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I am brand new to TH Distress inks and have been playing around with them. Question.... do most of you who use them often with the ink blending tool, buy a tool (the handle-thing) for each color or do you change out the foam circles? thanks
I use them like any other ink not just blending but mostly blending. I have a couple of handles of the rectangle and the round. I prefer the round if I use the handle. I started to buy foam for each of the colors and then I realized I only need them for shades of the colors (light green and a dark green).
To be honest you don't even need a handle if you can learn to use just the foam or any other soft sponge. It's really about what is comfortable for you and what gives you the best result. Sometimes I just grab the foamy and start blending. : )
I have a tool for each of my most favorite colors. I usually blend with 5 or so colors, so I would hate to change the foam circles every time. I like to just pick up the color I am working with, then move on to the next color, then back to the first color to blend it all.
I have three blending tools and lots of circles. Now I have mostly mini Distress inks, and since the circles fit right in the bottom of the ink pad, almost every mini has its own circle. (I don't bother to velcro them.)
For my full-sized pads, I just keep the circles in a small open box with the blending tools and grab one that's in the same color family and light/dark match.
I also use finger daubers, kept in a box made for them, and grab a dauber in the same color family as the ink. Once dry it doesn't matter if it's different. After I've used one, I set it aside in a little tray so I don't grab it in the same session for a different color while it's still wet.
I have three blending tools and lots of circles. Now I have mostly mini Distress inks, and since the circles fit right in the bottom of the ink pad, almost every mini has its own circle. (I don't bother to velcro them.)
For my full-sized pads, I just keep the circles in a small open box with the blending tools and grab one that's in the same color family and light/dark match.
I also use finger daubers, kept in a box made for them, and grab a dauber in the same color family as the ink. Once dry it doesn't matter if it's different. After I've used one, I set it aside in a little tray so I don't grab it in the same session for a different color while it's still wet.
I have ten square blending tools and six round ones. I long ago set up my pads so that there was a strip of velcro on the lid of each, and I put the blender foam for that pad on that. When the mini's came out, I started adding a smaller strip to the underneath the base of the pad for that circular blender foam.
This allows me to have a separate pad for every color, without having to buy so many blender tools. I could get away fewer tools than I have, but having a bunch of them lets me fool around with a lot of different colors at once without having to switch out the foam.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Thank you all for the advice!! I only have two tools right now and i am finding it is a nuisance to switch out the foam circles too. Sounds like I could use a few more but don't need one for every color. I also like the dauber idea. Ty
Thank you all for the advice!! I only have two tools right now and i am finding it is a nuisance to switch out the foam circles too. Sounds like I could use a few more but don't need one for every color. I also like the dauber idea. Ty
Love daubers. I also love Clarity brushes for softly blending Distress ink, but that's a another story.
I mentioned I have three, but it's four, and another is on the way as a gift from an on-line shop for spending during January, their birthday month (Tupelo). For me that's plenty, with minimal swapping yet without taking up much space. But one size does not fit all.
I have been debating about the Clarity brushes. They look fabulous!
I tried the clarity brushes and for "me" they are too soft. It takes a lot of time to get a good coverage. I thought perhaps it was the pointed tip so I trimmed one flat and nope, still takes a lot of effort. However, there are a lot of people who love them. I prefer the Airebrush they are a little stiffer and hold the ink really well.
I have been debating about the Clarity brushes. They look fabulous!
Adore. I love them for stencils too, if watercoloring. There are videos showing how to best use them by Jennifer McGuire, Lydia, the company that makes them, etc.
I don't think they're the best for really dark, heavy coverage - I still pounce with other brushes for that.
I figured I would never be blending more than 6 colors at one time, so I have 6 round applicators. I do have the round foam pads - one per color.
__________________ Linda E
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Distress Ink advice
