The Trick to Using Embossing Powders

By Maria Nerius

Before you start

1. There is very little difference in embossing powders except that the finer the powder the better the finished embossed designs.

2. There are many types of heat sources....a stove top burner, a light bulb over 60 watts, a toaster oven, regular oven, frying pan, electric skillet, and heat tools (these look like blow dryers for your hair, but never use them in this fashion).

3. Before starting, always wash your hands very well. Oil from your hands can make the powder stick in places you do not want it to stick.

4. You will need: embossing powder, slow drying ink (pigment) or embossing ink, a rubber stamp or ink pen, heat source, and stampable surface.

5. You can emboss on paper, wood, terra cotta, glass, mirrors, and other media so experiment!!

6. Highly detailed stamps are not best for beginners...select word or deeply etched stamps to start.

How it works

1. Tap the stamp on the embossing pad or on pigment ink...make sure entire surface is covered in ink.

2. Stamp image onto surface and immediately cover with embossing powder. Tap off excess onto a piece of paper and pour back into the powder container.

3. Use your heat source to “melt” the powder. The heat tool is used form the top of the designs, while the others are to be placed under the media. Thick surfaces will be difficult without a heat tool.

4. The powder will go from a dull finish to a very glossy one, and it is done!

A few closing thoughts

1. If the embossing is cracking its been overcooked - use less time to heat your embossing.

2. The powder will not melt evenly so make sure entire image is done.

3. Experiment with mixing small amounts of different colors of embossing powder for fun effects.

4. Make your own embossing ink by mixing 1 part water and 1 part glycerin.

5. Most ink pens will work as an embossing pens.

6. Use dark inks with opaque powders, non-tinted inks with others, and never use gold pigment with gold embossing powder. It will dull the gold in the finished design.

7. Glitter is not embossing powder, but a small pinch in powder is a fun effect.

8. Fill in a design with markers and sprinkle with clear embossing powder and heat - it'll look like stained glass!

9. Sprinkle clear embossing powder over a small print/picture and heat, and the powder acts like a lacquer.

10. Practice, practice, practice. That’s the only way to get really good at embossing.

11. Use a small paint brush to remove powder that is clinging to an area you do not want embossed.

12. If a surface is giving you trouble with clinging powder in the wrong spots, just lightly rub a dryer sheet over the surface with your hands - it really helps!