The Easy Sunset Tutorial !!
OK - I was trying something out the other night. I wanted to make a sunset with the brayer, so that people who had never stamped before, could master it on the FIRST try. I had a show the other night, and out of 10 people, only one had previously stamped. I thought this would be the perfect place to demonstrate this easy technique, and EVERYONE of them made an amazing sunset!! So, here is what we did.
P.S. - I taught this to my SIL today, and she mastered it too! Remember, the links will take you to my online store, where Canadians can purchase these products TODAY.
Supplies that are needed for this project :
A brayer, glossy cardstock, 2 coordinating ink colors. For this project, my CS measured 4 ¼ X 3. The inks I used were cameo coral and pink pirouette.
My brayer is rather stained from use, but this does not effect it's performance. I do have another brayer that I use for ONLY black ink.
For this part, you ALWAYS start with a lighter color and end with the darker one. That is because the lighter color will not harm the darker pad like it would vice versa.
Here, I am inking up ONLY HALF of the brayer with the pink pirouette. This does not have to be perfect, by any means, but make sure you have ink all the way around!
Now, I am inking the other half with my cameo coral. You can see that the one side of the brayer is darker than the other. At this point, you need to make sure that it is inked all the way around, AND is over lapping the lighter color. You don't want a band with no ink!
Now, put your brayer on the end of the glossy CS. Go back and forth over the CS, moving the brayer slightly up and down, so you won't get a straight line of color. By slightly moving it, it will blend the two colors together nicely. Do not, BY ANY MEANS, lift up the brayer during this entire time, or you will get streaks. Keep going back and forth until you reach the desired end result.
Now, this is the final part. Stamp your desired images onto the background that you just created. I used the grassy side of the Inspired By Nature stamp set. I used Pallete Noir ink here, but you can use Basic Black or Jet Black Stazon for the same results. I just used what I had out. Make sure to stamp with the lighter portion on the bottom, since that is most true to nature.
Do you want to see the final card?
HOKEY FREAKIN' DINAH - go ahead, try this technique!!
OK - at this point I typed up everything you needed to finish the card, and then accidentally deleted it.
I am NOT doing it again tonight, since it is almost one in the morning. I will post instructions for the rest of the card tomorrow. To Be Continued...


















what a beautiful card
Posted by: karen walsh | February 21, 2009 at 08:54 PM
Beautiful card, Julie! Great easy way to add a bicolored background.
Hugs and smiles
Posted by: Beate | October 10, 2008 at 02:48 PM
Hi Julie! I CASE'd your card and I just need to say THANK YOU so much! I am one who hasn't mucked with a brayer much either so this was an awesome tutorial. I'm going to prep enough cardstock for my Saturday evening workshop and show off this technique! Thanks!!!
Posted by: Lori | October 01, 2008 at 05:29 PM
I cannot WAIT to try this. Thank you so much for your tutorial! :) Way cool and gorgeous card!
Posted by: Lori Craig | September 30, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Wow! I gave this a shot and am very impressed with the results. I consider myself ok with a brayer but this made things MUCH easier and MUCH prettier. I even used 3 colors (just did the technique 2 x and repeated the middle color both times). Here's mine:
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1072964?cat=500&ppuser=158949
As I am mostly a scene stamper, this will save me tons of time and ensure perfect results the first time. Thanks so much for the tutorial!
Posted by: Michelle B. aka JustPaintingAround | September 30, 2008 at 09:41 AM
Julie, this is just an jaw-dropping card! Thanks for the tutorial! I'm going to give it a try!
Posted by: Melissa (SCS: stampin_melissa) | September 29, 2008 at 10:11 AM
What a beautiful card and technique Julie.
Could tell me what size brayer you have ?
Just wondering....
Lise
Posted by: Lise | September 28, 2008 at 11:32 PM
Nice work!!
Posted by: Sharon in NE | September 28, 2008 at 11:25 PM
What a fantastic tutorial. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Posted by: 1GirlTwinBoys | September 28, 2008 at 08:34 PM
Ooooh, how GORGEOUS!!! Thanks so much for the tutorial - I can't wait to try it out! :)
Posted by: Crystal (SCS happy2stamp4ever) | September 28, 2008 at 05:27 PM
Soooo beautiful, love it!!
Posted by: Deb Wood | September 28, 2008 at 05:14 PM
Oh Jules just beautiful. I will definitely give this a try.
Ter:)
Posted by: Terri | September 28, 2008 at 04:58 PM
Absolutely beautiful!!!
Posted by: Jennifer | September 28, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Hey Julie, it's Kathy Brown again. I was just wondering about the butterfly.....which stamp set is that from and how did you do it?
Thanks,
Kathy Brown
Posted by: Kathy Brown | September 28, 2008 at 12:18 PM
This is soo BEAUTIFUL!! WOW, I'm amazed at how easy that looks. And ya know... I was taught to use the brayer by picking it up at the end of my c.s. and I always got streaks. I gave up on it, but I'll have to try it again your way. Hey, if a non-stamper can do it, I should be able to, LOL. THANKS, and your card came out soo gorgeous. Love the butterfly too.
Posted by: Kristine | September 28, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Julie you are one of the best, when I open my emails I always look at yours first. This tutorial is just great. A+++++
Posted by: Marie-Paule | September 28, 2008 at 11:24 AM
That has got to be the coolest!!!Amazing how many compliments too!!Just cause your the best!!!Keep up the awesome work Julie!
Posted by: tina khoudoud | September 28, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Wow, and so easy....thanks!!!
Posted by: deb | September 28, 2008 at 10:30 AM
BEAUTIFUL; I never use my brayer enough; but this is simple and looks stunning!!
Posted by: Michele | September 28, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Wow! This is really cool! Guess I'll get out my brayer and put it to use! Thanks for the tutorial!
Posted by: Cherie | September 28, 2008 at 10:06 AM
Very pretty! Thanks for the tutorial!
Posted by: Elaine | September 28, 2008 at 09:20 AM
OMGoodness Julie, this is awesome and yes I'm doing it later this morning. Once again, you are awesome. TFS...........
Posted by: Kathy Brown | September 28, 2008 at 08:52 AM
How DOES it feel to be such a stampin' DIVA??!! I love this and am definitely trying it ASAP. You rock!!
Posted by: StampMom | September 28, 2008 at 08:07 AM
Really great tutorial. It made a beautiful card!
Posted by: Holly | September 28, 2008 at 08:04 AM
Great card Julie and thanks so much for the tutorial that is not video for us stampers that do not have Road Runner or similiar "fast" computers. My dial-up is so slow. Yuck. Have done background skies before but never putting two colors together on one brayer. This saves so much time and is just GREAT!!! Ya made my day.
Posted by: evette | September 28, 2008 at 07:53 AM