I have been recently playing with different ink pads and dyes and I though why not make a post where I explain in easy and simple way what colours to use when it comes making the cardstock flowers. When colouring white stock although it is very important what paper is being used, I like to use the smooth surface papers as they help in blending the colours ,it is very important to use the right colour ink pads/ inks. I will compare between using Distress oxide and ink pads by Rangers.
Distress oxides and Distress inks comes in 3 x 3 ” pads and also in 1 ” square mini pads. They come with very firm felt pads and are very good surface for the stamps/brushes to soak in. Distress oxides are Pigment based ( they do have some dyes too) while the Distress Inks is a dye based ink. It is usually thinner and liquid in their texture. Pigments are opaque / solid and they stay usually on the surface and do not soak in the surface( paper) while the distress inks are liquid and they soak deep in the paper making it less easy to blend if your craft requires a blending technique. Dyes are usually translucent and they do not show easily on the black cardstock however the Pigment based are opaque and they are solid , appears on black cardstock .
Blending: Easier with pigment based as compared to Dye based
Pigment inks like Distress inks takes more time to dry as compared to oxides.
Distress oxides are reactive to water and oxidizes when touches water so make sure your surface is water free when you are working with oxides and making your flowers or even blending on white cardstock
I have used the water-splash technique while making the realistic leaf on the video and it gives a wonderful distressed look.I used green cardstock and cut the leaf template. Then I used moss colour distress oxide to colour and blend the leaf. Let it sit for a while and then some splash of water will create the realistic looks on the leaf.
