Techniques

Stamp Technique

Watercolour pencils, aqua painter, pastels, and markers
Once your stamped image has dried on the paper, use water colours, aqua painter, pastels and/or markers to add colour and passe. Stamp with waterproof ink if you are going to colour the image in later with watercolour pencils or the aqua painter.

Embossing
Embossing is a technique used to raise an image above the printing surface. While there are many embossing effects, the most commonly used technique for stamp work is called thermal (heat) embossing. Thermal embossing requires an embossing agent, usually a powder, which is heated with an embossing gun that blows very hot air out of a pointed nozzle.
To emboss:
1) Stamp your image onto the surface using embossing or pigment ink. (Watercolors or colour markers won't work.)
2) Sprinkle embossing powder over the inked image, covering it completely while the ink is still damp.
3) Shake off the excess embossing powder and save it for later.
4) Turn on your embossing gun, let it heat up for a few seconds, and hold it a few inches above the powdered image until you see it melt. To avoid burning your fingers hold the cardstock you are embossing with a clothes pin.

When finished, your stamped image will have a raised, dimensional surface.

Masking Basic

Masking allows you to stamp several images over each other without marring the previously stamped images. The process is simple, but the resulting illustration can be amazingly detailed.

1) Stamp the image you want to appear in the foreground of your illustration. Stamp that same image on another piece of paper.
2) Cut out this stamped image just inside the outer lines.
3) Place this "mask" over the original stamped image on your project.
4) Select your background stamp image, then ink and stamp over this masked image.
5) Use a "stampamagig" to position your stamped images.

You need't worry about ruining the foreground image because it is covered with your mask.

Colour Spritzer Tool
This is a tool that produces a type of airbrush effect. Lock the colour marker of your choice into the spritzer holder. Be sure to use a new, well-inked colour marker for the best results. With a quick squeeze, pump the bulb of the spritzer. Air is forced through the tip of the marker, blowing out a mist of color.

Wheels (Standard and Jumbo)
A wheel is like a small paint roller. Depending on how you ink the wheel, you can achieve varying results including a wash of colour, borders, edges, repetitive patterns, and more. Simply roll the wheel over your ink pad, using a roll-and-lift motion. (A back-and-forth motion will ink the same spot on the wheel). Roll the wheel onto your project as desired. Ink specific areas, lines, or patterns on the wheel with colour markers, too.

Layering
Stampers can achieve dimension in their projects by stamping an image, cutting it out and then layering it on top of their work using a "dimensional" of foam tape or accordion-folded paper strips to raise the image from the background.