Technique Tutorial Thursday: Painting with ink pads on glossy paper

This month Stampin' Up! launched a new catalogue and we are celebrating a whole new colour revamp! I love experimenting with new colour combinations and today's technique is using just inkpads and glossy white paper! Extremely easy, low tech and just a little bit inky!

 

You will need:
* Glossy white cardstock - an A4 sheet cut into quarters (10.5cm x 14.9cm)
* Stampin' Up! ink pads - I've used Sahara Sand, Soft Sea Foam, Mint Macaron and Crumb Cake.
* Stazon Black ink pad
* A tree stamp from Rooted in Nature stamp set.

Step 1. Hold your glossy white paper in one hand and your Sahara sand ink pad in the other.
Hold the ink pad at a 45 degree angle and gently wipe the edge of the ink pad across the white paper. The edge of the ink pad will create a messy line on the glossy surface.
Draw a second line and give it a little twist as you swipe it across the paper. Each line will have a little smoosh as you swipe it down the page.
Note: "Smoosh" is a technical term for a smooth swooshing motion. ;)

Step 2. Open your second inkpad. I've used Mint Macaron, and give it a 45 degree angled smoosh across the page. If it looks too dark or too inky you can wipe it off while its wet with a tissue and apply it again. There's no right or wrong in painting. Just go with whatever happens!

Step 3. Open up your Soft Sea Foam ink pad.
This time use the inkpad direct to paper and drag, slide, paint the ink on to the paper so you get a nice wide stripe. This is your sky.

Step 4. Open your Crumb Cake inkpad and use the edge of the inkpad to paint a curved stripe along the bottom edge of the paper. This is your foreground.
Maybe add some Coastal Cabana for water in the middleground ...

Step 5. Add a little more depth to the sky with Sahara Sand if it needs it, and along the bottom edge with Crumb Cake ink. Now you're painting.!
Wait for it to dry, the colours will lighten as they dry.

Step 6. Using black stazon ink, stamp some trees in the foreground. Be careful just to lightly touch the glossy paper and not press too hard as the surface is shiny and the stamp may slip.
Note: I used the stamparatus to get a clean image.
I've added the Happy Birthday on the Classic Label punch to keep it simple and not cover up too much of my "painted" sky.
My favourite stamp set to apply this technique is the "Dandelion Wishes" stamps.

 
 In order to create a sunset I've added a line of Petal Pink ink, its a beautiful apricot that you see in our Australian skies. The purple dandelion skies are painted with Highland Heather, Gorgeous Grape and Balmy Blue with  a touch of Blueberry Bushell ink for depth.
 
If you live in Australia and you'd like to place an order you can email me at nerida_carter@hotmail.com or visit the online shop at www.stampinup.com/en-au
Make sure you choose Nerida from NSW as your demonstrator so I can send you a little thank you gift.