Ink Blending on Colored Cardstock

Design Team Member Kate here with a tutorial for you cardmakers. Have you tried ink blending on colored cardstock?

I like to watch cardmaking trends, and right now I am seeing lots of layering stencils out there. Don't you always seem to go straight to white cardstock for ink blending? What about using colored cardstock instead?

Today I want to show you that you can use your colored cardstock for ink blending and get beautiful results. To get a cool monochromatic look, choose inks that are close to the color of your cardstock.

Or, for a more vibrant look, opt for a lighter cardstock color and deep rich inks.

Supplies:

• Bazzill Card Shoppe in Marshmallow, Rock Candy, Dark Kraft, Serenity, and Jelly Bean
• Floral Stencil: "Autumn Array" by Tailored Expressions
• Stamps: "Thanks" stamp from Altenew, "Butterflies" stencil, stamp and sentiment by Taylored Expressions, Other Sentiments from Taylored Expressions "Modern Tree"

The best way to master this ink blending technique is just practice. Grab some scraps and test your various inks until you get a feel for what looks best, then create your card base.

Here are my top tips for ink blending on colored cardstock:

• If you use dye inks (like Stampin' Up!, Hero Arts, Memento), the ink will soak into the cardstock. This will alter the color of the ink and the paper.
• Pigment inks (or embossing inks, like Ranger Distress or Oxide Inks) will sit on top of the card stock, take longer to dry, and have a richer, truer color.

• You can use the same ink for all the parts of the stencil, or different shades. The more ink you apply through the stencil, the darker the color you will achieve. You can even get some shading if you let the first layer of ink dry and then apply the same color in the areas you want shaded.
• If you really want your ink colors to pop, ink the stencil in white ink first, allow to dry, then ink your colored ink on top of the dry white ink. This will give you a truer color.

• Both our Bazzill Card Shoppe and Smoothies are great for ink blending. The Card Shoppe line can be used to make the entire card. The Smoothies line will need to be attached to a card base because it is a bit thinner than the Card Shoppe cardstock.
• All inks I used are dye inks except for the silver on gray cardstock and the embossing of the butterfly bodies.

Though this may seem like an expert level cardmaking technique, it's really not. Don't be intimidated. Just practice a bit on scraps until you feel confident. It's such a fun way to make stunning cards with just a few basic supplies. 

And of course you can still opt for creating an inked focal point on white cardstock too! Both techniques result in stunning designs.

-Kate