Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 15:03:28 -0600
From: Leslie Callahan Ryan <lcallaha@tuc.com>
Subject: RS: Etchling technique??????? -Reply

Diane,

Etchlings combine the use of beautiful, detailed landscape-type
stamps with plastic (pale pink with Etchlings label) stencils
you use to dry-emboss and/or color around the image. The
stencils match the oval, round, or rectangular shapes of the
stamps and come in various designs.

Anyway, I learned from someone who learned from the artist
(can't remember the artist at the moment, very talented lady
who sells Etchlings through Stampendous).

Stamp the image with Fabrico ink. Heat set the ink. Color with
dry water-color pencils (lite colors first). Using tiny
paintbrush, brush water on the pencil coloring one color at a
time, lightest first. The color really POPS when you do this!

Using TWO copies of one stencil (that you purchase at the same
time making sure that the patterns line up perfectly when you
hold the stencils together), place one stencil on top of the
stamped image and one stencil underneath the stamped image.
Adjust the placement of the top stencil to frame the image as
you like and then align its edges with the edges of the bottom
stencil. Tape stencils together with masking tape and tape top
stencil (or both stencils) to card. Dry and/or color emboss.
Remove stencils.

The reason you need two copies of the same stencil (as I
understand it) is so that you don't have to use a light table.
The thickness of the plastic is all you need to provide the
depth for the stylus to make an impression. You can emboss from
behind (and pooch the paper towards the front of the card) or
from the front (and indent the paper towards the inside of the
card) or do some elements of the design from the front and some
from the back. Also, the paleness of the stencil material, when
combined with cardstock does not give very much contrast to
work well with a light table.

This is a lot of coloring because the stamps are highly
detained but the results are really worth it. Hope you enjoy
doing this.

Leslie "Finger Print-cess"