{Spotlight Project} Ink Bleeding Technique with Shery

Hi, guys! Today I'm sharing a project using a technique I learned/discovered by accident a few weeks ago while I was sketching stamp designs on my sketch book. I call it the ink bleeding technique. I was playing with my calligraphy pens and as I prepped one of my drawings for a colorwash and ran my waterbrush over my sketches, the ink started bleeding. Before I knew it, I was testing the technique on my stamps and card designs. You'll find some of my cards using this technique here, here, here, and here. 

This time around, I played with the technique using the ARTplorations Happy Flowers stencil. Here's the card:

Important note: In order for this technique to work, you need to use a pen with non-permanent ink. So pens with India ink won't work, since India ink is permanent. The cheap-o gel pens from the dollar store work, but I prefer using Speedball's Elegant Writer calligraphy pens for this technique. Try experimenting with different pens.

STEP 1

I traced the flowers onto my card base with calligraphy pens.

STEP 2

Next, I ran my waterbrush along the outside of the traced image and this made the ink bleed.

STEP 3

I decided to watercolor the flowers themselves with Sakura Koi watercolors.

STEP 4

I turned to my favorite stamp set for adding faux texture. I stamped some grunge stamps in French Ultramarine archival ink.

STEP 5

I also stamped a few small butterflies and finished with the sentiment.  Here's the card again.

This is one technique that yields varied results -- play with it! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and will try the technique. I promise it's fun! :o)

Products Shery used in today's project:

   

  

Mixed Media Grunge (April/May 2015) is one of several premium 5x7 sets offered in the STAMPlorations stamp club! We've got lots of perks, including free worldwide shipping, a free 4" by 6" stamp set sent every 3rd shipment (or immediately after signing up for the semi-annual subscription), 2 personal discount coupon codes, and choice of 2 ARTplorations stencils ($10 value) in every stamp club package mailed out to subscribers! For more info and to sign up, click here.

Prize alert! Leave a comment in this post for an entry to our Spotlight Projects random drawing for August. We'll pick ONE (1) commenter to win a $10 gift certificate or her choice of 1 ARTplorations stencil. We'll announce the winner on the first week of September!