2nd Thursday Tutorial: Masking for Dummies 101

 

Back in May, 2011, I created a post that I never published.  It was all about masking, something I talked about earlier today when I participated in Rain's TAD this week.  Those of you who follow my blog, know I'm not a stamper. If you are a stamper, this post will probably be of no interest to you because this is really rudimentary stamping. Actually, it's masking, a stamping technique I never fully understood until I went to Roni Johnson's Ink Stains. She has the first masking tutorial that makes sense to me. She calls it "collage stamping" and you can see her tutorial here. So of course I had to try it for my Birds in Hats ATC swap. This is my first ever piece of art made entirely using rubber stamps.

I apologize if these are rather blurry, because it was late at night when I did this. And I did this more for ME than anything. At least now, when I want to mask something using rubber stamps, I can refer back to how I do it.  Remember, too, these photos were taken with my old worthless camera.

Supplies clockwise from upper left:

Acrylic blocks for UMs ((unmounted stamps)
Scissors
Scratch paper
Undecorated ATC backs
Sponge
Rubber stamps of your choice
Unmounted rubber (the red rubber stamp has just been treated with Wacky Tac not shown in this photo)
ATCs, cut to size with completed/colored backgrounds using Staz-on reinkers and 91% alcohol
Acrylic block and stamp
Flower petal that is not used in this technique
Various stamping inks


Following Roni's excellent tutorial, stamp your focal image first, using black ink. This is not an intuitive step to me. Seems the first thing to stamp would be the background. But that is not the case.


Stamp your first image, then stamp a second image on a sheet of scratch paper. Note: this was a scratch pad and made an excellent base for cushioning the stamps.


Stamp all focal images, then clean your stamp and return to stamp drawer.


Cut out the image you stamped and apply some kind of repositionable glue to the back. I used Wacky Tac, roll on liquid that dries after a few hours. Well worth the wait. While I had the Wacky Tac out, I did the same to a rubber stamp and a silk flower petal.

Again referring to Roni, cut the mask a tiny bit smaller than the actual image. That way the next stamped image will be against the edge of the focal image.


When your mask is dry, position it over the focal image.


Stamp your second image, once on your card, then again on your scrap paper. Cut out the second (mask) image and apply repositionable glue. Allow glue to dry before preceding.


You should leave your mask in place, but since this was my first masking attempt, I became a little kid and had to see if I did it right.


Once your second mask is dry, place it over the image.


Be sure the first mask is also in place.


Using a different color ink, stamp your next image.


Remove masks and appreciate what you've accomplished.


I thought the hats looked a bit plain and faint, since I used some children's SU ink to stamp the hats. I got out a couple of gel pens and colored them in.


Using the same technique, once again placing the mask over the focal image, I stamped the "perch" the bird sat on.

So when is a piece complete? Well, I should have stopped with this step, which I was very happy with.


Instead I had to take it a step further and possibly ruin the ATCs by adding that silly sentiment. At least I liked the stamping part of it. I know you probably never thought you would hear me say that, but I thought these stamps just fit the swap theme so well. And yes, this is the most stamping I have done in my life! Now why do I think I cheated when I did nothing more than stamping? Was that why I felt compelled to add the sentiment I feel ruined the piece?

Today there is no doubt in anyone's mind who my blog pick of the day is. Yes, it is Ink Stains Roni. Talk about a tutorial, technique, and tip laden blog. You will be there for days, especially if you are a stamper. Of course, Roni, who lives in Indiana in the US, does much more than stamp. She makes altered books, collages, and mixed media art that will blow you away! She is a stamp designer and is on several design teams. She has written a book called "Teach Yourself Visually: Collage and Altered Art." There seems to be no limit to her love of stamping and sharing her knowledge with others. I want to thank her for sharing this masking technique which I will use over and over again.