2021 Topic 3 The Creative Laboratory with ESA {by Autumn Clark}

 The Creative Laboratory - Infused {by Autumn Clark}

Autumn's on a slippery experimental slope here, and vaseline is the product she's been stamping with - yes! You read that right! Read on to find out how she used it with infusions! Mind Blown.
~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Autumn Clark from SewPaperPaint with you today, and I'd like to share with you a new technique that I'm over the moon excited about, stamping with Vaseline.  Yes, you heard that right, stamping with Vaseline or petroleum jelly.  

Many of us have learned that Vaseline can resist paint to create layered effects.  This got me wondering if it could be used as a stamping medium to resist ink.  And folks, let me tell you, YES it can!  Follow along and see just how easy it can be...

Lately, I've fallen in love all over again with PaperArtsy Infusions.  I recently did a post (HERE) for a PaperArtsy stockist on using Infusions mixed with embossing ink to create embossing resists.  This got my wheels turning at other new concepts for using Infusions.  The current topic, Creative Labs, was all the push I needed.  Today I'm working with the new Seth Apter stamp designs, which are primarily background types of stamps, the perfect accompaniment to Infusions.  

My goal was to determine if Vaseline could be spread in a thin layer and used for stamping, and if it would repel ink as a result.  I find the gel plate is a good surface for spreading out mediums with which to use for stamping.  So I brayered a glob of Vaseline onto a portion of my small gel plate to use as an "ink pad".  But first I wanted my resist to show through a secondary color, not just plain white.  I colored my panel by spritzing water onto my kraft mat and adding a generous sprinkle of Golden Sands Infusions into the water.  I then dipped my panel into the wet powder until I covered it completely.  I sprayed the panel with water where needed to help it bleed.  

As demonstrated in the video HERE, I used the same dipping method over top, this time with The Sage Infusions.  The resist effect worked right off!  I let the panel partially dry, then gave it a zap with a heat tool.  Here's the magic: the heat tool melts the Vaseline into the paper's surface so that it virtually disappears, no shiny or gooey residue.  

 

I tried the same process again with Seth's new alphabets from PaperArtsy Eclectica {Seth Apter} Collection (ESA21).  It resisted perfectly, and after heating I could go in with a pen and outline the letters, without any residue to clog my pen.  I added further dimension to my background by stamping in PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk Acrylic in Concrete, and other stamping in Fossilized Amber Distress Ink.  I used one of Seth's die cuts and finished with a mop up panel, stamped with PaperArtsy {Ink & The Dog Collection} Mini Stamp 17 (MN17).

Note* I cleaned all of my tools & stamps with dish soap.  Note, any paint on the gel plate will be washed off.  It can be conditioned with baby oil after if needed.  

Of course, I was eager to try another color palette...

This time I layered using the same color, for a tone on tone resist.  For those of you who want to try PaperArtsy Infusions, here's a great way to test only one color!  I dipped my panel into watery The Sage Infusions, then stamped the rectangular pattern from PaperArtsy Eclectica {Seth Apter} Collection (ESA20) with Vaseline, then dipped my panel into more The Sage Infusions for a tone on tone resist.  After heating, I stamped more patterns with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink, spritzing with water to let the shapes bleed out, and added contrast by stamping PaperArtsy {Ink & the Dog} Collection Mini Stamp 18 (MN18) with PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk Acrylic in Concrete.  I chose PaperArtsy {Ink & the Dog} Collection Mini Stamp 31 (MN31) as my focal image.  I layered it over Seth's Letters stamp, stamped softly in the background.  I added a handwritten sentiment using a sepia fountain pen. 

It was hard to stop once I got going.  I wanted to try a really unusual color combination next.  I first used Black Knight, and atop of my resist (my personal favorite) Rusty Car Infusions.  The colors worked perfectly together.  Tip: You can control the richness of color by the amount of water you add.  Here my black is rather grey, but I kept the rust very saturated.  This is all due to the amount of water vs. pigment.  

I inked a small mop up panel with both colors, then stamped PaperArtsy Eclectica {Seth Apter} Collection Mini Stamp 39 (EM39) onto it.  I added white details with a paint pen.  The little piece sticking out beneath the staples was made by using Rusty Car first then Black Knight over my resist, the opposite of my main background.  You can flip flop the technique to achieve a wide variety of pieces with which to collage.  I like to add water to what's left on my kraft mat and mop up a shade lighter.  

 

I carefully cut out the words from the label stamp in set ESA19 with an exacto knife.  This is one of my favorite ways to make the most of my stamps.  When you cut apart stamps, like I did in "Find Your FIRE" and the label, you can use them separately but still piece them together on your block to have a whole stamp again.  I knew I would use the frame stamp a ton and think cutting is easier than masking in the long term.  Do you ever cut your stamps?  

I hope the topic of Creative Labs has inspired you in more ways than one, mainly to make some experiments of your own!  I encourage you to try a new technique at least three times, seeing how you can alternate colors or mediums each time.  These variables will often produce new and exciting results.  Not only did I discover a new way to use a household staple here, I actually discovered that I enjoy dipping panels into Infusions (the way I do with ink pads) more than sprinkling it onto my panel.  Why have I never done this before?  Perhaps because I haven't given myself enough time to experiment.  

If really hope you'll try this technique!  Please leave us a link so we can ogle over your creations.  I will try to add another video tutorial to my IGTV this week so you can see this process in action.  Thanks for joining, Autumn

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