Helen Chilton #2 Inky Backgrounds ....

"In this post I've been experimenting with making backgrounds using inks and stamps and embellishing with a black pen. Grab yourself a cuppa and pull up a chair this is going to be a long read".

Splat Card

First off I've got out the Distress Stains again and splatted - seriously addictive this! I've gone for bright zingy colours but it would work with anything.

I've cut a panel of white card (I've used white linen) and splatted the Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers and Mustard Seed all over (the Squeezed Lemonade yellow was a shade too light here). As they overlap they make lots of other colours.

Then stamp your images over the top in StazOn Black Ink using Pierrot Plate 1

With extra bits from Plates 2 and 3

Then paint over the focal areas in bleach - use basic thick bleach and a cheap paintbrush (not your best sable brush - the bleach will eat it up!) Go right over the Black StazOn, it won't be affected. Wait for the bleach to work. I love the effect as the Distress Stains leave hints of colour behind.

{Note: I'm not sure how other permanent black inkpads react with bleach so you'll have to try them out}.

Then get a fine black pen and doodle round the splats.

I've kept the embellishments to a minimum, just a couple of brads.

Add some small circular stamping and mount onto black card.

Here's another example using exactly the same techniques.

I've used the same colours but it's turned out a bit lighter - not sure why. The beads along the bottom are upholstery trim attached to ribbon that you buy by the metre - I'd like to say I spent ages threading them all but I didn't!

Stamped all over Card

The next card uses the stamp as the main image and also for building up a background and colouring in. I don't know about you but I often spend ages trying to work out what background to use. With this technique it all ties in as you use the same image and the same colours to build it up. Problem solved!

So, cut a panel of card, get out your Distress Ink Pads (Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers) and start stamping. Ink it up in pink and stamp repeatedly without reinking. Repeat with the blue.

Add in the yellow, overlapping all the time.

Keep on building it up with the three different colours.

At this point it looks a real mess, but don't panic!  Stamp in StazOn Black Ink over the top (you need quite a juicy inkpad for it to show up):

I then tried bleaching out the colour from the main image but wasn't really happy with the result.

I think there were just too many layers of stamping for the bleach to work its magic. Never mind!

Instead I stamped it onto another piece of white card and then coloured it by stamping the image repeatedly in the three colours as for the background, but using the third or fourth impression so that it's lighter.

Then mount it onto the background.

After that I got out the black pen again and had a doodle, added a little extra colour to the hats and text and then used the stripey hat from Pierrot Plate 2 to create some corners.

To finish off add a little bit of lace (had to prize up the image here as I'd already stuck it down!) and layer up on pink and turquoise card.

Text, Glorious Text Tag

This last piece uses a text stamp to build up the background, colour in and add highlights and shading round the image. Very simple, but hopefully effective.

It uses the tag and text from Pierrot Plate 4

Stamp your tag in black, create a mask with the centre cut out and add the clowns from Plate 1 marking the back of the stamp to get the right placement.

Then cut a full mask and start stamping the text over and over in Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers Ink Pads.

Create highlights and shadows by repeat stamping with the yellow and blue ink pads.

Add pink text round the edge for a border, stamp lightly over the central tag to colour and soften with a paintbrush and water:

Finish off by stamping a border with the striped and text hats (I've fallen in love with these!), a little bit of black pen and a tag reinforcer from the large tag on Plate 1

Finish with looped ribbon (actually a shoe lace I had in my stash that matched perfectly - knew I'd kept it for something!)

So there you have it, a few simple inky background projects , which are fun and easy to do. I hope you get the chance to play along.

Leandra Says: Always good to see how your projects come together, great depth achieved in building up those backgrounds!

Gillian Says: I admire your bravery with colour Helen, your projects always look fantastic.