Rock Salt Background Stamp Project

Rock Salt Ink Background
Place a piece of Ready to Stamp Cardstock on your workspace. On a piece of acetate or craft mat, decant a small amount of Cobalt Blue Hue ink and Golden Green ink using the pipettes supplied with the bottles. Generously spritz the inks on the acetate with clean water so they pool and start to blend. Spritz both sides of the cardstock until it’s very wet. This helps prevent warping and keeps the surface wetter for longer so the inks can move and react with the salt. Holding the cardstock by the edges, swipe it through the inky puddles on the acetate, picking up colour randomly until all the white is covered. Lay the card flat on a piece of kitchen towel and mist with a little more water if needed – you want a shiny, wet surface, not just damp.

While the card is still very wet, sprinkle rock salt over the surface. Andy uses rock salt that’s been ground in a salt grinder so the grains are small, but you can mix in some larger crystals for bigger “blooms” of texture. Don’t cover every inch – leave little gaps between the salt grains so the colour can dry naturally in some areas. Leave the card to dry naturally. As it dries, the salt crystals start to pull the pigment towards them, creating beautiful starburst textures and soft mottling.

Once completely dry, brush off the salt with your fingers. You’ll be left with an organic, textured background where pools of Cobalt Blue Hue and Golden Green have been broken up into delicate blooms and “cells”. If the card has buckled, press it between two books with a weight on top until flat. Tip: Use up any remaining ink on your acetate by swiping scrap pieces of card through it and salting those too – perfect for extra backgrounds, tags and die-cuts.

Stamp & Colour the Secret Fairy
Stamp the Secret Fairy character on the same ready to stamp white cardstock using VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink or similar. Allow the ink to dry completely before colouring.

Decant tiny amounts of ink onto a palette. Always test colours on scrap card first. The base colour for the wings is a mix of French Mustard + Buff for a warm, creamy yellow. Wet the lower part of each wing with clean water and drop in stronger French Mustard at the base so it blooms and blends upwards. The shoes and butterflies are also painted with this mix. The dress is painted with a mix of Cobalt Blue Hue with Cold Steel to create a soft cornflower blue. Use French Mustard mixed with a little of the earlier Buff/Mustard mix for soft golden curls in the hair. Paint the tree trunk with Dark Walnut ink thinned slightly with water for a natural wood tone. Use Buff straight from the bottle as a gentle skin tone for arms, legs and face. Work carefully around the eyes and features with a fine brush. Let the inks dry thoroughly before moving on to pencil work.

Add Highlights with Coloured Pencils
To give the stamped image a soft, storybook finish, Andy adds shading and highlights with coloured pencils. Use a white coloured pencil (such as Holbein Soft White) to add highlights along the tops of the legs and arms, on the creases and folds of the dress and on the flowers in her hair and the tops of the wings. Build the layers gradually – gentle pressure works best so the pencil catches the texture of the cardstock without becoming chalky. With a salmon/peach pencil, add a little blush to her cheeks and a touch of colour to her lips. Again, keep it light and soft.

Cut Out & Assemble
Carefully cut around the fairy and the four small butterflies using a craft knife or fine scissors. Stamp the “Shhh… It’s a Secret!” sentiment in black archival ink towards the bottom of your rock salt panel. Stamp gently – the script is delicate so don't distort by pressing too hard. Apply Cosmic Shimmer Specialist Glue to the back of the fairy, spreading it out to the edges with a stiff brush so you don’t get blobs. Position her on the background, press down firmly, and leave to dry. Glue the butterflies into place around her head, using the stamp artwork or packaging as placement reference, or scatter them wherever feels magical. Mount the finished panel onto black cardstock and then onto your card blank or frame.

Variations & Ideas
Try different ink combinations with the rock salt: fiery reds and plums for a sunset sky, or cool teals and purples for a twilight forest. Use larger salt crystals for bold, dramatic “cells”, or table salt for finer texture. The rock salt ink background is an easy way to add depth, texture and a touch of enchantment to your stamping – and creates a whimsical scene when paired with the Secret stamp.