Polished Stone Technique on Glossy Cardstock using re-inkers

I enjoy creating funky, colorful backgrounds for my ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) and other small pieces of artwork; especially using the Polished Stone on Glossy Cardstock Technique.

One of my favorite things to do with these creations is to overlay the background with a sheet of transparancy film that have either been printed or to rubber stamped with a design. I just really like the look these combined layers give to a finished project.

This ATC Shrine project uses transparancy film that has been rubber stamped with
imagesby Blockheads Rubber Stamps that are overlayed with spray adhesive 

onto glossy carstock to which the Polished Stone technique has been applied.

Polished Stone Technique on Glossy Cardstock using re-inkers.

Creating a Polished Stone background onto white glossy cardstock with re-inkers is an easy technique but it can get a bit messy, so protect your clothing and work surface when you give it a try.  Basically you want to daub and swirl color onto the glossy cardstock in layers adding color and alcohol till you achieve a look that you like.
 

Supplies:

White Glossy Cardstock

91% Isopropyl Alcohol

A small spray bottle filled with the alcohol

Dye Based Rubber Stamp Pad re-inkers 

or Adirondack Alcohol Inks (this is what I used for this project)

a Gold Leafing Pen (optional)

Daubing Tool (mine is by Tim Holtz)

Felt Pads (I cut my own from large felt squares)

Start by dotting several colors of the reinker to the felt pad on your daubing tool.

I have two dots of Stream on the top and bottom of the pad and two dots of Lettuce in between.
 

Next spray the Glossy White Cardstock liberally with alcohol.
 

Daub and swirl the first set of colors onto the glossy cardstock, spraying with more alcohol as needed.
 

Load up a clean felt pad with more colors for added depth.

The top two dots are Wild Plum, the middle two Stream and the last two are Eggplant.

I sprayed alcohol again and daubed and swirled as before.
 

Once I achieved a color combination I was pleased with I dotted on ink from a 

Gold Leafing pen, sprayed on more alcohol and daubed and swirled this into the mix

for added interest.
 

The process of adding the Gold Leafing adds shimmer to the project but it also
softens the existing colors. This step is optional; however this does put the "polish"
in the Polished Stone Effect.  You can also substitute silver or copper leafing pens for the gold.
 

This is how my finished piece of Polished Stone Glossy Cardstock turned out.
 

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An example using a polished stone glossy cardstock background:

 Polished stone background & Transparancy printed with animal print pattern.
 

Transparancy bonded to the polished stone background and cut to 

ATC size of 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches.
 

ATC with additional images over the background.


Every background you create will be unique and there is a large range of possible color combinations. 

4 examples using the same rubber stamp image on different color variations of polished stone backgrounds. The waterfall rubber stamp image is by Third Coast Rubber Stamps and was stamped onto the the backgrounds using Black Staz-On ink.
 

4 examples using the same rubber stamp image on different color variations of polished stone backgrounds. The map rubber stamp image is by Hero Arts and was stamped onto the the backgrounds using Black Staz-On ink.

Grins and Giggles,

 Evelyn (EKDuncan)