XOX Oxides

Hello all!  From yesterday's Infusions launch at PaperArtsy and before tomorrow's watercolours, I'm throwing in a quick peek at my first play with another colour medium - the new Distress Oxides.  If you're a Tim Holtz fan, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.  If not, these are the new ink pads containing a pigment/dye fusion ink - creating a whole new ballgame of effects and possibilities.  I already love them!  

I'm only sharing a couple of backgrounds today - though I have already made something with most of these.  It's just a little teaser post for now!  And no prizes for guessing which colours I played with first...

If you want to see Tim in action with these, there are various videos on youtube of him demonstrating them at Creativation last month (here's one, for instance).

The "oxidisation" happens when you add water, and gives a fabulous opaque chalky bloom.















It's quite difficult to get the full effect with a photograph because half the delight is the feel of the chalky smoothness under the fingertips.  I can't really share that with you directly!









Here are some more blues and browns - this time with a touch of the Wilted Violet added to the mix.  (By the way, all the samples in this post are a combination of Distress Oxides and regular Distress Inks.)

It's another combination I've played with quite often in the past... now there's a slightly new flavour to it.







Because of the opaque pigment component of the ink, you can layer colours in ways that wouldn't be possible with pure dye inks.














I haven't tried stamping yet, but easily my favourite game so far (as I thought it would be) has been to play with a combination of Oxides and traditional Distress inks.













That way you get the joyous combination of opacity and translucence which has been an ongoing obsession here at Words and Pictures right from the very earliest days.














It also means you get some really cool patina effects as the inks combine and recombine on the craft mat and then smooshed onto the tag.
















The coppery verdigris possibilities are going to be endless (especially if/when we get some more of the blues, greens and browns released in the future - sooner rather than later, I hope!).
















This is all basically just wrinkle-free distress technique, a long-time favourite way to play of mine which now has new and exciting adventures in store.  Just look at those chalky splotches!










I'll finish with a quick sneak peek of one of the creations in store, but you'll have to be patient I'm afraid.

There's other stuff to get to first, but I hope your appetites are whetted.  Thanks so much for stopping by, and I'll see you again (very) soon.

A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.