microglaze and ink...

Hello all my fabulous friends!

 Sorry it's been a while... I wish I could say that I've been doing something fantastically awesome like a cruise in the Caribbean, but alas, the real reason is that I have been in a state of creative block.  It happens from time to time, and it will pass, but it sure has made my studio time a lot less productive!

 This card was a combination of a 2 experiments that both happened to work, and look good. (love it when things work!!!)

My first experiment involved MicroGlaze. It is a product that has apparently been around for quite a while, but I've only recently discovered it. It is a wax based sealer that you smear onto your projects to protect them from moisture. That being said....

The background was inked with Distress ink. Now, we all know that one of the best known traits of Distress ink is that it reacts with water... even if it is heat set or has been left to dry for 2 years... it will react with moisture. This includes putting moist layers (like Gesso or paint) over it.  Usually I'm fine with that, and I actually just plan that in... Sometimes, I want more of a layer, and less of a blend. 

So, I inked up my background then rubbed on the MicroGlaze.  I then smeared gesso over it. And guess what??? It worked like a charm! The Distress ink didn't tint the gesso, and the gesso didn't mess up the ink! Success!

*MicroGlaze is carried by many online scrapbook stores as well as Amazon in case you want to try it out!*

The second experiment was nothing really new, just more of a test of how a certain ink would react....

While my layer of gesso was still wet, I inked up my stamp with Colorbox pigment ink and stamped into it. Besides leaving the stamped image, it also leaves a great texture. I knew this, and have done it before... I just didn't know how it would work with this ink. The first thing you will notice is that there is a color shift. Not all inks play with moisture the same.  Distress inks don't shift colors, but apparently this ink does... it went from black to a dark greenish. (that is one of the things you might like to know before using it on a project you've spent hours on....) The other thing it did (although you can't really see it in the photo) is feather out... Pretty cool looking. Just little amounts of ink feathered out into the gesso. Nice distressed touch. 

Well, my house is begging to be cleaned, so I guess I ought to get busy with that....

Have a wonderful day!

Enjoy!

~Kassi

Supplies Used:

Paper: Mixed Media paper, Kraft, acetate

Ink: Distress (Weathered Wood, Vintage Photo, Brushed Corduroy), Colorbox Pigment (Dragonfly Black), Archival (Jet Black)

Stamps: Glitz "Distressing", Inkadinkado "Meadow", Hampton Arts "Artsy Edges", Tim Holtz "Natures Elements"