Saturday, May 20, 2017

Product Review: ColorBox Petal Point pigment inks

This week the Splitcoaststampers Product Focus team published a review of 2 new color sets in Clearsnap's Petal Point line. I love the opportunity to review products, and I learned so much as I played with these inks!


These are the 2 new colors sets, with fresh palettes for summer. If you're unfamiliar with the Petal Point sets, each of the petals is an individual inkpad. They pull out easily from the base, and have a convenient handle on the back.


The ink itself is thick, blendable, and slow-drying - the product catalog describes it as the consistency of mayonnaise, which is an interesting but pretty accurate comparison.  Working with the ink pads 'direct to paper', I was able to get a smooth gradient blend.


Something I didn't know is that pigment inks are water soluble. I tapped some ink onto my craft sheet and watercolored an image - I've never done that before! :) I did notice that the inks, once dried, didn't lift like a dye ink would - not an issue, just something to know.


Here's that little guy - the background panel on this card is also done with pigment inks applied direct to paper and misted, then allowed to dry with a stencil laid over the panel. I'll have a tutorial on that in a few weeks.


I've always categorized pigment inks as 'heat emboss only', and since heat embossing is one of my least favorite techniques, I've avoided them in general. However, I was really impressed with the coverage I was able to get with this silhouette image - this is maybe 3 impressions with the MISTI and it's perfect. I embossed with clear powder and managed to survive.


If you watched the Monoprinting video from this week's Splitcoaststampers tutorial, you'll recognize this background as my ghost print from the gel printing segment.



The background for the butterfly card is multilayered - I used the inks first by applying them to a craft sheet, misting with water, and then laying watercolor paper into the activated ink. Once the panel was dry, I stenciled a design over the full area with a Clarity brush. The butterfly is inlaid into the panel.


For the background panels on the following cards, you can watch my process on the Monoprinting video I linked above - each one is done a little differently, but all with pigment inks!

This image again was stamped using the MISTI to layer impressions for a perfect silhouette. I brushed a little bit of ink over it through a piece of drywall tape to add some texture.

This background has several layers, and I loved the coverage and clarity of the inks on the Gelli Plate. The main image is watercolored using pigment inks as well.


I love the idea of using stamps on the Gelli Plate - I haven't attempted that with paints because they're so hard to clean out of the grooves and cracks of the stamps... the inks open up a whole new realm of possibilities with gel printing. Definitely more to be explored there.


This was my favorite sample done with a large acrylic block instead of the gel plate. All of the layers were stamped onto the block and then printed at once in a single layer, rather than stamping multiple layers to the paper. Such a fun art form!


I had a lot of fun reviewing these inks - I'm so thankful to know more about them, after avoiding them for so long - they really are quite versatile, and a great addition to any ink collection!
Thanks for stopping by!

8 comments:

  1. Dina, Love your artwork!! These cards are beautiful and your backgrounds - ohhhhhh!! I see all of your blog posts and could comment on every single one - but then you might think I'm a stalker. :) Happy for all the good things happening for you! Take care sister and STAY POSITIVE!!

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  2. I used to have these inks and I gave them away. Now it makes me wish I had kept them. But I have plenty of others but I love your cards. All of them are great.

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  3. It's so lovely to see this review and your beautiful work with these inks. I've used them for years and never knew half of what you shared here ... nor have I used them so creatively as you. Thank you Dina. (((hugs))) ❤️

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  4. I love the penguin srt and recently received it , love your tips on the inks!!!

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  5. Thanks for sharing, I learned something new as well :-)

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  6. I am so impressed with all your beautiful cards and pigment ink techniques, Dina. I had no idea you could use the Color Box Petal Point pigment inks in so many beautiful ways. TFS and giving these inks new life with your beautiful techniques. Hugs...

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  7. Thank you for posting this and sharing your technique trials with these inks! I have some petal inks, purchased years ago, I don't think I've even opened yet, thinking of them as only pigment inks good for embossing, but in tiny wedges, yet wonderful collection of colors.... Glad to see a lot of techniques here using them!

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  8. Thank you for the review of the inks and for sharing all these cards. I love that Blue Footed image.

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