Paper Crafting Techniques

Basic Techniques for Paper Crafting

Direct to Paper Technique at Paper Crafts 101

Use Dyes, Pigments, Embossing, and Perforating to transform plain cardstock and paper into papercrafting works of art! Add art rubber stamp images or use as-is for your greeting card and scrapbook projects!

Direct-to-Paper (DTP): Apply dye or pigment ink directly to paper from the pad. Use a light tapping technique or gentle strokes. You can get great backgrounds this way. Even get heavy-handed with the DTP technique and then use a bold rubberstamp over a heavily inked background. If you want to rubber stamp and heat emboss right away, use a fixative or heat set before stamping.
Dry embossing: In addition to having a dry embossed image as the main attraction, try using dry embossing to embellish small areas of your project or on the flaps of envelopes. Metal templates are the hardiest, but you may also use plastic stencils used for stencil painting. It is easiest to dry emboss using a light-box to illuminate your paper from below. You may also try taping your template and paper to a window to get the same backlighting (assuming it is daytime:). For a particularly brittle paper, such as vellum, wipe a moist clean cloth over the paper before beginning--this will help prevent tearing--or use a paper treatment such as Paper Glide.
Heat Embossing: This is by far the quickest way to dress up your paper projects. Using an embossing ink and stamps, or an embossing pen, apply your image to paper, sprinkle on embossing powder, tap off excess, and heat set. Beautiful raised paper effects in seconds! When working with a glossy surface, use an anti-static treatment before stamping to help keep the embossing powder from sticking to unstamped areas (even a little corn starch will help).
Paper Piercing: Also known as parchment crafting because parchment and vellum are the most popular mediums for paper piercing. This is an attractive addition to your paper crafting hobby. By piercing paper with various perforating tools you can create lace effects. Going beyond Paper Crafts 101, you can combine piercing with dry embossing and direct-to-paper inks or paints. One of the more popular brands for paper piercing supplies is Pergamano. Or cut slits in your card stock and fold back for a dazzling 3-D effect. There are even cutting templates available.
Layering: Layer it all: papers, pigments, dyes, embossing powders--get creative!
Marbling: Marbelize your own paper or use other water-to-paper techniques.