While you may enjoy traditional rubber stamping with
rubber stamps and ink pads, many stampers have found
they can enjoy their rubber stamps even more when they
begin using them with dry embossing and heat embossing
powders. Many rubber stamping companies even sell
coordinated embossing stencils that can be used with
matching rubber stamps. If you haven't ever tried dry
embossing before, why not start today?
Tools: Almost all rubber stampers are aware that you can
use dry embossing powder and a heat gun to make
wonderful raised images/ with your rubber stamps. Many
people have never tried dry embossing their favorite
cards and scrapbooking pages. The only thing you'll need
to begin dry embossing are a light box, dry embossing
stylus, stencils or templates, tape, and your favorite
scrapbooking card stock or paper. You'll also need a
good hard surface that is at the proper working height
to allow you to press firmly down.
Usage: Most rubber stamping and scrapbooking hobbyists
are aware of the proper way to dry emboss. If you've
never worked with dry embossing before, here's a quick,
simple explanation of the process. Place your dry
embossing stencils on the light box. Secure them in
place with tape (double sided tape is a quick and easy
solution. Using the correct end of the stylus for the
stencil size, trace in the groove portion of the stencil
seen through the card stock, causing a raised embossed
surface on the front side. You can also create an
embossed surface by lightly wetting the card stock and
gently pressing the paper fibers using your rubber
stamps. The best backing is a foam mouse pad. This will
create an embossed image that has the same look of the
rubber stamp you're using. This is especially useful for
stamps that are sold in coordinated sets. It allows you
to make wonderfully coordinated embossed backgrounds
alongside of the inked stamps used on the card or
scrapbooking page.
Decorations: Now that you have an embossed card stock
surface, you can embellish the card stock. You'll create
unique effects with watercolors, colored pencils, ink
pads, and chalk. By lightly applying these mediums over
the embossed image, you will create beautifully textured
works of art. You may also combine mediums such as
watercolors and colored pencils, to create truly unique
looks on the embossed card stock.
Alternatives: To create a truly stunning
three-dimensional look, use an embossing pad (a glue pad
will also work) and lightly dab the surface of the
embossed image being careful not to touch the non
embossed portion of the paper. You can now sprinkle
embossing powder over the raised image, and after
shaking away the excess powder, you can use a heat gun
to create a highly raised image. To create "glazed"
look, use clear, translucent embossing powder over the
embossed image.
Once you've had an opportunity to begin working with dry
embossing and embossing powders, you'll quickly discover
that this technique allows you to create truly stunning
artwork for all of your scrapbook albums and rubber
stamping projects. There are many online vendors which
sell truly wonderful embossing stencils, which you can
use over and over on all of your projects. Why not try
embossing today?
