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I am watching an online class and it's very Distress product oriented. It's very interesting, and I'm learning a few things I didn't know. Mainly I've been binge-watching online card classes in an attempt to recapture my mojo. (And so far it ain't working)
So, I am a very big fan of the Distress Inks and own most of them, but I have not bought into the stains. The demo is working with the stains at this point and she is using both the dabber and the spray versions. It seems to me that she isn't doing anything I couldn't do (backgrounds mainly) with the pads and reinkers.
It's kind of annoying me. So many versions of the same product and are they really so different in what they can do? Maybe someone can enlighten me. Right now I feel like buying the stains is a rip off. I imagine the Distress People at Ranger saying "Let's figure out how many ways we can package this liquid ink - hey, we'll put it in a pad, and then we'll put it in a bottle with a dabber top and also in a bottle with a spray top. Then everyone will feel like they need a pad, a reinker, a dabber and a spray for every single color!"
Am I wrong? If I'm wrong I'm happy to be corrected.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I agree Robin. Everybody wants our money! One of my friends maintains she had much more fun when she had limited craft supplies. I agree and yet, I keep buying stuff! I love watching Lindsay, the Frugal Crafter. After seeing one of her tutorials, I'm usually digging through my supplies vs out shopping for more.
Robin, I bought one pack of the stains several months ago. I think the ink in the stains is somewhat more diluted than the reinkers. I haven't bought any of the sprays because I usually make my own with the reinkers in mini misters (which are identical to the Ranger misters, but I got them at a beauty supply shop for less than half what I would have paid for the name brand.)
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Yes, I have been making my own sprays using the reinkers and water forever. I was curious to see what this woman was going to do with the stains, and although she made a big deal out of the different ways you applied the ink (dabbing, spraying, tapping with a pad) all three of her backgrounds looked interchangeable. So I wondered.
And I'm ready for a different mini-mister source. The last two three-packs of them had at least one broken mister in each. I am going to try the beauty supply route next time.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
The stains are more economical than the re-inkers, etc. because they're designed to cover bigger areas. Also what he says about diluting reinkers is interesting - and how it changes their reactivity. You'd spend a LOT more covering big areas with distress reinkers. I think if you work in small spaces, they wouldn't make as much sense. It's probably geared more towards art journalers than cardmakers.
The reactivity thing, never thought of that. Thanks, Lydia.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Yes – I have ink pads, a couple of reinkers, some stains but not the spray stains (which I always think I can just make with the reinkers though I'm sure Tim is right about the different reactivity).
When doing wet on wet techniques especially, it's obvious that the stains are different. Maybe a little more transparent. They're not exactly "diluted" but they react differently with water than an ink pad smooshed onto a craft mat and misted with water then applied.
I've tried to smear the stain on my craft mat and use a paintbrush but it doesn't really seem to work as well. I love just spreading the dauber top all over a wet tag or art journal page though!
PS I've accumulated my small stash of the stains by picking up the colors that are on deep discount one at a time. It's fun to try them out that way.
Yes � I have ink pads, a couple of reinkers, some stains but not the spray stains (which I always think I can just make with the reinkers though I'm sure Tim is right about the different reactivity).
When doing wet on wet techniques especially, it's obvious that the stains are different. Maybe a little more transparent. They're not exactly "diluted" but they react differently with water than an ink pad smooshed onto a craft mat and misted with water then applied.
I've tried to smear the stain on my craft mat and use a paintbrush but it doesn't really seem to work as well. I love just spreading the dauber top all over a wet tag or art journal page though!
PS I've accumulated my small stash of the stains by picking up the colors that are on deep discount one at a time. It's fun to try them out that way.
Here's a post from Wendy Vecchi where she water colors with stains:
I mostly use white bases, and sometimes like to sponge them so they suit my card better - it's one less layer than using Bazzill. I have distress stain dabbers in my most-used colours, much easier and quicker than sponging. However, I have noticed more colour-separation in the sponge part of the dabbers than I do in the ink pads, where I have never had any problems. Maybe it's just because I don't use the stains so frequently.
This is what I (think) I recall from Videos of Tims I've been watching on You Tube:
I think he points out that all the different versions (reinker/stain/dabber/marker etc ) are all slightly differing shades of the colour.
The stain will cover an area faster, with a deeper shade of the colour , than other methods.
I'm sure he also says you can create your own sprays using re-inker, you can also add Perfect Pearls for a shimmery effect.
I do agree that Ranger et al are all wondering what they can come out with next to make us spend. Trouble is, it's generally working on me, lol. Although I have not as yet gone for the Distress paints, reasoning being,, I don't use Acrylic paints that much anyway, and secondly, I have a drawer full of various brands of cheap acrylic paint, so really cannot justify it for now. But I'm sure I will eventually come up with an acceptable reason, . Possibly when I next check the ones I've got, and find most are dried up!
Loved the video....and who knew about masking sheets and forgot to tell me?!!
Yes, Lydia thanks for posting the video. Now, I have put the mask sheets on a future look for list to buy. Oh, and the picket fence stain. I really like the idea to put it in a mister to spray. Can anyone suggest of what to use for a plastic bead? Does it have to have weight to it at all so that is works to shake it up? If I don't have something around home to use for said bead, then where to get it?
First, let me say that I don't know if it is alright to use metal with the sprays (would it chemically react and alter the color?). That being said, I think you could try a ball bearing or a small screw--something small and not sharp that has a little weight to it. In other words, not something like a paper clip. It needs to move around when shaken to help in the mixing.
Look around your house with this in mind. You might find something you already have that will work. Glass (bead), metal, plastic.
If you are using one of the mini-mister bottles, you are pretty limited by size. Perhaps look at the dollar store for a trinket or keychain or hair decoration that would have a bead the right size.
Shirl, maybe a bead in the jewelry section? Something with a little weight, but small enough to fit in the mister. I have some of those misters and they are small. A marble would be too big.
Thanks for both of your posts Kathy and blueheron. I have found a single glass bead that I was going to get rid of but didn't- thank the good Lord. Ha, this is why I still have clutter around because yes, it might come in handy, lol......But anyways, it isn't really heavy but it fit through the opening of the mister and I am hopeful it will work.
I don't know what it will do eventually, but my hubby bought me a bottle of beebees from a hardware store. They're copper (I think?) I've been using them in my spray bottles for several years & it hasn't made a noticeable difference. I think the whole container of beebees were maybe $3.00. I love all things Distress except the paint (I'm not fond of acrylics), so use them all differently & interchangeably.
__________________ Keep what is worth keeping
and with the breath of kindness
blow the rest away.
The stains came out after the inkpads, and before the paints, if memory serves me correctly... The SPRAY stains came out recently (a year ago maybe?). Perhaps because the Dylusions sprays (also by Ranger) are quite popular, and people weren't buying the stains are much? I have a few stains and a few paints (don't think I've EVER used them). I *have* used the inkpads, but then had to collect the minis too (and the mini ink blending tools too!).
At one point, someone on YouTube (or on a blog) suggested that the sprays were so "powerful", or strong or non-diluted, or whatever artsy word means that... That you would buy these spray bottles from Amazon and dilute the sprays a lot and still have a great result. I bought about 30 spray bottles from Amazon - and I think I've only used ONE of them!!
But of COURSE, I had to buy the distress sprayer because it's so cool - I think I forgot about all those awesome spray bottles in my Stamp Room Annex (aka The Library). They're about 2 ounces too, a nice size.
Oh, and SU has some nice spray bottles that are quite a bit bigger than the Mini Misters, which are almost a one-time use thing, I've found.
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
I love the Ranger distress line and my favorite product is the dabber version of the stains. I really like to use them to draw wonky stripes on paper or to dab directly on a stamp.
there is no way that I could or would buy every incarnation of each color.
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I love the distress rinses. A couple of years ago in a class I learned that they are great to use like a regular watercolor. You put the stains in a covered paint palette and then pull the rinse from the palette to paint. It takes a while for the rinse to start to dry and thicken and that's when they are the best for painting. The drawback is that you have to store the palette flat.
I do a lot of mixed media and I've found that the ink does not flow/blend as well as the rinses when working on canvas. The ink seem to soak into the paper much faster than the rinses.
When I want a distress paint, I use the ink to color plain white acrylic paints instead of buying one more product.
I do have a little frustration over the number of products, but IMHO they all have properties that make them a little different. My biggest disappointment are over the distress markers - to me they are no different than any other marker.
One last note - I finally gave up on using any mists as every brand and bottle I've tried always clogs because I don't clean them as soon as I've finished or they clog halfway through the project. I switched all my mists to dauber bottles and I love it. I don't miss being able to mist since I wasn't using them anyway. I bought the bingo daubers at Oriental Trading.
If you turn the spray bottles upside down and spray out the excess before you store them, they won't clog. I also found a sweet trick to keep Glossy Accents from clogging. "Burp" the bottle. In other words, let the glue drop back down in the bottle for few seconds, then squeeze the bottle, wipe off any excess still in the tube, then release so air gets into the tube. Simple and effective.
__________________ Debbie "Make it work, people." - Tim Gunn My Gallery
Distress Stain in Dabber and Spray. Why.
