Rub-On/Paint/Mist Tutorial.

hey everyone...Nicole here!

i have a confession.
i LOVE rub-ons.
and...i LOVE paint.
and one day, i was working with the Over the Rainbow kit...and while i loved the rub-on that was included, the color didn't quite fit with what i had planned.
and i hated to let it go to waste, so i figured...hey! wouldn't it be cool if i could still use that rub-on, but not in that color??

and there you have it...an idea was born, lol.

so to get started, here's what you need: now, i have to tell you...that adhesive eraser is one of my FAVORITE secrets. you get plenty of bang for your buck...and it lasts FOREVER. you can get one HERE, to ship with your next kit!!

so, grab your rub-on tool of choice and apply the rub-on. smooth it over gently with your finger after applying, just to make sure that all of the edges of the rub-on stick down...that way no paint gets underneath.
next, apply your paint. this is totally a preference thing...i tend to use a light touch, you can always go back if you think you need more.

the paint will dry pretty quickly...so before it does, i run my finger over the top of the rub-on to remove paint that stuck to the top of the rub-on. remember...for this technique, we're aiming for the 'negative' image. if you don't rub the paint off of the rub-on, no biggie...you will have some extra paint on your adhesive eraser. but you also run the risk of paint schmearing where you don't want it when you rub with that eraser.

now here's the cool part...start erasing! it takes a firm grip on the eraser and some elbow grease. after all, technically, rub-ons are created to STICK, lol...not rub right off of what you just applied them to!

as you rub, you will notice some build-up of paint, rub-on and just general gunk on the edge of your eraser. fear not...just pick it off with your finger. if it's really stubborn? cut the edge of the eraser off with some scissors...there will still be plenty of eraser left for many rub-on adventures to come.

brush away the leftovers...and voila!!

i like to outline the negative image that's left to make it stand out a bit.

now, being that April is the Queen of the Mist (not the boat at Niagara Falls...that's the MAID of the Mist and an entirely different topic)...and knowing how many of our SC members have an affinity for mist...i thought, if paint works, mist should too right?

after misting...

hey...what do you know?! i was right!!!

it's a beautiful thing.

and you know how sometimes while trying one thing, another cool thing happens? check it out: the mist filled in my formerly 'negative' space from my experiment with the paint. cool stuff, i'm telling ya!!

now...a few pointers:

• i find that 'solid' rub-ons look better. makes sense, right? it looks bolder and stands out a bit better when you're left with the negative. definitely use a more solid rub-on with the mist...and by solid i mean something not 'airy' and delicate. these 2 rub-ons i showed here are examples of what i would call a 'solid' rub-on.
• let the paint/mist dry COMPLETELY before attempting to rub!! failure to do so may result in the aforementioned schmearing.
• i didn't think to try it until i was typing this out, but how about using INK?? apply rub-on, use an ink pad on top of it and then erase...why not?!

if you have any questions...please don't hesitate to ask or just shoot me an email via Studio Calico. i've also started a thread HERE in case you just want to post your questions there. there really aren't many limitations to this technique...and you'll find yourself reaching for supplies that may have been in your stash for awhile, simply because they were the wrong color.

and any time we can revisit an older supply is a cause to celebrate, right?!

right.
:)