Printed Images Upgrade Technique

supplies: ink jet printer images, inexpensive aerosol hair spray, spray bottle for tap water and another for rubbing alcohol, heat tool, matt medium for adhering images to projects. Additional supplies if desired Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Distress Ink Oxides

1.  Using your ink jet printer, print your desired images. I use an editing program to make pictures as vivid and saturated as possible.

2.  Quickly spray both sides with hair spray-this seals the ink in slightly. If you can get it to spray splotching that is even better.

3.   Before too much time passes spray images now with tap water and rubbing alcohol.

4.  Work quickly and try to be random.

5.  Let the tap water and rubbing alcohol to set on images for a few seconds, you should start to see ink puddling.

6.   Once this happens set ink with heat tool. It will give your printed images a worn and vintage look.

I use these on my Treasure Book covers and on my Houdini-Hideaway boxes

 

Worth Noting: You can add further depth by using Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Distress Oxides. Using these products require practice and patience to get the desired outcomes. The distress inks come in spray bottles which are very effective. The distress oxides tend to hide the images so be sure to choose bright and saturated images. Use disposable nitrile gloves to protect your hands and also if you do not like being messy. We prefer Grease Monkey brand and buy them at our local hardware stores.