Distressed Techniques

Have you always wanted to make your art or paper look old/distressed? Not sure how to create "the look" or not sure how to get started? 

Well here are some great ideas!! 

First, to create that "old" look you can use a brown ink pad. We call this technique "inking" because you are adding ink along the edge (or on top of the paper) to add the look of texture. 

You can add ink in a variety of different ways using a variety of different tools. 

You can use a brown ink pad DIRECTLY onto the paper.. the color is VERY dark and it can be harder to control... but it also depends on the look you are trying to create!! 

You can also use the Tim Holtz Ink Blending Tool. I like to use this one because you can pick up ink OFF of your ink pad and THEN apply the ink onto the side of the paper. This tool is great to use because the ink is not as intense in color AND you have more control of where you put your ink. 

Keep in mind, because the tool is SQUARE, if you get a square impression on your paper, do it in another place on your paper so it *looks intentional* 

The Nuvo Blending Sponges are GREAT for applying inks because the circular tool leaves no awkward shape behind which makes it look much softer and lends to having more control of WHERE to apply your ink.

Check out here with a piece of woodgrain paper how we applied ink softly until the texture comes to life!! 

BUT the BEST tool (at least in my personal opinion) for applying inks are the Picket Fence Blending Brushes. 

They are SO SOFT and because there are SO MANY BRISTLES it makes it so much easier for applying a soft layer of ink onto the surface. 

For example, here I crinkled up some paper then used the Picket Fence Blending Brush (from the large set) to apply a layer of brown ink. When I lightly run my brush across the crinkled paper, the wrinkles become more apparent and look really cool!! (I even crinkled up my paper and smashed it on the ink pad in some areas to create REALLY dark areas of color) 

But just LOOK at how nice this gradation of color is... and it makes it look old REALLY quickly. 

if you have a Home Die-cut Machine, you can run card stock through this Woodgrain Embossing Folder. 

You can use your Picket Fence Blending Brushes to apply 2 colors of Distress Ink onto the paper that has the embossed image in it. I like to use the 2 colors of Distress Ink because the tone-on-tone colors give the paper more interest. 

Depending which shades of brown you use will make the woodgrain image look darker and older or brighter and more fun!

​Notice how in each of these ideas the centers of the woodgrains are darker. I usually coat the whole image with the lighter color FIRST and then go back in with the darker color in the centers of the woodgrain. 

You can also add color to the embossed woodgrain image using Watercolors. I like using the Chisel-tip Waterbrush because then you can use brush-strokes that go up-and-down to follow the same movement of the woodgrain. I tend to spray my watercolors with WATER first, then pick up the color and brush it across the textured paper. I always start with a lighter shade of brown and then move to darker colors. 

On the image below, the black was added LAST by just rubbing the black ink pad along the texture. I love how imperfect it is! It actually looks pretty neat!! 

Ok, now for some FUN ideas!!! 

Check out this idea using crinkled Tissue Paper and PVA! 

On your piece of paper, stamp an image with Versafine Clair ink, Nocturne (or another water-proof ink) and then brush on a little bit of PVA around the image and "scrunch" the Tissue Paper into the PVA. You can add a little more PVA if needed. I applied Tissue Paper around the image on the top and bottom. 

THEN use the Picket Fence Blending Brushes to apply a soft layer of Distress Ink (Walnut Stain and Black Soot is what I used here). I LOVE the look of the inks on the crinkled Tissue Paper... it adds so much texture and dimension.. and it makes it look old!! 

On this one I used the Distress Oxide ink, Peacock Feathers AND the Distress Ink, Black Soot. Showing that YES you can use the 2 kinds of inks together!! (and honestly, I LOVE blending with the Oxide inks!! They are SO VIBRANT!!! ) 

I used one of the Fred B. Mullett Stamps for this card and I LOVE how it turned out!!! I stamped in the Versafine Clair ink, Nocturne because I didn't want my image to bleed or move when I applied a layer of PVA and Oxide inks.. 

Or check out this idea:

• Use 3 colors of Distress Oxide inks (Wild Honey, Lucky Clover, and Wilted Violet) and Distress Ink (Black Soot). Start out by applying some of each of the Oxide Inks to a piece of Solar White card stock. 
• Spray some water to blend the colors together. Use a heat-gun to heat-set the inks.
• Apply a soft layer of Distress Ink, Black Soot using the Picket Fence Blending Brushes
• "Fleck" the paper with water using some water on your fingertips. Don't worry.. it's not meant to be perfect!! Use your heat-gun to heat-set this image again.
• Lastly, use your Picket Fence Blending Brushes to apply another soft layer of Distress ink, Black Soot and watch as those "flecks" of water become darker!! 

THIS IS SO FUN to create!! 

I love the look of a Collage Art Piece with a Distressed Theme...

I used a combination of stamps, Distress Oxide inks, Distress inks, water, and the White Zig pen in this design to add a fun look! I LOVE the vibrancy of these Distress Oxide Inks!!! 

I stamped my Halo Bird image and the circular textured image with Versafine Clair ink, Nocturne because I wanted my images to be waterproof as I added in the brighter Oxide inks and moved them with a spritz of water. 

I LOVE the Halo part of this bird image!! So when I went to create an Ocean-inspired piece I used the SAME HALO but just inked the image without the bird so I could stamp a Lighthouse in the center instead!! 

I LOVE HOW THIS TURNED OUT!!!!! I had so much fun creating this.. I love the pop-of-color with the Distress Oxide inks and the movement that was created from this swirl stamp from Impression Obsession... what a FUN CARD to create!!! 

In this image, the white highlights were created with Bleed-Proof White and the splatter was also created from the same ink 

There are SO MANY WAYS to make your art look distressed!!! These are just a few ideas of ALL THE THINGS you can do!!! 

Time to get out your inks, paints, and tools and start playing!!! 

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