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Hello! Today I’d like to share how to paint a stamped image with Distress Crackle Paint, as I did in the tags shown above.
On Wednesday, I showed a pair of brightly colored tags that I made using Distress Crackle Paint. So, this time I thought I would go for a softer, monotone look instead.
How I made my tags
To make these tags, I started by cutting some kraft paper to just a bit larger than 4 3/4″ x 2 3/8″, which are the dimensions of my manila shipping tag from Avery Dennison. I wanted to be sure the kraft paper would fully cover the tag, so I made it just a bit larger and then I trimmed the excess at the end.
Technique 1: Multiple stamps at the same time
Next, I got out some stamps from two clear sets by Hero Arts: CL318 Galaxy of Stars and CL288 Scallop Borders. I set a tag on my work surface and arranged some of these stamps on top of the tag until I liked their arrangement. I made sure that the stamping side was down for each image.
Then, I used one large stamp mount to hold all of the stamps at the same time. I simply pressed it down on top of my arrangement, and then lifted it up – and all the stamps were perfectly placed on my block, ready for inking!
Multiple stamps at the same time
Once all the stamps were on the same stamp mount, I set the tag aside and got out a piece of scrap paper. I put my tag-sized piece of kraft paper on the scrap paper. I used VersaFine Vintage Sepia pigment ink and inked up all of the stamps on the mount, then stamped them all at the same time onto the kraft paper.
This technique is especially handy if you are going to be combining a lot of stamps using the same ink. And if you are making multiples, as I was. Or if you want to arrange a whole scene and want to play with the arrangement.
Technique 2: Painting a stamped image
Once the pigment ink was completely dry, I got out my Distress Crackle Paint in Picket Fence (white). I used a small paintbrush to paint the Distress Crackle Paint in the center of the large focal star. Then I set it aside to let it air dry completely.
I love the finished look of the star. I think it crackled in a way that reminds me of the veins in a leaf. It is so delicate. I love how the cracks radiate from the star’s spines.
A rule of thumb to remember is that the thicker the coat of crackle paint, the bigger the crackles. When I painted the star, I used a thick coat, especially towards the centers of the spines and the center of the star.
Close-up of tag Painted with Distress Crackle Paint
Distress Crackle Paint is a very thick paint. When you are painting in a stamped image, you are likely to go outside the lines in a couple of places. If the paint and background are similar in color, it isn’t very noticeable and your eye will automatically correct it. Or, you can use a permanent marker to draw back in the edges of the stamped lines as Jennifer McGuire did in her videos.
However, in this case, the paint and background are high contrast. You would definitely see where the white had gone over the lines. So, I came up with a different way to make it have finished edges.
Technique 3: Adding a border with dimensional paint
Dimensional Pearls are a special formula of acrylic paint designed to dry so it is raised, hence the name “dimensional”. They can give your project some nice texture. And they have a shiny appearance, even when they are dry.
I decided to use Dimensional Pearls in Terra Cotta – a nice coppery color – to create a border around the star to finish it. They come in a convenient applicator bottle. All you have to do is squeeze to get the paint flowing. As you squeeze, the bottle will first release most of the air in the bottle, then the paint will flow. When you let go, the bottle will “burp” and suck in more air. Be aware of this as you use the applicator.
The star shape worked well with the applicator, because I could start at the inside of a star-point and work towards the tip of the star-point, let the bottle burp, and then repeat. I had to be careful when joining with a previous line at the inside of the star-point, so that I didn’t blow a hole in the paint already there, when starting the next line of paint. And, as I released the paint at the end of a star-point, I let the paint naturally taper and overlap into a point.
When I was finished outlining the star, I set it aside to allow it to dry thoroughly. Once it was dry, I removed the twine from a manila tag. Then I adhered the kraft paper to the manila tag base. I used a regular paper punch to punch the hole at the top of the tag, lining it up with the hole in the tag base. Then I trimmed the edges of the kraft paper to be even with the manila tag base.
Technique 4: Faux stitching
Next, I added some faux stitching and other details using a Uniball opaque white pen. I’ve tried several white pens, and the Uniball is my favorite by far. I used this pen to create faux stitching around one of the stars and along the scallops at the bottom of the tag. I also filled in dots for one of the scallops and added dots around another star.
I used a Sakura Stardust clear glitter gel pen along the middle scallop at the bottom of the tag. This adds just a bit of shine.
Technique 5: Dying twine to match
While the glitter gel was drying, I set the tag aside. I got out my non-stick craft sheet, blending tool and foam, and some Tea Dye Distress Ink. I placed the twine from the tag on top of the non-stick craft sheet. I inked up the foam and rubbed it repeatedly over the twine to dye it to match the project.
Thanks for stopping by!
