Alcohol Colouring Techniques -

Blends Pens are Stampin’ Up! Alcohol Marker Pens available in many of the Colour Families and In-Colours. The Pens are sold in duo packs, containing one light and one dark to allow for shading. These are fantastic colouring tools, however, there are some other creative opportunities with them and we all now how I love to stretch my supplies.

There are just a couple of extra things you will need in order to recreate the technique I have used, some acetate (I used the carrier sheet from my polymer stamp sets), some alcohol at least 90% and a wide paintbrush. I featured this technique recently on one of my Monday Facebook Lives – Click Here to see it.

I find that the stronger colours work best for me, as you will find that the technique does lighten the colours somewhat. Mixing up to three colours in a similar hue have seen my best results. Too many varying colours can make for a muddy look so practice with your colour combos in small areas first.

Using the broad tip scribble in areas on your acetate, use as many colours as you like but keep them fairly close together. Add the alcohol using a brush and be generous as this helps the colours ‘float’ to create the soft floaty look we want. Take a piece of Basic White and rub this onto the wet area on the acetate, allow this to dry (this will be fairly quick as the alcohol evaporates).

I stamp my flowers and leaves onto the alcohol coloured pieces to get unique and interesting results.

I’ve used the Happiness Abounds stamp set with this technique and stamped the images in Basic Grey Ink to achieve a softer look for the outline. I love to use Basic Grey with softer colours as it is much less stark than Momento as an outline. It works great for making softer sentiments too.

A couple of other new products from the Annual Catalogue appear on this sample, the Elegant Eucalyptus 3D Embossing Folder and the Distressed Gold Speciality Paper. Although this stamp set has coordinating dies, it is very easy to ‘fussy cut’, though to me the dies are a must have with some really amazing edge dies and a background die that makes for some beautiful texture.

This alcohol technique also works well for creating interesting backgrounds and really well for making die cut pieces too!

Alcohol Technique, Stampin' Up!, Gold, Card Making

This Stamp & Die Bundle has so many options with matching papers that are die compatible, colouring in with pencils, pens, pastels or perhaps using a technique like the one I’ve used.