Be Bold, Be Brilliant!

Have you ever looked at a detailed photo stamp (or almost photo stamp) like this newly released Technique Junkies stamp Country Church - http://techniquejunkies.com/country-church/ -  and thought to yourself, "I like this stamp but it is so detailed it will hard to color in?"  I want to tell you this was EASY-PEASY to color!  You just need to know the right rick!

The first thing you need is a stamp positioner tool -- such as the   MISTI!! http://techniquejunkies.com/misti-most-incredible-stamping-tool-invented/
I laid my card stock in the corner of the MISTI. Then I positioned the stamp where you want it on the card stock.  I closed the lid of the MISTI firmly to be sure the stamp clung to the lid.

Then I inked up the stamp die with Memento Gray Flannel ink, and closed the lid pressing firmly over the back of the stamp. That transferred the image to the card stock.  The lid became my acrylic block handle for my stamp.  Then clean your stamp leaving it ON the lid.  Then ink up the stamp die once more with Versamark ink, close the lid, and once again press firmly on the  lid to transfer the ink to the card stock.  Because I used the MISTI the Versamark  ink is now exactly on the same lines as I first stamped the image in gray!

And now for the magic.  Using a chalk applicator place the chalk color on the image  where you want it.  Because the Versamark is sticky, it holds the chalk in place.  It colors in very quickly!   I did add some blue here and there between the tree branches to add some depth to the sky.  However, even though the Versamark will hold the chalk - the plain areas of  blue sky will not hold the chalk so I needed to use a chalk fixative.   I used  Winsor & Newton Artist's Fixative Spray. Some brands of artist's fixative sprays are very "stinky" - this one is not so bad.   I have no idea which big box store I bought it at, as I have have it a long, long, long time -perhaps over 10 years.

I wanted to add a saying so I chose Be Bold sentiment from the  Technique Junkies stamp set Typewriter Set - http://techniquejunkies.com/typewriter-set/.  It was stamped on Vellum and punched out.  I also punched out a second balloon from red card stock.  I adhered them together using a small Xyron machine.  I added some twine and it is floating in the sky.

Have a great day -- and get inky!

Judy Jackson