Handmade Foam Stamps & Printing Plates

This article was written by Martice Smith II

Handmade Foam Stamps & Printing Plates

Supplies to gather:

cardstock or cardboard
dried baby wipes or paper towel
craft foam (with adhesive backing)
glazing medium (DecoArt)
heavy-bodied acrylics
foam brush
brayer
scissors
IrRESISTible Pico Embellisher (optional)

1. Create a printing plate with craft foam.

Cut shapes out of the foam, peel off the paper backing and adhere them to a piece of cardboard (or cardstock) to make a printing plate.

2. Add paint to the printing plate with foam brush.

3. Stamp onto dry baby wipe.

Repeat the design by rotating your printing plate.

Use a brayer for a crisp impression onto the surface. Let dry for one minute.

4. Apply a glaze over the paint.

Mix one part glazing medium to one part of the heavy-bodied acrylic color of your choice. (I applied DecoArt’s Banana Cream -Yellow, mixed with DecoArt’s Glazing Medium

Dip brush into water and then into the glazing mixture.

Apply a generous wash over a section of the baby wipe, using a clean foam brush.

There are many benefits of using acrylic glazes as you build up layers and texture on delicate surfaces. This method is great because it offers a very graphic way of featuring a stamp’s design. Layers of visual texture can be achieved without the bulk and concern of ruining a delicate surface.

Glazing medium allows you to work with the acrylic paint longer and creates layers that are slightly translucent. Although the glazing medium changes the paint color slightly, it’s very cool to see how the paints interact! Experiment with different colors to find your favorite color combos.

5. Add paint to another stamp.

Using a foam brush, apply a mixture of one part glazing medium and another color of paint.

Stamp onto the paper, repeating the image a few times.

Try this! Use the handle end of a paintbrush to add dots, in varying sizes.

6. Add another stamp design.

Mix up a new color with more glaze, apply the mixture with a foam brush and press the stamp onto the painted baby wipe.

Continue layering the background with overstamping to get a look you like.

Try this! For dimensional texture, outline a few of the shapes with an IrRESISTible Pico Embellisher (Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko).

Happy stamping! Be sure to share a link to your creation, down in the comment section!

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Martice Smith II is creative director of Martice Smith II – Illustration & Design Studio, based in Missouri and owner of Uneek Art Boutique. She established herself as a freelance Illustrator and graphic designer after receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree. Specializing in mixed-media illustrations, Martice’s love for fashion, typography and wildlife are infused with a combination of traditional and digital art techniques.

Be sure to join the Uneek Art Letter, -Martice’s monthly newsletter- that offers art biz tips, advice and more digital goodness that will keep you inspired to be the artist you envision yourself to be!

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Filed Under: Review Tagged With: acrylics, irresistible Pico Embellisher, painting, stamping, texture

Mixed Media Art in the Round

By MMA Team Leave a Comment

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This article is written by Melanie Statnick

One of the things I like most about creating mixed media art is the numerous amount of different surfaces you can use to paint or alter. I thought the embroidery hoop was a fantastic idea and it steps away from the average square shape of the canvas.

Using a loose sheet of canvas fabric that can be found in most craft stores, I found this in with the scrapbook paper. Trace the inside hoop using a pencil. Gesso the inside of the circle and dry well. Paint shapes with acrylic paint, here I used Distress paint dabber, and I stamped images with Stazon ink pad.

Pick your favorite stencil and stencil in images and/or write words. Because your surface is primed with gesso you can accomplish the same effects as you would on a regular square canvas.

Dry well and spray with a matt finish. Flip your artwork over to the back side match the gesso circle you made. Push smaller hoop through the inside. Cut remaining fabric off.

You can see more about this Julie Fei-Fan Balzer’s Weekly Circles stencil here

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Melanie Statnick is a published artist/writer out of North Carolina. Melanie creates art daily from her private studio. Her style is illustrative and whimsy. Melanie’s artwork can be found in art galleries and shops extensively in NC with international private collections. Learn more about Melanie view her website at: www.melaniestatnickart.com

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Filed Under: Mixed Media Art Tagged With: embroidery hoop, gesso, Mixed Media, stamping, stencil, Weekly Circles

Handmade Greeting Card

By MMA Team Leave a Comment

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This article is written by Melanie Statnick

Greeting cards are so fun and quick to make. My mum and I would send cards to each other all the time. I really want to get in the habit of snail mail again. I love to send gifts, happy mail, post cards and handmade cards.

I hand folded 140lbs cold press watercolor paper into a card shape. Opened to lay card flat and spray with orange and pink Dylusions ink spray. These are my favorites. Air dry or dry with heat gun. Cut pink card stock paper to smaller size to center in the front of the card and glue. Stamp all four sides of card stock. Stamp image of 2” art squares. Glue squares to cardstock.

Stamp your greeting on top and bottom of watercolor card. Using Pitt Pen Big Brush Markers color in the stamped images. Add Stickles in your favorite colors and washi tape to the edge.

*stamp can be found at Rubbermoon.com

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Author bio: Melanie Statnick is a published artist/writer out of North Carolina. Melanie creates art daily from her private studio. Her style is happy and whimsy. Statnick’s artwork can be found in art galleries and shops extensively in NC with international private collections. Learn more about Melanie view her website at: www.melaniestatnickart.com

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Filed Under: Greeting Cards Tagged With: greeting cards, ink spray, stamping, watercolor

Radiant Neon Ink with Delicata Ink

By MMA Team Leave a Comment

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This article was written by Melanie Statnick

Radiant Neon ink pads, created by Imagine Crafts, are bright, bold and juicy. They are also opaque ink and fade resistant and can be embossed.

I created a few cards with them on white and black card stock to show how the neon ink affects different backgrounds. Personally I’m a fan of the neon on the white the best.

Radiant Neon ink colors can be blended together. I wanted to see how brilliant the silver looks of the Delicata ink pad. I used some chip board pieces and added the radiant neon ink in my favorite colors and then blended the silver ink over top. Do this while they are wet. You can use the delicate ink alone and let this ink air dry for best results.

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Melanie Statnick is a published artist/writer out of North Carolina and you can see more of her work on her website at www.melaniestatnickart.com

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Disclosure: These products have been provided by Imagine Crafts, for the purpose of review. All opinions are that of the MixedMediaArt team.
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Filed Under: Review Tagged With: card making, delicate ink, handmade greeting cards, Imagine crafts, radiant neon ink, stamping