Inking backgrounds on cardstock
With a little bit of time and creativity, you can transform plain cardstock into unique background papers that perfectly match your theme, like the one pictured by guest scrapbooker Angela.
Here's how you can use ink pads and stamps to create custom backgrounds on plain cardstock.
Choosing the Right Ink Pads for Backgrounds
When making custom background papers from plain cardstock, the type of ink pad you use is critical in achieving the right effect. Here’s a guide to different ink pads and how they can be used:
Dye Inks: These are water-based and dry quickly, making them ideal for building backgrounds. Since dye inks tend to soak into the paper, they offer a subtle, soft look—perfect for layering stamped patterns. You can use dye inks in muted colours (like soft purples and greys) similar to those in Angela’s layout.
Pigment Inks: Pigment inks are thicker and remain on the surface of the paper longer, allowing you to stamp more detailed designs without the ink spreading.
For bolder elements in your background, like a repeated floral pattern or statement leaves, pigment inks can help ensure clarity and richness.
Their opaque finish also stands out on dark-coloured cardstock, which would work well if you're trying to mimic the contrast between the purple tones and the floral accents in your layout.
Distress Inks: Perfect for blending and creating a worn, vintage feel, distress inks can be applied directly to plain cardstock to form a soft, blended background. For instance, to recreate the gentle transitions between the light purple and gray tones in your layout, apply distress inks with a blending tool. Use circular motions to gradually blend two colours together, creating an ombré or vignette effect that serves as a subtle backdrop for your photos and journaling.
Chalk Inks: These inks dry quickly and give a matte, chalk-like finish. They’re great for achieving a muted, pastel background effect. By layering chalk inks on plain cardstock, you can create a soft background that won’t overpower the focal elements, such as the photos and floral designs in your layout. Chalk inks are especially effective for creating textures and can mimic the faded leaf patterns seen in your layout.
Creating Custom Backgrounds with Ink Pads and Stamps
Preparing Your Plain Cardstock: Start with a piece of plain cardstock that complements your layout’s theme. In the example layout, a soft purple cardstock serves as a good base. If you're working on white or cream-coloured cardstock, you’ll have the freedom to create a completely unique colour scheme using ink.
Creating a Blended Background: To create a softly blended background like the one in the layout, use a distress ink in colours that match your theme. For example:
- Choose two or three distress ink colours that complement each other, such as lavender, light grey, and pale pink.
- Using an ink blending tool, start by applying the lightest colour (e.g., light grey) to the centre of your cardstock. Work in circular motions to ensure smooth blending.
- Add a slightly darker colour (e.g., lavender) to the edges of your cardstock, blending it into the lighter colour toward the centre. This will create a soft transition between the colours, similar to the background in the layout you provided.
- Optional: If you want a more textured look, you can spritz the cardstock lightly with water, which will cause the distress ink to react and form interesting spots or faded areas.
Stamping Patterns: Once your background is blended, use stamps to add layered patterns. In your layout.
- Choose a leaf or floral stamp that fits your theme. Select stamps with delicate designs that won't overpower the rest of your layout.
- Choose an ink pad colour slightly darker than your blended background, such as a deep purple or green for contrast. Ink the stamp evenly by tapping it gently onto the ink pad.
- Lightly stamp the pattern randomly across your background. To mimic the softer look in your layout, stamp off some of the ink onto a scrap piece of paper before stamping onto the cardstock. This technique creates a more subtle, faded impression.
- Repeat the process across the cardstock, turning the stamp in different directions to create a natural, flowing pattern. Be careful not to crowd the designs, leave enough space between stamps so the pattern feels airy.
Final Details
Once you’ve created your custom background using ink pads and stamps, you can embellish it with other elements. Layer your photos, journaling, and die-cuts on top of your newly stamped background. For example, the flowers in your layout could be stamped, cut out, and layered with foam adhesive to add dimension.