ALL ABOUT STAMPIN’ UP! BLENDING BRUSHES
Stampin’ Up!’s Blending Brushes are such a simple tool to add a WOW factor to your cards! They are easy to use, fun to play and experiment with, and are an absolute must for your craft room.
Today, I’m going to share all about Blending Brushes – how to use them, how to clean them, and several fun techniques you can do with them!
In this card, I used two different techniques that work with Blending Brushes.
The first is the Emboss Resist Technique – heat emboss an image onto Basic White cardstock, add some ink over it with a Blending Brush and wow! That image really stands out! You can see this technique in the daisies from this card.
The second technique I used is the Water Splotch Technique (ok that may be a made up name but I’m sticking with it!) – after using your Blending Brushes, take out your Water Painters and splash some water on your card. It makes for that fun splotchy texture you can see at the top of the card!
Here are a few more card samples that used Blending Brushes:
The first card on the left uses both the Emboss Resist and Water Splotch techniques. The card in the middle uses some basic Blending with the Emboss Resist technique. The final card uses Masks to create a fun background pattern!
BLENDING BRUSH TIPS, TRICKS & FAQS:
CLEANING: To clean your Blending Brush, gently wipe them off on your Simply Shammy. You can also run them under water.
STAMPARATUS: When using Decorative Masks, I recommend using the Stamparatus to hold your Mask in place.
HOW MANY BRUSHES DO I NEED? This is really up to personal preference. If you’d like to have a Blending Brush for each Stampin’ Up! color, great! If not, I currently use 12 Brushes for the following colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Teal, Purple, Pink, Gray, Brown, Light Oranges/Pinks. Use your best judgment on which brush to use with which color.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MINI & FULL SIZE BRUSHES? The Mini ones work great for detailed coloring! It really comes down to the space you need to use a brush on.
Have a question or tip about Blending Brushes? Write it in the comments!
BLENDING BRUSH VIDEO TUTORIAL:
Click here to watch on YouTube
SUPPLIES & STORAGE LINKS:
Do you have a favorite Blending Brush technique? Let me know in the comments!
I notice the set of embossing powder comes with clear. When might you use clear embossing powder?
Great question! I will admit I rarely use the Clear Embossing Powder, but it is great for creating a shiny image. For example, you can stamp an image in whatever color ink you want, then stamp over it with Versamark and use Clear to help it shine!