Coloring with Distress Products - Tim Holtz - Ranger Ink

 Hello friends! I've been thinking about coloring with all the different Tim Holtz Distress products and how they look different. So I decided to do some experimenting and find out the differences of the products. After a few tests I realize my favorite way to color is not really my favorite. Let's get started. I stamped the same flower on to Distress Watercolor Cardstock and I also used the same colors and technique when coloring. This will be the truest test. 

Distress Products used....

Distress Watercolor Pencils

Distress Ink

Distress Oxide Ink

Distress Crayons

Distress Reinkers

Distress Spray Stain

Distress Oxide Sprays

Colors used.....

Picket Raspberry

Fossilized Amber

Mustard Seed

Mowed Lawn

Rustic Wilderness

Vintage Photo

Stamp your image with a waterproof ink like Archival Ink in Black Soot.

This Stamp set is CMS487 and it has several flowers that could be used. 

Distress Watercolor Pencils 

These have been a favorite since they came out. They are easy to use and give great results. I colored the image with the pencils and then blended with a waterbursh. Dry with a heat tool and then add more color where desired. I also splattered colors in the background for fun.

Findings - Easy to use and the results are great. They are a little chalky.

Distress Ink Pads

I applied the Inks to my Glass Mat and the picked up the color with the waterbrush. 

Findings - The color is not as strong as I like but it works well. 

You could add more layers for more intense color.

Distress Oxide Ink Pads

Apply the inks to your Glass Mat and pick them up with a waterbrush. Color as desired.

Findings - The Oxides are a softer look and covers the stamped image a little. 

Distress Crayons

Color the Crayons on to the Glass Mat and pick color up with the Waterbrush and color as desired.

Findings - I like the look of this and the color is vibrant. 

Distress Reinkers

Add 1-2 drops of reinkers to the Glass Mat and color with a Waterbrush as desired. 

I think this was my favorite!

Findings - The color is very vibrant and doesn't effect the stamped image. 

Distress Spray Stains

Take the dropper out of the bottle and tap a few drops on to the Glass Mat pick up color with the Waterbrush. Color as desired. 

Findings - Although the color is vibrant it a little watery and had a tendency to spread out side the stamped lines. Drying more often will help with this.  

Distress Oxide Sprays

Take dropper out of the bottle and tap a few drops on to the Glass Mat, pick up color with the Waterbrush. Color as desired. 

Findings - The color is very chalky and covers the stamped image. you could go back and stamp the image again over the coloring. I do like the softness of the color. 

Here is a closer look. Some of the changes are very subtle but it's great information. I'm going to put them on a ring and keep them handy to reference the next time I color images. 

I hope you find the information helpful, I know I do! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Richele 

Products I used from Simon Says Stamp

Hello and Happy Fathers Day to all the amazing dad's out there and especially to my dad who has taught me so much, encouraged me and loves me unconditionally! You're AWESOME! 

I'm so excited to have a project over on the Simon Says Stamp blog today in honor of Fathers Day.  

This Mixed Media project features some of my favorite products like Vintage Distress Collage Medium, Woodgrain Cardstock, Grit Past, Sizzix Alteration dies, Paper Dolls, Typography and more.

Please be sure to head over to Simon Says Stamp for the full tutorial. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Richele

Falling Leaf Card - Ranger Ink Featured Artist

Hello everyone! I'm so excited to have my project over on the Ranger Ink blog today. The card features Distress Collage Medium in Crazing over a stamped or die cut image and coloring with Distress Crayons. This is one of my favorite techniques to do with the Distress Crazing! I hope you will take a look at the full tutorial over on the Ranger Blog. 

Look at how the Crazing is brought to life when colored with the Distress Crayons. Check it out on the Ranger Ink blog. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Richele

Experimenting with Substrate

Hello friends! 

I love to experiment with new product…today was a good day to test what Substrate can do. 

What is Substrate you ask?

It's a Tim Holtz Product. 

 It's a textured paper that is thicker then cardstock. 
It comes in 3 shades…white, kraft and dark brown. 

It's flexible.

 It can be painted or inked.

It can be washed.

It's great for die cutting.

It can be sewn and you know how I love to sew. 

It can be crumpled up.

It's fun to emboss. 

You can stamp on it. 

Here are a few photos from my experiments.

Snip the edge and then you're able to tear it. Love the layers that are exposed. 

Crumple it, works if you wet it or it can be dry too. 

I washed it after I crumpled it and it gave it the look of worn leather. 

Use Distress Spray Stain to create a old weathered look. The swatch on the left is what I started with. 

Embossed!

Die cut with a Thinlit! 

Die cut with a Steel Rule Die. Love this Gadget Gears 2 Bigz Die. 

Sewed it together!

Stamped on the Substrate with Archival ink. 

Colored the flower with Distress Markers and a Water Brush. This was a little surprising that the Substrate reacted a little like watercolor cardstock.  I see more experimenting in my near future. 

Colored with Distress Crayons then lifted color off through a Layering Stencil using a wet cloth. Oh my the possibilities. 

I had such a FUN day experimenting! 

I'm thinking of more ideas to try and can't wait to play again! 

What are you going to try?

Thanks for stopping by!

Richele

Steampunk Canvas with Distress Crayons

Hello friends! Today I have more inspiration with the Tim Holtz Distress Crayons! I really love the versatility of the Crayons, how they react when a little water is added, the way they make the surface feel and they come in my favorite Distress colors. 

The Flip Frame is a great way to display my mini works of art. 

I cut down a piece of Dina Wakley Media Board to fit my Flip Frame (3 1/4" x 5").Dina's new Media Board is coated with Gesso and it's a great surface for the Crayons and I love the added texture.

Draw Distress Crayons directly to the surface. If you are working on a larger area you would want to work in small sections at a time. 

Add a little bit of water and blend the Crayons with your fingers. 

Add another layer of Distress Crayons to deepen the colors. Add Walnut Stain to the outer edge to create a border and dry with a heat tool. 

One of my favorite techniques to do with the Crayons is to lift color back off through a stencil with a damp cloth. The stencil is made with the Mixed Media #3 Thinlits Set. It's always a good thing when you can multi task a product and use them for more them one thing. You could also use a Layering Stencil the new Mini Layering Stencils are the perfect size for small projects and cards.

Use the stencil vertically and horizontally to create interest. 

Randomly add Remnant Rubs. Cut out a section of Remnant Rubs, position over the canvas and using the Rub Tool rub the words randomly over the canvas. 

Cut Found Relative out and adhere to canvas with Collage Medium. Brush a layer of Collage Medium over the Found Relative and let dry. 

Draw around the Found Relative with a dark Distress Crayon and smudge with your finger. This will create a shadow and make the guy stand out. Add a Vial Label with a little Remnant Rub number. 

Distress Crayons also work on metal! Draw Crayon directly on to metal pieces and rub off the excess with a dry cloth. The Crayon will stay in the words of the Quote Band and around the raised areas of the Timepiece. 

Attach the Timepiece and Mini Gears by poking a hole through the canvas and securing them with Fasteners. I added foam tape behind the Timepiece to raise it up. 

Mask off the areas you don't want to splatter with a Post-it Note like his face and the Quote Band at the bottom. The Ranger Distress Splatter brush is a nice size. It's small and I think the splatter stays more contained. 

Splatter Black Soot Distress Paint with the Distress Splatter Brush. Apply a few drops of Distress Paint on to your craft Sheet, pick the paint up at the end of the Splatter Brush and splatter on to canvas.  

Add Nail Heads to Quote Band with Glossy Accents. 

I am really liking the versatility of the Crayons and how you can use them in so many different ways. The possibilities are endless. I can't wait to get some more time to play and experiment. 

I hope you will love the Distress Crayons as much as I do. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Richele

Here's all the goodies I used for this project. 

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