Create Beautiful Backgrounds with Acrylic Blocks

Today, Zoe, Violet and myself spent this cold, wet afternoon playing with stamps! We decided to play with a technique called Clear Block Stamping. With this technique you can create beautiful watercolor backgrounds using your acrylic block as a stamp. You can use a single color to create a simple background or use multiple colors to create a blended, watercolor effect. You can use your ink pads or your markers for color.

I had never used this technique, but I have to tell you, it was SO easy! And fun!! The possibilities are endless!!

Here are a few samples that I created.

For this sample, I applied cashmere ink directly to my block and stamped onto a piece of colonial white card stock. After cleaning the block, I mounted my acrylic stamp to the block and using chocolate ink I stamped the image directly onto my background. I used olive ink to stamp my sentiment and viola! Very simple and very beautiful!

For this piece, I used the same technique with canary, sky and cotton candy ink. I began with the lightest color, canary, applying ink directly to the block and stamping. I cleaned the block and repeated using sky and then cotton candy, slightly overlapping at the corners. I then used Thistle ink for my butterfly and sentiment. 

For this little gem, I used canary, goldrush, and cranberry ink. I inked one half with canary and the other half with goldrush. Then using a piece of sponge, I added a touch of cranberry ink and stamped the block onto a piece of colonial white card stock. I then inked my leaf in olive, rolled the edges in chocolate and stamped onto my newly created background. I then stamped my sentiment on a small strip of colonial white, inked my edges in cranberry and using 3D tape, adhered it to my piece. 

These two little gems were done slightly different. I used my ShinHan markers to color the blocks beginning with the lightest color, tender pink, then adding turquoise blue and peony purple (slightly overlapping the colors) . Once colored, I stamped the block onto my card stock. You must clean the block immediately after stamping when using these markers! You do not want any residual ink to dry onto your block! 

In the bottom sample, I sprinkled a bit of water onto my block before stamping. Thus, the slightly different effect. 

For this sample, I used canary, sky and cotton candy inks. I inked up my block and instead of stamping, I decided to swipe (slide) the block along the paper. I started with canary, and then sky, finishing with cotton candy. I slightly overlapped each color. 

And Zoe, became a master! It was a great afternoon spent with my little loves, simply playing with blocks, inks and markers.