Twinkling H2O's ~ Direct Color to Rubber

From the desk of
Leslie Blackburn Ohnstad
Leslie Ohnstad Twinkling H20s

Direct To Rubber (or DTR) is the technique of applying color on the surface of a rubber stamp with a paintbrush, a sponge tip applicator or whatever tool suits the application.

The DTR technique will breathe life into your artwork with brilliant shimmering colors. Fun for kids of all ages, especially us grown-up kids

Materials

Twinkling H20s ( at least 3 colors)
Fine Mist spray bottle

Paintbrush or sponge tip applicator
Rubber stamp: The best type of stamp for this technique is one of the many botanical style stamps with tight Versus “lined” stamp design you color in.

Fred B. Mullett, Magenta, Hero Arts and Penny Black have great stamps for the Direct To Rubber Technique

A Solid Stamp: would a solid block of rubber like the Pear from “A Stamp in The Hand”
Lined Stamp: A beautiful rose that one could be color in the lines.

The following Videos of Deb Zeleznik at Hobby show is live presentattion of this technique

DEb Zeleznik Direct color to Rubber Twinkling H20s

Begin waking up the Twinkling H20 colors by misting the jars with a spray bottle. Give the water time to soak into colors 10-15 minutes. When you check your pots It will look as if all the water has soaked in .Mist the jars a second time wait a couple more minutes. The paint should begin to soften, then mix into a creamy texture with your paintbrush. (Consistency of honey or pigment ink in a re-inker bottle)

Note: Each time the color is rinsed off the brush squeeze the excess water out keeping the brush dry and paint consistency on your stamp creamy.

Start with a dry stamp and dry paintbrush. Dip your brush into the pot and roll the excess paint off brush. Paint the color across the top of the stamp.Too much paint can fill in the design and create a blob of color when stamped

Easy to use.......

Even out the paint by blotting off excess color. Set stamp down on scratch paper or paper towel. DO NOT PRESS, the weight of the stamp plus gravity will " kiss " off excess color similiar to blotting lipstick.

Once the image is colored, it can now be stamped. activate color with a fine mist bottle. With the stamp image facing up, lightly mist from between 6 to 8 inches away, allowing the mist of water to gently rain on the rubber stamp. Now, turn the stamp over press evenly pressing on all four corners and stamp. Mist again and stamp, mist and stamp repeat for multiple stampings until no more color comes off

The depth of the grooves of the rubber determines the amount of impressions achieved. For example a solid stamp has no grooves therefore might reap you 3-4 impressions. Versus a tightly lined stamp may stamp 8-24 impressions. Some images have reaped up to 32 impression off of one application of color.

Twinkling H2O’s clean easily with water, and wash right off your stamps.

	Step # 1 Begin waking up colors by misting the jars with spray bottle

Step #2 Paint the color across the top of the stamp. Too Much paint can fill in the design and create a blob of color when stamped.

	Step #3 Each time the color is rinsed off the brush squeeze the excess water out keeping the brush dry and the paint consistency creamy on the stamp.

Step #4 Paint second color, applying at least three colors adds interest to your piece.

	Step 5 Apply your 3rd color

Step 6 With the stamp image facing up lightly mist 6 - 8 inches away. Let the mist gently rain on the stamp.

	Step #7 Now, Turn the stamp over and stamp

Step 8 The depths of the grooves of the rubber determine the amount of impressions achieved. This botanical stamp ( big Salai Branch) by Fred B. Mullett will give 12-18 impressions.

	Step 9 Mist again then stamp. Mist and then stamp.

Step 10 Repeat process for multiple stampings till no additional color comes off....