This technique allows you to imitate a photographic light technique (out
of focus dots of light) using paper and ink.
Warning: This technique can
be messy. If so desired, you can use
disposable gloves to keep your hands clean.
Supplies Needed:
All Bokeh Techniques
-
White pigment ink
-
Circle stencils of various sizes
-
Sponge daubers
-
Card bases, papers and other accessories to complete
your cards
Dry Technique
-
White cardstock
-
2-4 ink pads of various colours
-
Stamping/crafting sponges
Wet Technique
-
White cardstock or watercolour paper
-
2-4 re-inker colours
-
One spray pen for each ink colour (or spray
bottles)
-
Masking tape
-
Suggested: craft heater
-
Alternate: can use baby wipe technique (baby
wipes, dish/base) or watercolour paints
Step
#1 – Create a background
Using one of the techniques, cover a piece of white cardstock or
watercolour paper to create a soft, multi-coloured background. Make sure the
ink or colour is completely dry before moving on to step #2.
Dry Technique: Using ink
Bokeh Technique - Dry
1.
Press the sponge or dauber in the ink colour of
your choice.
2.
Sponge randomly on your cardstock. It helps to move your sponge or
dauber in a
circular motion.
3. Add a second and/or third colour using the same
technique.
*For more visual interest, you can overlap the colours as you are inking.*
4.
Completely fill in the cardstock – do not leave
any white areas.
TIP: Try inking with a sponge on scrap paper
first. Try using different pressures and
sponge areas to create different looks.
Different types of sponges will give different looks as well. Also, if
using pigment inks, the colours will blend more like paint than the dye inks.
Wet Technique: Using
re-inkers
***
WARNING: This technique is VERY messy and wet.
Be
sure to place a mat or disposable cover beneath your work.***
1.
Cut a piece of cardstock or watercolour paper to
the size that you wish to
work with.
2.
Put masking tape around all of the edges, taping
this piece down to a matt
or scrap paper.
The masking tape helps in three ways: a) helps reduce curling of
the
paper when it is wet, b) helps prevent water or liquid from escaping from the
area you are working on and c) it helps to keep your surface stable so that it
doesn’t move while you are inking it.
3.
Mix 3 drops of re-inker with 10 drops of
water. (Use a painting tray or
individual containers for each colour or spray pens.) Do this for all of the colours
that you wish
to use for your background.
4.
Wet the paper down first using a paintbrush,
sponge or waterbrush.
5.
Using a paintbrush, sponge or waterbrush,
randomly spread the various ink
colours around on your paper until there is no
white paper showing. You can
overlap
colours to create new colour combinations. OR If using spray pens,
alternate
spraying the various colours until the page is covered with ink.
6.
Leave this paper to dry overnight or dry it with
a craft heater.
Fold a baby or wet wipe in half and then in half
again. Or for a larger stamping
area,
fold the wipe in thirds. (You want at
least 2-3 layers for the ink to soak
through.)
Alternates:
1. BABY WIPE TECHNIQUE - You can use the baby wipe
technique (placing drops of re-inker on baby wipe to create a multi-coloured
“stamp pad”) but instead of using stamps use a sponge. Create your background
as with the techniques above.
2.
WATERCOLOUR PAINTS – You can use watercolour
paints to paint a background using brushes or sponges. TIP: Watercolours always
look darker when wet.
Step
#2 – Bokeh Technique
WARNING: Be sure that your
background is dry before beginning this step otherwise your background will
smear and you will get colours on your white ink pad.
HINT: To see what the Bokeh
photography technique looks like check out page 14 in the Holiday Expressions
2015/16 catalogue. The Christmas tree in
the background is an example of this photographic technique.
1. 1. Place a circle stencil down on top of your
background.
2. Press
your sponge dauber in the white ink.
Press the dauber down into the stencil hole and fill the circle with
ink. Don’t just press down, move the
dauber around. The white ink is very wet
and paint like, so you can drag the ink around.
3. Using
different sizes of circles, fill the background with as many white circles as
you think appropriate. In this case,
more is better.
4.
Remember
to start with a light amount of pressure.
You can always add more ink later.
Be sure to use different amounts of pressure for different circles to
change the intensity of the white ink.
5.
Be
sure to clean your stencil periodically so as not to smudge unwanted ink on
your project.
6.
4. Overlapping
circles and having partial circles that run off the page edge also help to
create a more authentic look.
7.
5. For
the smallest circles, just press your dauber directly onto the paper. These small circles will appear as the
brightest points of light. (It helps to
not just press the dauber down, but also to rotate your finger a bit inside the
dauber.)
TIPS: - You can create your
own stencils from cardstock or acetate using dye cutting machines.
-
This technique can be done with shapes other
than circles eg: hearts, snowflakes etc.
Step
#3 – Card Assembly
1.
After the bokeh white circles have dried, cut a
piece of the bokeh patterned cardstock or paper into the size and shape desired
to decorate your card.
2.
Adhere
the piece to your card base.
3.
Decorate your card as desired.
Suggested
videos:
This technique is hard to pick up just reading about it. Try these videos:
 |
Wet technique (re-inkers and spray pens)
CTMH Stamp: September 2015 SOTM - Paper Garden and Say It All Hostess Rewards Stamp |
 |
Dry technique
CTMH Stamp: Fallen Leaves D1492 & |
 |
Dry technique sample
CTMH stamp set: C1559 |
 |
Baby Wipe & Bokeh Techniques combined
CTMH Stamp set - Birthday Wish C1624 |
