Ranger Alcohol Inks Tutorial - Jungle Theme

I recently mentioned making a lot of name tags for a church retreat and promised to share how I made them. My goal was to color the tags with product that wouldn't bleed on clothing if the tag got wet, so I decided to try using alcohol based inks. I used Ranger Brand Adirondak Ink and Jacquard Brand Fiesta Color. The Ranger inks are readily available, but I think the Fiesta name is obsolete (I've had it a number of years). I did find Jacquard PInata colors on line. (Maybe there was just a name change - let me know if you have any info & I'll update this post.)

For this tut, I went through the sames steps I took for the name tags, but I applied the ink to glossy card stock. Glossy paper takes the ink on with a depth that doesn't come across in photos. You really need to see it in person to appreciate the beauty.

Ranger has an applicator & felt pads to apply the ink which are convenient and economical. Even after ink dries on the felt, it can be reactivated with the Adirondak Alcohol Blending Solution or 91% alcohol. Alcohol lightens the ink. I've seen tuts using cotton balls or foam sponge, but these are messier & you will want to wear protective gloves when using these.

I placed a few drops of color on the pad, then a few drops of blending solution to disperse the ink on the pad. The pad is tapped on the paper to build color. You must work quickly, because the ink is fast drying. For this project, I used one color per pad, but you can put more than one color on a pad. Instead of tapping, you can wipe the applicator across the paper, swirl it - use your imagination.

91% rubbing alcohol can be put in a fine mister to spray lightly on the paper. It will lighten spots and add more depth to the design.

Add as many layers of color as you want to achieve the look you are going for.

Next I stamped images using solvent based ink. I cut the paper to desired size and made greeting cards featuring the images.