A sponge is an inexpensive tool that can be used in a wide variety of paper crafting techniques. Sponging is a great way to distress, add dimension and texture, or antique your card stock, paper or chipboard.
Sponges come in a variety of textures and different sponges will give different looks. The best type of sponge for these techniques is a small round stamping sponge with a smaller pore size. A single sponge of this type can be cut into six to eight wedges. Designate a sponge wedge for each color ink or keep each wedge for use in the same color family.
Grab your sponges and try these 15 techniques in your paper crafting:
- Add dimension and the illusion of a card stock mat by heavily sponging the edges of a piece of card stock. This will create dimension on your project without adding the bulk of additional layers.
- Fix ink blunders like smudges and finger prints. Gently dab a sponge in the same color ink and then lightly dab over the paper evenly for an all over effect that will cover stray smudges.
- Dab an inked sponge onto paper for a speckled effect. Lightly dab for a light speckling, press harder and more often for a darker effect.
- Rub an inked sponge over paper in a circular motion to soften a background. Choose an ink color that is the same or lighter than the paper for the best results.
- For an antiqued look, sponge brown and yellow ink over paper and around edges.
- Emboss Resist Technique - Heat emboss an image on white paper with white or clear embossing powder. Use a sponge to rub ink over the embossed image. The embossing will resist the ink and make your image pop out.
- Sponge ink lightly inside of a stencil for a soft image, sponge more heavily for a more defined image.
- Sponge around a die-cut for a reverse image.
- Create clouds in a blue sky. Sponge light blue ink around a purchased cloud template or make your own by layering different sized circles together.
- Sponge ink onto the side of a die-cut to create a shadow.
- Rub ink over a dry embossed image or background to make it stand out more.
- Sponge ink onto chipboard to color it.
- Sponge the paper behind chipboard letters to make the title of your scrapbook page stand out more.
- Create unique backgrounds. Glossy card stock doesn't soak up ink as quickly, allowing you to blend colors of ink while sponging. Use your sponge with different motions to apply the ink.
- Use a sponge to apply shimmer paint to your rubber stamps. Pick up a light layer of paint with the sponge and then gently dab it onto the rubber image.
About the Author
For more paper crafting techniques, visit Jessica Taylor's blog at http://www.inkitupwithjessica.com. Through tutorials, videos and project ideas, Jessica will help you easily make paper projects that make people say "Wow, you're creative!"