One of our favorite new additions to our crafting arsenal are the Irresistibles cardstock and alphabet stickers! These are white heavyweight papers and stickers with clear embossed patterns that dramatically reveal when you color over them!
(We’re showing you grey digital renditions of these products because the patterns are hard to see in a photo, since they are clear on white! 🙂)
The white patterns shown in these images are embossed on 12″ x 12″ cardstock and sticker sheets, making them slightly raised and slick. When you apply color on them, the embossed designs resist the color and the paper parts that are not embossed absorb the color, as it normally would.As you can imagine, the possibilities for coloring these Irresistibles and make their patterns pop are endless! With the help of our Creative Arts Manager, Karen Pedersen, let’s explore a few practical and fun ways to make these resist pattern cardstocks and stickers work for our cardmaking and scrapbooking projects! (Note that the embossed designs are also reflective, which means they catch light as you move them. This effect is difficult to catch in a photo, so watch for it as Karen shares her tips!)
Here’s a closer look at the card and scrapbook page Karen shows us in the video, labeled with how the Irresistibles were colored:
In this example, the ink from a shimmer brush or stamp pad is brushed on, over the whole paper. You don’t have to pick out the non-embossed areas. Because the pattern resists media, the water-based inks don’t get absorbed in the embossed areas. Instead, the ink will bead, sitting on top of them. When you’re done applying the ink, wipe off the excess that didn’t absorb, to reveal the clean white pattern on the freshly colored paper. Your stamp shammy, or even a tissue, should do the trick!
Some color media work differently than the water-based inks. TriBlend™ markers, for example, are alcohol-based ink markers. Because alcohol ink is made to stick to glossy surfaces, the ink will not wipe off clean, like our shimmer brushes, Exclusive Inks™, or Distress Oxide™ inks do. The resist pattern does absorb the alcohol ink more than the water-based inks, but there is still contrast with the paper around it.
Also, the cardstock and stickers that these patterns are embossed on are very absorbent. If you want to use alcohol markers, be aware that a lot of ink goes into coloring just a small square. And, because it is so absorbent, as soon as you place the marker’s nib on the paper, the ink will start going in, making it very difficult to avoid streaks like you see here.
Another medium that creates a different effect than what you see with water-based colors, are oil-based paints. Our metallic paint markers are oil-based, and they produce a very unique effect on these Irresistible products!
(Like we said above, light reflections are difficult to capture in a photo because it requires movement. Karen briefly shows a swatch like this in the video, so make sure to revisit it there for the full effect.)
We colored this checkered square sample with the chisel tip Quicksilver Metallic Paint marker. What’s interesting to note here is that the darker squares are the embossed areas of the resist pattern. Also, because those parts of the pattern are slick and reflective, they create a more metallic look than the parts that are not. If you’re using oil-based inks, remember that you need to allow them time to dry. If you want those dark, metallic looking designs you need to give the paint time to set. (If you look carefully, you may be able to spot a couple of fingerprints in this sample, where we learned that we needed to wait!)
In her demonstration, Karen showed us how to apply inks with a blending brush. With this tool, the ink goes on so smoothly and evenly! If you’re looking for a slightly less even look, consider using a dauber or a round sponge. (We like cutting out a wedge from the round sponge and then using the rounded edge to apply the ink.) Below we have samples of Irresistibles cardstock sponged with Exclusive Inks™ and gloss spray inks.
As Karen demonstrates in the video, we recommend applying the gloss spray first to a piece of sponge and then use the sponge to apply the color to your Irresistibles cardstock or stickers.
Be sure to watch the video to the end to see some other neat techniques using watercolor paints and watercolor pencils together with these fun Irresistibles items.
The Irresistibles cardstock are a really fun and creative way to make your own patterned papers, and, just like any patterned paper, you can cut them to any shape you like! Take a look at these beautiful butterflies die cut out of Irresistibles cardstock with our Butterfly Layers Thin Cuts and colored with our shimmer brushes!
There truly are so many different ways to color and use these new Irresistibles cardstock and alphabet stickers! How are you using them in your artwork? Share with all of us, in the comments below!
Recipes:
4¼” x 5½” Hi Card (Vertical)
X6063 Papaya Cardstock, X6044 Peach Cardstock, X6059 Shortbread Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4675 Irresistibles Cardstock, X7283D Backyard Bliss Picture My Life™ Cards, X7282D Beach Party Picture My Life Cards, Z6525 Desert Rose Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3661 Peach Shimmer Brush, Z4293 Shortbread Shimmer Brush, Z4674 Irresistibles Alphabet Stickers, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z697 Round Sponge
12″ x 12″ Happy Day Page
X6067 Periwinkle Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z4675 Irresistibles Cardstock, Z2841 Glacier Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6536 Honey Butter Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6537 Periwinkle Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z6514 Wisteria Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad, Z3825 Abandoned Coral Distress Oxide™ Ink Pad, Z3814 Flamingo Shimmer Brush, Z3820 Lime Gloss Spray, Z4674 Irresistibles Alphabet Stickers, Z4629 Blue Dots, Z4632 Orange & Yellow Dots, Z1263 Bitty Sparkles, Z3274 Clear Sparkles, Z697 Round Sponge
