RUBBER STAMPING TECHNIQUES
Covering an Image in Micro Marbles

MULTICOLORED GLASS IMAGES
Materials Needed: Essential Glue Pad, Micro Marbles (tiny no-hole glass beads), Super Fine Embossing Powder, or Artz Enamels, Heat Tool (Embossing Gun), and a bold stamp. This stamp is from our Take Flight sheet.

This technique works best with images with fairly bold lines. The butterfly below was created in 7 very short steps that take about 5 minutes plus 5 minutes cooling time.

The steps are shown in detail on a second card below.
1) Stamp image with Tsukineko Essential Glue Pad. You may want to use an antistatic bag on your paper before stamping, to prevent stray embossing powder marks in step 7.
2) Sprinkle black Micro Marbles down the center of the image while holding the cardstock so that the marbles fall straight down the body. Maintain that angle for pouring the rest of the colors
3) Pour purple micro marbles directly down the center but spread out a little to the left and right.
4) Pour raspberry Micro Marbles directly down the center but spread out a little more.
5) Pour lighter pink Micro Marbles over the entire image to be caught at the outside of the wings and any blank spots in the image.
6) Pour black superfine embossing powder over image to fall into the exposed areas between the marbles.
7) Heat embossing powder. It is a little hard to tell when the embossing powder melts so be sure you've heated the image enough. Let it cool for 5 minutes before testing some of the edges to make sure the marbles are secure. If some are loose, re-heat those areas. By using a colored embossing powder instead of clear, it really helps define the lines of the stamped image. Here some samples of the same image, close-up, using different colors of superfine embossing powder.

Using Ranger Black Superfine
Using a pink Artz Enamel
Using Ranger Clear Superfine

The sample below was created using medium blue, light blue and clear micro marbles with a light blue Artz Enamel. Step by step instructions are shown.

It's hard to show how light catching this card is and still show the detail. You can see in this smaller image how the light reflects in each glass sphere. When you look at the image head on you primarily see the color of the embossing powder, but when you look at an angle you see all the colors of Micro Marbles used. Also, did you know that you could take the paper guide off your EK Success Corner Adorners to create edge punches like the wrought iron pattern shown here?

1. Pounce with an anti static bag, especially if you're working on a surface that has already been inked like this.	2. Stamp image using Essential Glue Pad	3. Sprinkle first color of Micro Marbles in select areas.
4. Sprinkle as many other colors of Micro Marbles as you like.	5. Cover the whole image with the last color used to catch any blank areas.	6. Sprinkle superfine embossing powder over the image an shake it around until it covers all areas between Micro Marbles.