Summer of Creative Chemistry Week 2 -- Take 2

As I promised yesterday, I am back with another technique post that was inspired by Tim Holtz's Marbling with Distress Stains technique.  For those of you who joined Tim's Live Chat on Saturday, you might remember the discussion of how he is sometimes asked "Is it possible to (do something with a given product)?" or "What happens if you (try doing a given product)?"  Tim said that often he doesn't know and so he tells people to go try it and find out what happens.  So here is the result of one of my "What if I try this?" moments in the craftroom.

Summer of Creative Chemistry Week 2 -- Take 2 :  Marbling with Distress Stains AND Matte Multi Medium.

I recreated Tim's Marbling with Distress Stains technique except in place of Picket Fence Distress Stain as the "marbling agent", I used Matte Multi Medium.  You don't have the pigmented effect of the marbling, but you get the same striations and marbling pattern.   Here you can see my first attempt with this technique.

This was done on the back of a previous tag where I didn't like the finished background. (You can see so smudges of purple and back here and there if you look carefully).  Thank goodness I didn't put an "X" on the back of this tag like Tim does since this background technique is translucent and not opaque like the marbling with Picket Fence DS.    I used Ripe Persimmon, Abandoned Coral, Mustard Seed and Wild Honey Distress Stains.  The tag is manilla.  I did Tim's marbling technique exactly only with the substitution of Matte Multi Medium for Picket Fence DS (including spritzing the manilla tag with water prior to adding the stains and spritzing the tag after the stains are added to blend the ink.)  I used a heat tool to gently dry the medium and stain mixture.

Immediately, what I loved was the matte finish but the absolute vibrant color you get for the tag background.  The second thing that I love about this technique is what happens when you stamp on it with archival ink.  I stamped Tim's butterfly on it and was floored by the crisp, dark image that appeared.  Then I added some gorgeous flourish stamping around the edges, a masked butterflies and moth stamped image, and a "Here and Now" remnant rub.  Stunning imagery on this really cool background.

The color palette that I tried first had colors that were very close together on the color wheel.  I wanted to try the same process with colors that were apart on the color wheel -- reds and blues.  I was a little timid with the colors, so I didn't go too heavy with the stains and I used a little more water to soften the colors.  You can't use a rag to mop up excess stain on this technique like you can with Tim's original marbling technique.  It really sticks to the gel medium!

So with this attempt, I first used Weathered Wood Distress Ink and inked a light coat over the entire tag with a blending tool.  I put the red stains on one side and the blues on the other when I did the technique in order to try not to get a blob of "purplish" when they mixed.  Again, I spritzed with water before and after ink was added.  I really got a great color distinction with the technique.  I let the blue marble across (horizontally) the red.  It was great!  I used Walnut Stain Distress Ink to grunge around the edges of the tag after I did my patriotic stamping (for the red and blue colors seemed to call for those stamps).

I tried once more.  Same idea only with more intense stain use.  I again used Weathered Wood DI on the tag prior to the technique.  I also grunged the tag edges with Walnut Stain DI prior to the marbling.

Ok this time I marbled the stains left to right.  I got more red than blue and the red just kind of took over.  Oops ... it looks like blood bath.  I was wanting a memorial day type tag for my dad's navy scrapbook but this was just a little over the top :)

So there you have it ... my very own creative chemistry.  Hope you do a little experimenting on your own today!  -- Mary Elizabeth