How to do my favourite technique with spray inks

For a long time I have wanted to write a post about using the bottled inks as sprays. But all the time I am finding more ways and it was one of those impossible tasks you set yourself which grows and grows and so you never do it.  Yes I do that a lot!

So today I thought why don't I just show you a couple of techniques that work well together. I know I called this post my favourite technique, but that is a big ask, as I am not sure what is my favourite technique, and like most people it is usually the one I have just learnt or developed. But this set of techniques used together in this way is probably the one I use the most.

There are three steps to this, all of which work on their own or with other techniques.

1. Swipe   2. Spray  3. Spritz

All very easy really, but using them together and in this way is a really great go to way to use the inks.

1. SWIPE

Apply ink to the card/tag and swipe the ink over the whole surface. I use a sponge or a paper towel or a baby wipe...... what ever is close to hand, by preference I guess a sponge.
This puts a light colour over the whole surface of your tag and so gets rid of that "whiteness"

2.  SPRAY

It is important to use plenty of ink but not all at once or you loose the spray effect. Be prepared to spray several times drying in between coat, this is one of those times when we say several light coats in better than one thick coat. The good news is you can speed the drying process with a heat gun or a hair dryer. If I doing lots of pieces of card I lay them out in a clean tray and place that some where warm, Over a radiator in winter outside in the summer.

3. SPRITZ

 This final step adds depth or highlights to your project. For this I use a dark ink is the same colour family as the main ink colour so for reds I use Brazil nut. For blues use Bobby's grey and Denim Jeans. For yellows I might use an orange or a green.
This is when restraint is needed. One or two little sprays off one corner of the project. A light touch is essential so test out the spray on some scrap paper or spare card. Aim your spray off the edge of the card and move onto the project as far as you want to go.

Don't forget to mop up the left over ink on another tag,hopefully you will see that using the range of colours you get more depth,, and that first swipe layer really helps you save ink, if you try spraying to cover all the white it will take a few layers. 

 

As I said this a set of techniques I used the most often.
It gives you depth of colour. Everyone will be different.

Have fun and live your life in full colour!

In these photos I have used the Inks in a Bottle which are ideal for using as spray inks. x