Dreamweaver Stencils

Tuesday Tutorial – Dreamweaver Embossing Paste

Hello everyone! Thanks for dropping by for another Tuesday Tutorial.

Today I am going to show you another really cool technique that you can do with your Dreamweaver Stencils – Paste Embossing. It is so much fun and you can create fabulous effects. When I first learned how to do this technique I was totally blown away by how versatile and easy it was.

Today I want to tell you a little about the embossing pastes and then show you step-by-step how to paste emboss. It’s important to understand the difference between the Dreamweaver embossing pastes so that you get the result that you want on your projects as each paste has different properties and applications that it works best on.

So…here we go!

Dreamweaver Regular Embossing Paste:

Regular embossing paste is an opaque, 100% acrylic medium that is acid free. It dries to a matte finish and can be colored with chalks and pigment inks when dry or pigments can be mixed into it before it is applied to the stencil. It is very porous so it will absorb color easily. Another option is to add glitter on top of the paste when it is still wet. A thin application of this paste will dry in about 15 minutes whereas a thicker application will take 30 minutes or more.

(Regular embossing paste is also available in colors and both a matte & glossy finish).

Dreamweaver Translucent Embossing Paste :

Dreamweaver Translucent Embossing Paste dries clear and smooth. It is a 100% acrylic medium that is acid free. This paste is nonporous, dries very slowly and has a very glossy finish. You can use it on dark colored papers to give your image an embossed, watermark look or you can stencil your image with inks to add color (on light colored papers) and then apply the paste to enhance the colors. Because the paste is transparent you can also mix color into it by adding pigment powders.

Here are some samples showing Translucent Embossing Paste on dark paper and over an inked background.

Dreamweaver Metallic Embossing Paste :

It isn’t always easy to find metallic pigments or paints to mix into paste and it’s hard to know how much to use to really make the paste shimmer. With the Dreamweaver Metallic Silver, Gold or Copper Embossing Paste you get just the right amount of shine. This paste uses the Translucent Embossing Paste as it’s base so it will dry more slowly. Metallic pigments have been mixed in so that you achieve opaque coverage with an even metallic finish. It’s easy to create dramatic effects on both light and dark papers. The samples here show how beautiful these pastes look on dark papers.

Dreamweaver Crackle Embossing Paste :

This unique paste creates a crackled, aged look when applied over a dry base coat of Matte Black paste. Add color to the crackled paste by sprinkling with mica powders or glitter while wet or stenciling with color when dry.Because it is a 2-step process extra drying time is needed.

So now that you know a little bit about the embossing pastes, let’s get started paste embossing!

You are going to need a few supplies – a Dreamweaver stencil, embossing paste of your choice, Scotch Removable Tape, a palette knife, cardstock or watercolor paper and a pan of water with a little bit of dish soap in it for cleaning your stencil.

The general techniques for applying Embossing Pastes are the same but you will want to use a lighter touch when working with the Translucent Embossing Paste as the consistency of this paste is very smooth. Always remove your stencil as quickly as possible as both types of paste become tacky fairly quickly and if they remain on the stencil too long they may adhere to the brass or stainless and tear the paper when you remove the stencil. Have a container of warm, soapy water handy to put your stencils into if you are not able to wash the paste from them right away.

Step 1 :

Before you apply your embossing paste the stencil should be securely fastened to the paper with a border of removable tape. This special tape will not tear the paper when it is removed later and is well worth having on hand. Position your stencil onto your paper where you would like your image to appear and then apply the first piece of tape (referred to as the “hinge”). It is important to remember to leave this piece of tape on until the very end of the paste embossing process. If you always place your first piece of tape at the top of the stencil, you will alway know which piece of tape went down first and should be removed last.

Make sure the hinge piece and all the other pieces of tape extend at least a half inch past the edge of the stencil. Now tape down the sides and then the bottom making sure that each piece tape overlaps. The taping process is very important because it keeps your stencil flat against the paper and protects the outside edges from any excess paste that may slide off.

Step 2 :

Work quickly when applying the paste. The paper starts absorbing the moisture from the paste right away and if you spend too much time applying the paste the paper will warp and pull away from the stencil which will allow paste to seep underneath.

Pick up the paste on one edge of your palette knife as if you were picking up icing for a cake. Smooth the paste over the stencil area in one gentle motion keeping the knife blade at an angle. The paste will probably be about 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick on the stencil. Run your knife over the surface again and remove any excess paste and make sure that all the areas are filled. This should result in a smooth, even application. Try not to overwork the paste.

Step 3 :

Quickly remove the tape from the bottom and then the sides. Leave the top, “hinge” tape in place. Now, pull up against the hinged tape so that the stencil is not pulled through the wet paste.

Set your paste image aside to dry. Don’t be surprised if your paper warps, it will flatten out when your paper dries.

Immediately place the dirty stencil in a pan of water and mild detergent and clean it. If necessary use a soft scrub brush or old toothbrush to remove excess paste. Dry with a soft cloth. If there is any residue on the stencil you may be able to remove it with rubbing alcohol.

Adding Color to Embossing Pastes :

There are several ways to add color to your embossing paste projects, some when the paste is wet and others after it has dried. Here are a few suggestions :

Sprinkle glitter onto the wet paste after removing the stencil. Tap off the excess and let dry.
If you are using Regular Embossing Paste you can add color with chalks or pigment inks after the paste has dried by repositioning the stencil over top and applying color with stencil brushes.
Metallic and pigment powders (like Pearl Ex) can be added to both the Regular and Translucent Pastes to create an unlimited number of beautiful colors and effects.

These are just a few of the ways that you can add color to your stenciled images. If you would like more information or ideas you may want to get the Dreamweaver’s book – New Dimensions In Cardmaking – Using Embossing Pastes with Metal Stencils. It’s a great reference book and has a gallery of card samples that is sure to inspire you.

We have added lots of samples to our Gallery in a special album using Dreamweaver stencils so be sure to check them out. I hope they inspire you and you give this wonderful technique a try.

Happy crafting!

Tuesday Tutorial – Dreamweaver Embossing Paste Read More »

Categories: Dreamweaver Stencils, Tuesday Tutorials

Tags: Dreamweaver Stencils, embossing paste, Techniques, Tuesday Tutorials

How to use Dreamweaver Crackle Embossing Paste

5 Comments 26 May Raya

Hi everyone! Kate here. I’m very excited to be sharing this tutorial with you today and can’t wait to show you how fantastic this technique is and how easy it is to create stunning images for your cards, scrapbook pages and altered projects. I’m going to be using Dreamweaver Stencils, Matte Black Embossing Paste, their new Crackle Embossing Paste and Versamagic Chalk inks as well as some basic supplies to show you how to create an aged, crackled image that has depth and dimension. This is a three step process so let’s get started…

The first thing you need to do is gather your supplies and prepare your work surface. You are going to need:

a plastic work surface to protect your table (I use a clear desk mat from Ikea)
a small tub of warm, soapy water and a soft cleaning brush
blue painters tape (NOT masking tape – that’s too sticky and will rip your paper when you remove it) or Scotch Removable Tape
paper towels
Dreamweaver Offset Pallette Knife
1/4″ & 1/8″ Dreamweaver Stencil Brushes
watercolour paper or Stardream cardstock
Dreamweaver Matte Black & Crackle Embossing Pastes
Dreamweaver stencils
a variety of Tsukineko VersaMagic Chalk Inks in colours that are suitable for your image

Cut a piece of watercolour paper or Stardream cardstock that is big enough for your design with at least a 1/2 inch border on all sides. I recommend watercolour paper or a heavy cardstock like Stardream because there is a lot of moisture in the embossing paste so if you were to use a light weight paper it will warp when you put the paste on it and then the paste can seep under the stencil.

Lay your paper onto your plastic mat and apply your first strip of tape so that you cover the top edge of your stencil and the top of the watercolour paper. Be careful not to cover any of the image that you are going to be embossing. This first piece of tape is called a ‘hinge’ and is very important later on when you are removing the stencil.

Put tape on both sides of the stencil and then the bottom. Your stencil will now be held firmly in place and the edges of your paper are protected.

Now the real fun begins! Using your Offset Palette knife give the black embossing paste a little stir and then scoop up a generous amount on the bottom of the knife.

Keeping the knife at a 45 degree angle gently run it over the stencil so that you get paste into all the open areas. If you need more paste just pick up more from the jar and keep spreading it until the stencil is completely covered. It’s just like icing a cake but there are a couple of things that you want to remember. First, don’t put on too much paste and second, avoid overworking the paste as this will cause it to seep under the edges of the stencil.

So that you have a nice, smooth surface to put the crackle paste onto you now need to gently run the edge of your pallette knife over the whole surface to remove any excess paste (you can put it back into the jar). Be careful not to make any lines or remove any of the paste from the image – just smooth out the surface. IMPORTANT – remove any paste from your pallette knife right away with paper towels or by washing in the tub of soapy water and drying your knife. Your pasted image should look something like this…

Remove the tape from the bottom and sides of the stencil and then gently lift up on the bottom of the stencil towards the hinge, holding the paper down. Remove the stencil and the last piece of tape carefully. Wash off the black embossing paste in your tub of soapy water or place your stencil in there to soak.

The black paste will take anywhere from a half hour to an hour to dry before you can do the next step. To check if it’s dry just touch it and it should feel firm and none of the paste should come off on your finger. If it feels at all damp just give it a few more minutes.

Once the black embossing paste is completely dry reposition your stencil over your image making sure to line it up exactly. This is very important. If you are not lined up correctly the crackle paste will leak around the stencil. Tape the stencil down using the same method and order as shown above. Apply a thin layer of the crackle paste over the black paste being careful not to overwork it. A thin coat will give you fine crackle and a thicker coat will give bigger crackle. This paste takes 1 -2 hours minimum to dry and crack but a thicker coat will sometimes take even longer than that. I actually like to do this step and then leave my project overnight.

When your crackle paste is dry it will be white, have a matte finish and fine lines going through it. The black paste underneath is what makes the cracks more visible so you always want to use a colour of paste under your crackle paste that will give you a lot of contrast.

The crackle paste has a somewhat porous surface when it is dry that is perfect for applying and blending pigment inks with your stencil brushes. I love the VersaMagic chalk inks for this because of the fantastic range of soft, matte finish colours and how easily they blend. Dye based inks can be used but you won’t get the same shading and blending and they tend to look a little spotty.

For this part of the technique I like to reposition my stencil over my design with the Scotch Removable Tape. Your paper has had painters tape on it twice already and sometimes a third application can cause tearing so just to be on the safe side I use the Scotch Removable Tape that is really easy to remove without any tearing but will still hold your stencil in place.

Select three or four colours of inks that you want to use on your image. You should have a light, medium and dark colour. When applying colours to your designs always start with the lightest shade first. Pick up a little bit of ink by gently rubbing your brush on the pad and then work the ink into the bristles and remove any excess by rubbing it onto a folder paper towel. You want to have a little ink on your brush, but not too much as this will make your design look blotchy. You can always add more colour if you need it but it’s almost impossible to take it off when there is too much, especially if it’s a dark colour.

Starting on the metal part of the stencil move your brush is a circular motion bringing it onto your image where you would like to apply the ink. This technique is called ‘rouging’ and it allows you to add colour a little bit at a time to your design and blend and soften it. By starting on the metal part of the stencil and working onto the paste you are less likely to add too much colour to any one area. If you need more ink on your brush just pick some up from the paper towel or the ink pad.

Next add your medium colour and then your dark colour to add more shape to your image and highlight the crackle. Be careful with the medium and dark colours. A little goes a long way! When you are happy with your image remove the tape and stencil and you are done.

Let the inks on your image dry for a few minutes and then you are ready to put your masterpiece onto your project.

Here are a few samples that I made so that you can see the different effects you can get just by changing the colours of inks and your choice of stencils.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed my tutorial. I know it was very long but I wanted to make sure I covered all the bases. If you would like more information on all the Dreamweaver products there are lots of tutorials here and you can see lots of beautiful samples made by the Dreamweaver design team in our Company Showcase Dreamweaver gallery.