet UTEE. Hold for 3-5 seconds, pressing absolutely evenly. Then lift up the stamp, you will see a negative impression now in the UTEE. It will still be a little warm so sprinkle some DRY perfect pearls in the image. total randomness. It will look like you just wrecked the piece because it will be a splatter of dust. Heat the image again not too intensely, just till the Utee warms and you will see the Perfect Pearls starting to create a beautiful image within the depressed areas.
Because I have been working with black ink, you will see this happen quicker than any other colour. Then to finish it off for me, I re-stamped the whole image again just with the black stamp pad.
The reason for this is I really want the intensity of the contrast of colour and blackness. Go ahead, try this out. It will become a fun day, playing with your ink pads, perfect pearls & UTEE.
Okay, I've talked too much today. Tomorrow I have my check up appointment, I will show you my layout that Jessi Lute inspired me to do, I will talk about my ultrasound I had yesterday and possibly show you some "quilting layouts" I have received some examples to show you.(I might hold these to show all on the same day! we'll see)
Oooh Leica, lots of cool stuff to pull out and play with!
I think we were on the same wavelength, I did a tutorial this week as well. Weird, must be all that Alberta air you were breathing! Hope you had a great time Leica and sorry I missed you in Edmonton. I had no clue you were there until it was too late!
Posted by: Janine | March 20, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Oh wow it all makes more sense now! I had read his article and seen his video but this makes it more clear now - I see the light!
Posted by: Jules | March 20, 2008 at 01:41 PM