distress paints tutorial...

there's NO fooling here...

today I have a fun distress paint tutorial to share...

you'll notice that there are 2 step out photos missing...

once again...

I was having so much fun 

that I simply lost my mind...

hey...

it happens...

and the MORE fun I have...

the more it happens...

***note to self...PAY ATTENTION!***

to create the background, 

I applied these distress paints onto my craft sheet...

wild honey

broken china

and a tiny bit of salty ocean...

then misted them with water...

I swiped my specialty stamping paper thru the paints until the paper was covered...

then misted on more water & dried it...

the project base is the art parts rectangle 

from the rectangle frame set...

save the other pieces for another project...

I used Glue N Seal to adhere the 

specialty stamping paper to the art part base...

& used the sanding grip to sand & distress the edges, 

then added a bit of walnut stain distress ink,

 with the blending tool to cover the white paper edges...

it looks like this...

with beautiful blending of the colors, 

in true distress style...

next I inked my script background stamp with 

french ultramarine archival ink, 

stamped over the base & dried it...

***by choosing a lighter archival color, 

I'll be able to add more layers 

without creating a jumbled mess...***

I painted my

clear clicker cutts clearly for art flower 

with wild honey distress paint & dried it...

***I like to dab the paint on...

then tap it with my fingers to spread it around***

when the first paint layer was dry, 

I added a second layer of wild honey...

but this time I let it partially dry...

and then press the UNINKED stamp 

onto the flower to remove some of the paint...

this created a REALLY cool tone on tone effect...

***clean the paint off your stamp before it dries***

here's the flower...

I darkened the photo a bit to better show the detail...

I WILL be doing this again...

it's subtle...but very cool...

now some stenciling with the paints...

I like to use Cut & Dry foam to stencil...

I cut some pieces about 1 inch x 2 inches...

this is a good size to work with...

it's small enough that you can work in small areas...

you can also use both ends for a color...

***this is cool...the paint does not dry stiff or crunchy...

I've been using the same Cut & Dry pieces since we got the paints...***

 I stenciled the first set of leaves 

with peeled paint distress paint  & dried it...

then added more leaves, 

again with the peeled paint distress paint & dried it...

***I used stencil tape to block off part of the leaves, since I only wanted to stencil over the bottom 5 leaves...

***I like the Cut & Dry to be fairly dry...

after I pick up the paint, I like to dab some off, 

so it's not super saturated***

***clean your stencil before the paint dries...***

I placed the stencil back over the leaves...

inked my text stamp with jet black archival & 

pressed the tiny text stamp over the stencil...

I did this over all the leaves...

***to remove the archival ink from the stencil, 

I use cheap Dollar Store rubbing alcohol...

it's quick & easy...

I got a quart size bottle for under $2.00***

***another tip...

when stenciling, make sure not to go over the edge of the stencil***

***and another tip...

I find it easiest to use an UNMOUNTED stamp, when stamping over a stencil...it makes it easier to press in the chosen areas***

you can see below,

 that the stencil also acts as a mask 

to protect the background from the text stamp...

now only the leaves have text on them...

***you'll also see that because the paint is OPAQUE...

 the stenciled leaves cover up the script stamping from the first step...

this really puts the script in the background & 

the leaves out in front***

I used french ultramarine archival on my UNMOUNTED honeycomb background

& pressed it on to random areas of the background...

and then stamped my saying in jet black archival...

one on my MOST FAVORITE uses 

for tim's detail water brush 

is for creating tiny dots with any of the distress stains...

***the distress stains work especially well, because they are very fluid...***

to create the gold dots you see below,

 I applied some tarnished brass distress stain to my craft sheet...

picked it up with the detail water brush & tapped the brush 

sharply against my index finger...

this creates AWESOME tiny dots every time...

that tiny bit of shimmer really adds another nice layer to the background...

***I also use the metallic stains to add an edge to my art...

you'll notice that in the last photo***

next I wanted to jazz up the art parts base, 

so I used black soot paint

 to paint 2 art parts tag toppers...

I like to tap some paint onto the tag toppers, 

then spread the paint with my fingers, 

when painting art parts...

the result is a beautiful MATTE ...

LOVE IT!

now here's where I lost it...& forgot a photo...

I painted an art parts flower with wild honey distress paint, 

I did 2 layers...

when the paint was dry, I stamped my herringbone background over the flower with rusty hinge distress ink & dried it...

below is the assembled flower...

with the art parts flower as the base...

I heated the clicker cutts flower to soften the CFA material 

& shaped the flower...

then glued it to the coordinating art parts flower...

to create the center, I glued this

 black Blossom Bucket scallop circle

to this Blossom Bucket...

OOPS...can't find that link...

the next photo shows all the layers in the background...

it looks very dimensional, but it's completely flat...

so...

this would be a GREAT background technique

for art journal pages...

and here's the finished piece...

with the tag toppers glued to the back of the art parts base...

if you haven't played with these paints yet...

prepare to be amazed...

they are totally UNLIKE any other paints I have used...

a bit of business before I go...

I had several questions/comments about the last post & where to find the stamp I used...

if you click on the blue links in each post,

 you'll be magically transported right to the highlighted product...

that stamp is from the heirloom art set...

I hope this tutorial has inspired YOU to...

grab your distress paints to

make art!

wendy