Using Embossing Paste with Brass Stencils
This technique has a sharper edge to it than either dry or heat embossing as you can see and, from the close ups. In this card above I have sprinkled glitter into the wet paste with the stencil still on, then lifted off the stencil. You can lift it off first, but you get a MUCH sharper image if you leave it on.
You can also be stencil with colour. This card was stipples with the colours over the stencil , then clear paste used to give an almost "Indian sand painted" look to it.
Pots of paste cost about £8 - but it does seem to go a long way. You can get it in loads of colours, but I think the clear / translucent is the most useful as you can always add colour under or over it; and the plain translucent is stunning by its self over dark cards.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. When using embossing paste on the brass stencils, you need to work quickly, because the paste sets up in 20-40 minutes and you don't want it to dry into the fine bridgework of the brass stencils.
2. Make sure you are working on a hard flat surface and the stencil needs to be flat against the surface, because, if it is bent, the paste will pull under the bridges and smear.
3. Tape out the edges well with removable tape.
4. Pick up the paste on the bottom of a metal / plastic palette knife and smooth over the stencil's cut out areas as if applying icing to a cake. Now the paste on the stencil is about 1/8"- 1/4" thick. At this point, scrape off the excess paste until all the holes are filled evenly and the stencil surface is smooth. Try to do this in one (or as few) swift, gentle movement so that you do not push the paste under the stencil
5. Immediately take off the tape and pick up the stencil from the paper-lifting it off in a straight up manner as much as possible. It is important to clean the stencil off immediately, so drop it into a pan of water until you have time to scrub it with a vegetable or nail brush. If there is a film or residue of paste on the stencil, use a rubber stamp cleaner that removes permanent inks. Apply it generously and scrub with a dry paper towel.
6. Set aside the paste project for 20-40 minutes and, when dry, put the cleaned stencil back in place and stencil with a variety of mediums.
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