Rubber stamping with bleach is a useful technique for bringing a different finished effect to projects. Normal household bleach can be used as a rubber stamp 'ink'. The bleach removes the color from the background, giving a lighter image. The effect will vary depending on paper type and color, giving plenty of scope for experimentation.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Minutes
Here's How:
- Before rubber stamping with bleach, it is necessary to make a bleach 'ink pad'. Place several sheets of kitchen paper in an old ceramic saucer and soak in bleach.
- It is important not to overload the rubber stamp with bleach as this will give uneven stamped images. Therefore make a couple of test stamped images and if necessary put two or three sheets of kitchen paper on top to soak up some bleach.
- When the bleach is giving a good, clean stamped image stamp the paper or cardstock as required.
- Leave the project somewhere out of the reach of children and pets to dry. Finish as required. Bleached images can be painted, colored with chalks or finished in the same way as any other image.
Tips:
- Diluted bleach will give a more subtle finished image.
- Different colored paper or cardstock will react with the bleach in varying ways. Try stamping on various types and keep a record of the results.
- Wash rubber stamps well after use. Do not allow rubber stamps to stand for a long time in bleach as this might damage the rubber.
- Bleached images can be stamped on top of embossed images and will give dramatic effects.
- Observe good health and safety practices when working with bleach.
What You Need:
- Household bleach
- Rubber stamps
- Old ceramic saucer
- Kitchen paper
- Colored paper or cardstock
