Difference between revisions of "Embossing paste"
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| − | Embossing paste (or texture paste) is a medium that comes in a jar. It is spreadable and will harden when it dries. It is mainly used with stencils, but can also be used straight onto the paper for a more distressed look. | + | Embossing paste (or texture paste, modeling paste) is a medium that comes in a jar. It is spreadable and will harden when it dries. It is mainly used with [[stencils]], but can also be used straight onto the paper for a more distressed look. |
Embossing paste is available in white, black, or transparent and can have a glossy or matte finish, a grainy texture or smooth, with or without glitters … | Embossing paste is available in white, black, or transparent and can have a glossy or matte finish, a grainy texture or smooth, with or without glitters … | ||
== How to apply embossing paste == | == How to apply embossing paste == | ||
| − | # Place a stencil onto your paper. (Tape down the stencil with some tape, hold it down with magnets or apply some low tack adhesive spray on the back to prevent it from sliding around. If it's a small design, you can also just hold it in place with your hand.) | + | # Place a [[stencil]] onto your paper. (Tape down the stencil with some [[low tack tape]], hold it down with magnets, or apply some [[low tack adhesive spray]] on the back to prevent it from sliding around. If it's a small design, you can also just hold it in place with your hand.) |
| − | # Using a palette knife, take some embossing paste out of the jar | + | # Using a palette knife, take some embossing paste out of the jar. |
# Put some paste on top of the stencil, and while holding the palette knife at an angle, scrape the embossing paste through the stencil. Depending on how much you scrape off (and how thick your stencil is), the result might be a thicker or thinner layer of paste. | # Put some paste on top of the stencil, and while holding the palette knife at an angle, scrape the embossing paste through the stencil. Depending on how much you scrape off (and how thick your stencil is), the result might be a thicker or thinner layer of paste. | ||
# Put the scraped off paste back into the jar, assuming it's not contaminated with glitter, colored paste or some other mediums | # Put the scraped off paste back into the jar, assuming it's not contaminated with glitter, colored paste or some other mediums | ||
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# Carefully remove the stencil | # Carefully remove the stencil | ||
# If you're not planning on cutting down your piece of paper, you might want to run your finger over the sides of the paper at this point, when the paste is still wet. | # If you're not planning on cutting down your piece of paper, you might want to run your finger over the sides of the paper at this point, when the paste is still wet. | ||
| − | # Clean palette knife and stencil right away with water. Alternatively, have a dish or tray with some water nearby, so you can | + | # Clean palette knife and stencil right away with water. Alternatively, have a dish or tray with some water nearby, so you can soak your stencil in water as soon as you've removed it from your project. This will prevent the paste from drying onto your stencil, which is something you do not want to happen since it will be very hard if not impossible to remove the dried and hardened paste. |
# Let your project dry completely. The drying time varies depending on the type of paste used, the humidity, temperature … Some pastes will change their color when dried completely. Transparent pastes are usually white when liquid, but will turn transparent when dry. | # Let your project dry completely. The drying time varies depending on the type of paste used, the humidity, temperature … Some pastes will change their color when dried completely. Transparent pastes are usually white when liquid, but will turn transparent when dry. | ||
Some pastes can be dried with a heat gun, others will start to bubble up a bit. If that's the look you're going for, using a [[heat tool]] is an option. | Some pastes can be dried with a heat gun, others will start to bubble up a bit. If that's the look you're going for, using a [[heat tool]] is an option. | ||
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== Things to add to your embossing paste == | == Things to add to your embossing paste == | ||
To get more out of your supplies, you can add things to your embossing paste for different results and effects: | To get more out of your supplies, you can add things to your embossing paste for different results and effects: | ||
| − | * [[Pigment powders|pigment powder]]: Mix in different quantities or different colors to create gradient effects. | + | * [[Pigment powders|pigment powder]] or [[Stamping ink|reinkers]]: Mix in different quantities or different colors to create gradient effects. |
| − | * [[glitter]] | + | * [[glitter]] (which can either be added before applying the paste to the paper, or can be sprinkled over the applied but still wet paste) |
Keep in mind to: | Keep in mind to: | ||
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If you want to add [[Heat embossing|embossing powder]] to your paste, you can do that after you've applied the paste to your paper. Pour the [[Heat embossing|embossing powder]] over the wet project, let it dry, and then melt the powder with your [[heat tool]]. | If you want to add [[Heat embossing|embossing powder]] to your paste, you can do that after you've applied the paste to your paper. Pour the [[Heat embossing|embossing powder]] over the wet project, let it dry, and then melt the powder with your [[heat tool]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Tools to apply embossing paste == | ||
| + | * '''palette knife''': thin and long, so easy to take paste out of the jar (and put it back) and covers a big surface of your paper when scraping the paste through a stencil. Palette knives are available in hard or soft plastic, or metal. | ||
| + | * hard, plastic '''dough scraper''' (or sold for arts and crafts under the name "stencil pal"): you can't use it to take the paste out of the jar, but the large size gives a more even result when scraping over a stencil. | ||
| + | * '''silicone spatulas''': give a smoother result, but might be a bit too flexible on stencils with big holes and thus might scrape off too much of the paste. You can use the ones meant for crafters (sold as "media spatulas") or use the ones that are made for the kitchen, which are often wider. | ||
| + | * '''bank or gift card''': is a good alternative to a big dough scraper. | ||
Revision as of 19:43, 14 July 2020
Embossing paste (or texture paste, modeling paste) is a medium that comes in a jar. It is spreadable and will harden when it dries. It is mainly used with stencils, but can also be used straight onto the paper for a more distressed look.
Embossing paste is available in white, black, or transparent and can have a glossy or matte finish, a grainy texture or smooth, with or without glitters …
How to apply embossing paste
- Place a stencil onto your paper. (Tape down the stencil with some low tack tape, hold it down with magnets, or apply some low tack adhesive spray on the back to prevent it from sliding around. If it's a small design, you can also just hold it in place with your hand.)
- Using a palette knife, take some embossing paste out of the jar.
- Put some paste on top of the stencil, and while holding the palette knife at an angle, scrape the embossing paste through the stencil. Depending on how much you scrape off (and how thick your stencil is), the result might be a thicker or thinner layer of paste.
- Put the scraped off paste back into the jar, assuming it's not contaminated with glitter, colored paste or some other mediums
- Close the jar. Putting a piece of cling wrap or tacky plastic wrap might prevent your paste from drying out faster, although not using plastic does not guarantee your paste will dry out.
- Carefully remove the stencil
- If you're not planning on cutting down your piece of paper, you might want to run your finger over the sides of the paper at this point, when the paste is still wet.
- Clean palette knife and stencil right away with water. Alternatively, have a dish or tray with some water nearby, so you can soak your stencil in water as soon as you've removed it from your project. This will prevent the paste from drying onto your stencil, which is something you do not want to happen since it will be very hard if not impossible to remove the dried and hardened paste.
- Let your project dry completely. The drying time varies depending on the type of paste used, the humidity, temperature … Some pastes will change their color when dried completely. Transparent pastes are usually white when liquid, but will turn transparent when dry.
Some pastes can be dried with a heat gun, others will start to bubble up a bit. If that's the look you're going for, using a heat tool is an option.
Things to add to your embossing paste
To get more out of your supplies, you can add things to your embossing paste for different results and effects:
- pigment powder or reinkers: Mix in different quantities or different colors to create gradient effects.
- glitter (which can either be added before applying the paste to the paper, or can be sprinkled over the applied but still wet paste)
Keep in mind to:
- Mix the additives into one or more different piles before applying it to your project
- Clean off your palette knife in between mixing and applying to not contaminate the different piles
- Don't add embossing paste back into the jar if you've added something to it, as to not contaminate the whole jar
If you want to add embossing powder to your paste, you can do that after you've applied the paste to your paper. Pour the embossing powder over the wet project, let it dry, and then melt the powder with your heat tool.
Tools to apply embossing paste
- palette knife: thin and long, so easy to take paste out of the jar (and put it back) and covers a big surface of your paper when scraping the paste through a stencil. Palette knives are available in hard or soft plastic, or metal.
- hard, plastic dough scraper (or sold for arts and crafts under the name "stencil pal"): you can't use it to take the paste out of the jar, but the large size gives a more even result when scraping over a stencil.
- silicone spatulas: give a smoother result, but might be a bit too flexible on stencils with big holes and thus might scrape off too much of the paste. You can use the ones meant for crafters (sold as "media spatulas") or use the ones that are made for the kitchen, which are often wider.
- bank or gift card: is a good alternative to a big dough scraper.
