How To: Stipple

Stippling is a technique used to create a grainy textured effect by gently tapping an inked, flat, stiff-bristled brush straight up and down on a piece of paper. This procedure creates a system of tiny dots of color that blend together to build a sense of depth on your project. Pouncing the brush through a stencil can also achieve a unique look that is similar to watercolor painting.

Supplies Needed:

• white cardstock
• stipple brush
• distress inks
• stencil
• wet wipe
• paper towel

Instructions:

1. Tap the flat bottom of the brush several times on the ink pad surface.
2. Using a quick up-and-down motion, hit the paper several times.
3. Alternate between hard and light strokes to change the depth of color.
4. Repeat until you get the desired shade.
5. Wipe the brush on a wet wipe when you are ready to switch colors.
6. Stipple another layer of color on your page.
7. Keep cleaning and drying your brush between applications or use multiple brushes.
8. Use the same technique to add color through a stencil.
9. Assemble your page by adding photos and embellishments.

These are the basic steps that I used to create the background for my journal page, "FAMILY." I stippled the colors of the rainbow using Ranger's Distress Inks. One color after another was pounced on top of and next to each other without a precise plan and a soft, painterly texture evolved. I wiped the brush back and forth on the wet wipe and then onto a paper towel before switching colors, but I didn't wait further between applications. Stippling can also be used for an antique look by blending ink pad swipes on cardstock backgrounds.