White Paper by Steph Schirmer

This month I asked a question of everyone.  If I handed you a piece of white card stock... how would you add color to it?  I asked everyone to think differently then tell me about any conventional ways.  If you wanted to do something really cool for a color technique what would you do?  I told everyone to stretch themselves outside their boxes.  The answers were really interesting.

Susan McHenry said, “If I were playing with white cardstock I would leave my petal point stamp pad intact and turn it over and use the whole thing all at once.  Very pretty but works best on glossy paper.”

Boo Martin, “One way I color white card stock is by cleaning my paint brush on it.  I do this mainly when I use my Twinkling H2O’s.  The color is so vibrant.  I hate to waste what is left in the paintbrush so I paint it on the paper.  After a few projects I end up with a great rainbow colored background sheet.  I’ve also stamped outline images on the paper and then I have an instantly colored image.”

Cheryl Sablotny, “I’d use acrylic paints.  I’d smooch 2 to 3 colors of them around on a craft sheet or scrap piece of acetate until they looked the way I wanted.  Then I’d take the cardstock and lay that right on top of the paint and pull it up.  If you wanted a smoother look you can apply the paints right onto the cardstock with a sponge brush.”

Nancy Propp said, “It certainly isn’t outside the box, but my favorite still is “mucking” aka direct to paper.  I love the mucked edges.”

Mary Wise of Australia states, “I would first spritz it fairly heavily on both sides with water (to stop it from curling) then I would get my pots of food dye powders and randomly sprinkle the dry powders (very small amounts) over the wet cardstock (preferably wearing gloves).  I would then spritz it again fairly liberally with more water and watch the fun begin.  It is the most relaxing technique watching the colors move across the cardstock.  You can play with the card to make them blend and move as you wish.  If they aren’t shifting fast enough just keep spritzing until they are where you want them.  You never get the same effect twice.  It looks very brilliant while wet but the colors soften somewhat when they dry.  If I feel it is a bit dark I lay another sheet of cardstock over the top while the other is wet and gently wipe my hand over the back. You get a very soft effect doing this.  Please note you have to be very sparing with the powders as they are very concentrated.”

Marcia Rhodes says, “I’ve been playing with acrylic paints lately, just the cheap ones.  You can use the crackle medium on it for a distressed look or just use a dry brush to add two or three colors in stripes, plaids, random designs etc.  I’ve found this very addicting.  I’ve also used acrylic paints on used dryer sheets and get a really neat look too.”

Linda Price said, “I am all the time “painting” white card stock with walnut ink.  I paint big sheets and then cut them up into all kinds of tags, use die cuts on them and then stamp all over them.  I just use a regular paintbrush that you would paint the walls with.  The walnut ink makes a great background and its really quick.  I paint both sides so the paper wont curl and then I can choose which side I like best.  I get great ridges and designs when I lay the wet paper on newspaper.  Newspaper waffles up when wet and I use the same newspaper over and over, this way I get plenty of great contrasts.” 

Jane in San Diego says, “Right now I am in love with two different mediums that tend to jazz up cardstock.  The first is Oil pastels (artist grade).  I just scribble and blend with my fingers or a cotton ball.  If you want to really blend the colors you can rub them with mineral spirits (or white turpentine or fingernail polish remover with acetate).  Looks gorgeous.  The brand I use is expensive, but this technique works great even with basic craft bands like Pentel.  My second love is watercolors with salt.  Simply blob on the color and swooch around with lots of water.  Sprinkle on kosher salt and when the paint dries, you really get a neat starburst where the salt was.”

Heather Strenzwilk states, “I like to apply various colors of water color crayons directly to a clean uninked bold rubber stamp.  After coloring is complete I spritz it lightly with water and stamp with it.  I spritz with water again and stamp again, offset from the original image.  You can get 3 to 4 images (each image gets lighter) from one coloring.”

Daylene would, “do a technique called bleeding tissue paper, besides the regular way of laying the paper and adding water, I’ve embossed and made a resist background with it.”

Allison Priputin says, “One idea that I have used, but not enough is to scribble with water color crayons and then go back and either brush with a wet brush or mist it to get the colors wet enough to spread and mix.  Another is to get a piece of paper wet, wash on one color of watercolor and then go back and splatter with another color.  Cheap watercolor sets (the children’s $1 sets) work wonderfully for this, you get completely random patterns that are fun to work with.”

Charlene Maguire states, “if I grab glossy cardstock I would grab my pearl medium and randomly sponge over my cardstock leaving some areas white.  Then I would grab my towel and rub the ink from the paint.  I might us an iridescent medium also.  If we are talking matte cardstock then I grab my stipple brushes and add some color with them, or grab my acrylic paints and paint a background or I might stipple radiant pearls over cardstock.  I might add images from napkins to white cardstock as well as other paper  glued randomly and stamp stamp over the entire mess.”

Betty McCommon says, “I love to use new toys, recently its been spray webbing and Adirondack color washes, if its glossy alcohol inks.  I also use background stamps.  Sometimes that is all you need is a background stamp and greetings.”

Cindy Trobaugh, Annette Lanker, Linda Jean and Mary Drinkwater all talked about, “stippling and sponging color.  Dabbing colors on with cosmetic sponges.  Adding microbeads to add an extra pop of color, “

So as you can see here a few examples of what they would do with white cardstock.  I am sure there are many more ideas out t here. 

My column wouldn’t be complete with everyones help.  I would like to thank the following people:

Stampers Mall design team:  Betty McCommons, Jane in San Deigo, Annette Lanker, May Drinkwater, Cheryl Sablotny

Stampers Mall group from yahoo:  Charlene Maguire, Daylene, Marcia Rhodes, Mary Wise and Nancy Propp

Tennessee Stampers:  Cindy Trobaugh, Linda Jean, Allison Priputen, Heather Strenzwilk, Linda Price, the Little Lace Lady, Chattanooga Tn, Susan McHenry and Boo Martin Stampbootique, Clarksville, TN

As always if there is anything anyone would like to discuss just sent it to me and I will put the questions out there.  Thanks everyone!!!! 

Steph Schirmer

sschirmer@stampersmall.com