Painting Images with Studio Calico Dye Inks

Today, I am excited to share a fun tutorial with you on how you can get more use out of your new Color Theory dye inks! I am particularly excited to share this technique with you because painting with ink creates beautiful results and is super fun!

I am so crafionately in love with Studio Calico’s new Color Theory Ink. I knew that I wanted to experiment with them. When I saw the little transparency sheet included with the main kit, I thought it would be an awesome idea to “paint” a stamped image with dye ink. Needing a few colors of ink, the transparency sheet, a brush and some water, this “painting with ink” technique worked great with the Studio Calico inks making them even more versatile.

Here's a step-by-step tutorial of how to "paint" ink on your stamps!

|1| Gather your supplies together: You’ll need a transparency sheet from the Office Hours main kit, small spray bottle, Color Theory dye inks, a round 3 paint brush or similar detail brush and a stamp set (I used the Water Cooler add on kit stamp set).

|2| Starting with the lightest color first, ink transparency sheet by pressing ink pad to sheet several times until you have all the colors you desire on the transparency sheet.

|3| Spray the inked transparency sheet with water. Don’t spray to close to the sheet; just a gentle mist of one or two spritzes should be enough. When the ink runs like tin the picture shown, you’ve sprayed enough water.

|4| Use the transparency sheet as a “palette” to load up your brush with ink and “paint” onto your stamp after you’ve applied it to an acrylic block. I started by applying Sunny Day to the top of the stem, and then paint some Yes Peas and Emerald City onto the stamp to create a gradient. Once your pleased with the ink coverage, stamp your card base.

|5| As the ink dries, you can “shade” your stem by applying more ink with your brush to create darker values and shadows.

|6| Stamp a circle with Coral Bay ink. Repeat steps 2-4 to “paint” the flower.

|7| I struggle with machine-stitching straight lines. To fix my crooked ways, I lightly traced a rectangle using a wafer thin die as a template. Then, I stitched the rectangle with my sewing machine, and erased any the drawn line that may have still been showing.

|8| I trimmed a 4.5” x 11” to create a cardstock base. I dry embossed half of it with raised dots and folded it in half.

|9| Add patterned paper strips to the card base and adhere flower cardstock panel to card base with foam tape. Embellish flower with thread and enamel dots as shown. Adhere die cut and affix stickers to card to spell hi.