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I love the look achieved by so many of you where you darken the edges of cardstock to make it either appear aged, or even to lessen the contrast between a light and darker color. You can see what I mean in this lovely card by tashers, or this beauty by WAXYO. I've tried, and each time it comes out looking messy. What do you use, (a sponge, stipple brush?), how do you apply it, (tap, rub, dab?), and what medium, (chalk, ink, etc)? I would love to come up with something I can be satisfied with. Thanks for your help!
A sponge, and I hold the sponge away from the cardstock (cardstock laying flat on table) and wipe towards the center of the cardstock..... so you are wiping the ink (on the sponge) onto the cardstock.
Does that make sense?? Try it with caramel.... caramel is sooo lovely!
Those are both beautiful cards. That is usually acheived by using a sponge and ink. Sponge on the ink pad. Then wipe at the edge of the card. I hold it up in the air so I can pull the sponge off the edge.
Sponges work best for me. I use ink. Get a little ink on the sponge (test it on scrap paper to make sure you don't have too much). Kinda drag the color onto the edge starting off the paper.
__________________ Jeanne S - Inky Paws SCS Moderator
A sponge, and I hold the sponge away from the cardstock (cardstock laying flat on table) and wipe towards the center of the cardstock..... so you are wiping the ink (on the sponge) onto the cardstock.
Does that make sense?? Try it with caramel.... caramel is sooo lovely!
Miss Kimberly said it better than me
__________________ Jeanne S - Inky Paws SCS Moderator
I usually do it the same as Kimberly does, with the paper on the table. It's interesting, though, to use the exact same tools and just do it a different way...."wiping" the ink in has a different look than "tapping" the ink, for instance. It's fun to play.
I always use either a sponge dauber or a stampin' sponge. I've done it w/ the CS flat on scratch paper (like MamaK said) or by holding it up and brushing the sponge on the edges. It's fun to do and not a hard thing to pick up on quite quickly - you just need to play w/ it to figure out what works best for you. HTH!
Sponge (applied in different ways), stipple, DTP (either running the ink pad along the edge straight on or at an angle, tapping it lightly, or running the c/s heavily against the ink pad), paint brush (inked from the pad), cotton swabs (the kind used to apply make-up), anything that's within reach that strikes my fancy. Always always try it out on a piece of scrap first until I get a look that I like (never know what that 'look' will be until I see it).
Just play & have fun {:-)
Kitty
I'm so glad I happened to see this thread. Now I can see that wiping the ink from the outside edge, toward the center will produce a much softer look. I've been doing just the opposite and having a terrible time getting rid of the dark squigglies where the sponge starts.
Thanks everyone. I'm still practicing. I'm hoping to perfect my technique a bit. We'll see. In any event. I appreciate your responses. If anyone else cares to share, I'll still be listening. Thanks again!
I use a 1/4 of a round sponge and a pencil looking thingie with a pincher on the end and I dab. Real technical, huh?!?! ;) My DTP always looks like comb marks on the edge of the paper -- not the look I want.
This is so interesting, that we all use basically the same instruments, but the directionality is so different. Depending on the look I want I use a couple different techniques. One way, I hold the paper in my left hand, and use the dauber in the right and sponge away from the image, kind of flicking the edges. Another way, I lay the paper down on the grid paper and use the dauber in a circular motion around the edges. Of course, dtp'ing is another way. I have never worked inward with a sponge and will be trying this soon to see the results.
This is so interesting, that we all use basically the same instruments, but the directionality is so different. Depending on the look I want I use a couple different techniques. One way, I hold the paper in my left hand, and use the dauber in the right and sponge away from the image, kind of flicking the edges. Another way, I lay the paper down on the grid paper and use the dauber in a circular motion around the edges. Of course, dtp'ing is another way. I have never worked inward with a sponge and will be trying this soon to see the results.
Ditto! :grin:
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
I always use a dauber, and I do it both ways. Holding in the air and daubering the edges of the cardstock outward, or laying cardstock on the table and dauber inward, starting off the cardstock.
I have found that the second method is much harder on my daubers, and I have to replace them frequently. It really "chews them up" for lack of a better term.
I always use a dauber, and I do it both ways. Holding in the air and daubering the edges of the cardstock outward, or laying cardstock on the table and dauber inward, starting off the cardstock.
I have found that the second method is much harder on my daubers, and I have to replace them frequently. It really "chews them up" for lack of a better term.
I wondered about that. Guess I'll use the cheapie makeup sponges to work inward whenever I try that way.
The problem I have is that if I use a cosmetic sponge, or anything in a shape other than round, I get a very defined edge that is quite noticeable. How is this avoided? Do any of you have the same problem?
I wondered about that. Guess I'll use the cheapie makeup sponges to work inward whenever I try that way.
When I wanted to try sponging sometime ago, I didn't have a chance to buy regular sponges or daubers and still didn't get them before tonight when I wanted to try this technique so I grabbed my makeup sponges (the wedge-shaped kind). I liked them because after I do one color, I used my scissors and cut off a thin slice of the end and go to the next color. I've done 2 different cards with 4 different inks and still have sponge left. I used the technique described above of starting off the CS and wiping ink onto it. It was softer and more of a feathery look.
As a side note, the rectangle shape of the wedge-shaped sponges makes an interesting geometric patterns for BG paper and I also cut chunks out and used it in sponging another card for the emboss resist techqniue and it gave it a unique look.
I use the SU! sponges, cut into quarters. When there is no more "clean space" for another color of ink, I rinse them and let them dry. Classic ink comes out quickly, sponges dry quickly. I am still on the pack of sponges that I got with my starter kit 2 1/2 years ago.
I'm super-cheap, and cut my SU! sponges into eighths!!
I held off on buying them for a LONG time, and was using makeup sponges. Those give a MUCH different look, and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the SU ones -- although I noticed that they now sell them at Michael's (in the section with stuff to stencil your walls)!!
I usually just dab, but will definitely have to try the wiping, as I've always wondered how to get that gorgeous look!!
Thanks for starting this thread! Great tips in here!
__________________ -Shelby- I can, I will, I DO. -Verna C. Powers Okay, I haven't yet, but I still can, right??
The problem I have is that if I use a cosmetic sponge, or anything in a shape other than round, I get a very defined edge that is quite noticeable. How is this avoided? Do any of you have the same problem?
You can try pinching the angled sides so the other edge produces a more rounded effect.
I personally love using the daubers most of all now for sponging, unless I'm trying to cover a large area.
I will confess: I bought enough rounded sponges, cut them into quarters, and store them in a floss box, each color in its own compartment, so I don't have to wash 'em when I wanna switch colors. I'm so lazy! :oops:
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
I have been doing it the wrong way too. I can't wait to try this method for the much softer look. TFS
There is no 'wrong way'!!! Just different looks with different ways. I have to agree that sponging (or daubering) toward the center gives a much softer look than sponging off the edge. I think it is much easier to control the color this way too. Once I tried it this way, I almost never start with the sponge on the paper!
I do what everyone else does, but would stay away from a makeup sponge that has any sort of oil in it (I accidentally bought some once that were reinforced with some super vitamin) - it makes the ink more smeary and hard to even out.
Don't be afraid to layer your sponged color either - try creamy caramel and then close to cocoa and then choco chip on the very edges...this will help to create depth to your edges.
AND, don't forget to post what you make in your gallery so we can all oooh and ahhh over them
Thanks, Julie. Are those the ones in a circular petal-shaped container?
Colorbox comes in a "Cat's Eye" format (individual colors), as well, the circular petal-shaped containers that feature a spectrum of colors, and yes, they are referred to as Petal Points. :grin:
Boy, I'm REALLY late replying to this. Sorry! :oops:
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
I use the make up sponges, too, First I will cut them down, but I do like you do, and cut the end off to expose "new" or unused sponge. I have also "pinched" out the end of the sponge with my fingers to give it a "poxed" look and take away the edge. This effect works pretty good!
Here's an interesting thread on this same subject that surfaced last January (and which I bookmarked), and Sweet Miss Daisy gives some very detailed directions on how she does it - scroll down to #11 and continue reading.
I bought enough rounded sponges, cut them into quarters, and store them in a floss box, each color in its own compartment, so I don't have to wash 'em when I wanna switch colors.
I recommend just playing with your sponges... sometimes I pounce the ink with my sponges, sometimes I swipe.... sometimes I hold the piece I want to edge in my left hand and pull the sponge down with my right hand to darken the edges.
"edging tips?"
