Tuesday 29 June 2010

Using distress inks with Computer printed digi images


I've had several people ask me how I manage to use distress inks with computer printed digi images. I've emailed a few but decided it would be easier to do a tutorial.

There are several things you can do to prevent the computer ink from running.
  1. Print out your image on draft, or quick copy as it is on my computer.
  2. If you forget, as I frequently do, you can run it under the tap and sluice off all the excess ink, pat it dry with a kitchen towel and leave to dry for a little while.
  3. You can heat set the ink with a heat gun
  4. You can also print your images in advance and leave them a few days for the ink to set. Not a good idea if you are impatient like me.

I printed out three images, two on normal print - one on draft/quick print. This photograph is one of each.
The left is the normal print, the right the quick print which is marginally lighter. Of the two normal print images, one I will heat set, the other I will 'wash'


This is the normal print when water or pale colour is added - the ink runs and I presume this is what you're all experiencing.


You can just about see the ink sluicing away when it is run under the tap 


I pat it dry with a piece of kitchen towel and normally leave it to dry for a couple of hours. For the sake of this tutorial I didn't wait and it wasn't completely dry.


I started adding colour to the images to give you a comparison. I tried to colour the three images simultaneously using the same colour depth, difficult as it is so hot the ink was drying as soon as it hit the paper.
  1. The left image is the one that I heat set with a heat gun, I think the colours are muddier that the other two.
  2. The middle image is the one that I 'washed' slight buckling here as I didn't leave it to dry long enough.
  3. The third image is the quick/draft print one.You lose some of the line definitions when you start colouring but regain these as you start to add more depth of colour.
I would normally use a thicker watercolour paper (Fabriano Classico 5 - 300g/m or 140lb) than I have here but I'm desperately waiting for more to arrive.
Ideally to print the images well in advance is perhaps the best method, other than that try out all of these three and see which suits you the most.

Hope you find this useful and I have also been asked to do a complete tutorial on colouring with distress inks which I shall do using this same image, although I'm pretty sure there are better tutorials out in blogland than I will produce.
Photobucket

19 comments:

Christine said...

Hi Heather many thanks for the tute..glad I wasnt the only one bothering you for info..thought I was reading it wrong when you said "wash" the mage..LOL looking forward to your video tute..meanwhile I,ll go have a wash...ha ha

Hugs Christine xx

Unknown said...

Thanks for that Heather, it was putting me off using the DI, but will give this a go to see which is best.
Christine x

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for showing us this! Have been wondering how i could do something like this! :D Thanks again!

Carina

France Ringuette said...

Heather, thanks for the tutorial, I,ve not tried this type of coloring, but it does give really great results... I'm curious as what is used to take the ink from the pad and used to give the colored effect.. Paper pens?

Wilma said...

Hi Heather - would never have thought of runnning it under a tap - would have thought that would have ruined it completely - shows what I know eh?! I have never used distress unks and i await your tutotial - so get a move on! Thanks for this one - most interrrrresting! :) xx

Laura (Faerielore) said...

hey hun thank for this i always struggle with my digis as I use watercolour pencils to colour my images, I use the hairpray method, you spray the image with hairspray and let it dry them you can watercolour, 9 times of of 10 this works for me but then i dont used digis very often as i struggle with the colouring.

Moni said...

Hi hun, thank you for the tutorial. Hugs,moni

Karen said...

I love that style. I haven't got any distress inks could I do it with versa teardrops or squares ?

Love Karen x

Janine said...

Thanks very much for your tutorial Heather. Cann't wait to see your colouring tutorial. I am new to distress ink and copic colouring.I'm learning so much from talented people like yourself - and loving every minute ! Thanks.

Sue said...

Hi Hun
thanks for that tutorial brill, i couldnt remember if i had printed on a digi image asked gr about the ink.
Look forward to ya colouring one, have you finished it yet!!!! lol. sue,x

Sarah A said...

Great tutorial! I guess it is really trial and error too so it is really helpful to have this fab pointers from you!

Thank you

Sarah x

celia said...

Hartelijke dank voor deze workshop!Zo hoeven we de digi's niet alleen met copic's te kleuren!;-)
Liefs,Celia.

Georgia said...

Thanks for sharing this Heather, I love the effect, that would look fabulous on a card! :) Love, Georgia xx

Julie said...

Great tips, Heather - would never have thought to wash them before using!!! LOL!! Wonderful images too, so love your two cards using them!! Juliexxx

Only By His Grace said...

Thanks heaps Heather. I will definately give this a go.
hugs Marion

Julie said...

Very informative Heather, thanks for sharing, would never have thought of washing the image.

Danielle Daws said...

THANKYOU!! I've been searching the net for ages trying to find something about this! I watercolour my images and find digi-stamps really frustrating. But I'll try your suggestions - thanks!

And just so you know, of the tutorial type posts that I've seen on your blog (I only 'discovered' you today!), the way you explain things is right up there with the best blog tutorials I've seen. Off to find more gems on your blog!

Lori aka Lo Lo said...

I'm having this prob with my laser printer. I will try out your tips. TFS! Do you use hot pressed or cold pressed watercolour paper? Do you print with an inkjet or laser printer?

xoxo,
Lori

Sonia said...

Today i found this blog... Great Tutorial! Thanks for sharing. I will put your link in my blog. Now i'm your follower. :-)

**Sony**
Sonia-Studio60

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...