As you may or may not know, I’m a self-proclaimed love child of MacGyver. I can turn just about anything into a printing or stamping tool and I get a kick out of seeing what new things I can find to use.
I get especially perky around the commercial holidays because I can find interesting things at the dollar store or the dollar sections of chain stores that make great printing tools. Since this is a heARTfest Valentine Tutorial, I thought it was a perfect time to print with those heart-shaped ice cube trays.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to use them to get nice, grungy backgrounds in your journal, or on loose sheets of paper that can then be used in your art work. Let’s start with a loose sheet of paper.
Materials:
- paint palette
- acrylic paint
- sponge brush
- heart-shaped ice cube tray (I found this at Target!)
- paper or wax paper to protect your table
- loose sheet of paper (I like to use pages from old books.)
Step 1: Place something down to protect the table, then place your paper on top of it. Squirt some acrylic paint on your paint palette, and use the sponge brush to apply it to the top of the ice cube tray.
Step 2: Place the ice cube tray onto the paper and push down with your fingers to print all of the flat areas. Be sure to get in between the hearts too.
Step 3: Carefully lift the corner of the tray, checking to see if everything printed. If not, place it back down and work the unprinted areas some more with your fingers.
Step 4: Add more paint, and print the next section. It can be printed the same direction as the first time, or rotate it 180 degrees to print it the opposite direction.
Step 5: Continue printing until the page is covered. After the paint is dry, it can be used as the background for other artwork, collage material, or to make a Valentine’s Day Card.
Now let’s print it in a journal for a quick background. You need the same materials, except this time you need a journal instead of a loose sheet of paper.
Here’s a short video tutorial I made of me printing the ice cube tray in my journal. If you can’t see this video, click here.
Now, my journal is ready for some action! As I start working in it, if I feel the hearts are too bold for writing or distracting from whatever else I put on the page, I can do a wash of color over it, or even add a thin layer of paint.
Stay tuned for Part 2, printing on fabric!
If you like this kind of printing, you’ll love my book Print & Stamp Lab. It has 52 different techniques for making your own alternative printing & stamping tools! You might also like my other book, The Art Journal Workshop.
This tutorial is part of the ArtSparks 8 Day heARTfest Valentine Tutorial Blog Hop. Be sure to check them all out
8 Day heARTfest Valentine Tutorial Blog Hop
- 1/25/2012 Jane LaFazio: Sketchbook page to Valentine Card (& envelope too)
- 1/26/2012 Traci Bunkers: Printed Heart Ice Cube Trays: Quick Printed Backgrounds
- 1/27/2012 Diana Trout: Woven heart valentines card
- 1/28/2012 Lyric Kinard: Lovin’ my Thermofax Screens
- 1/29/2012 Judy Coates Perez
- 1/30/2012 Kelli Nina Perkins: Heart-shaped felted soap
- 1/31/2012 Melanie Testa: (hosted on Lyrics blog.)
- 2/1/2012 Tracie Lynn Huskamp: Valentine Message Pillows
Oooo I have some of these and I have about a dozen kids coming over this weekend – this might be really fun! Thanks!
Another fabulous idea! And you can use both sides of the tray. Love it!
A wonderful idea, thank you.
Another elegant idea – thanks! I think I need to go check out the kitchen with new eyes.
You show that there is a limitless amount of things we can use for stamping!! What a fun idea!! Thanks!!
This is awesome. Ran out after work and cant find these ice cube trays at the Dollar store or Walgreens. Will try Walmart or Joann Fabric this weekend. I love your idea’s and the way you use things in alternative ways.
Sandy, I got mine at Target last year in their $1-$2.50 section last year. But they might have them again.
I checked Target on-line and got weird. Ended up paying more on Amazon but just couldn’t waiting to find them cheap. I’m getting squares, stars, numbers, etc. Can’t wait!
Wow! Do you have a local Target? I got mine there last year for $2.50. I thought I saw them there again the other day. I’ve also gotten fruit-shaped ones at Dollar Tree.
What an great idè – would try it out some time – love it 🙂 Have a kreative and great week end.
Traci you hit another one out of the park. I love this idea and technique. I think I saw them at Target also last week. Thanx for sharing another Bunker’s Genius Moment!
I like the way your mind works! Beautiful “stamped” hearts.
your backgrounds for journals are so incredible i am doing my degree and started this January your background and other creative styles are so nice and gives so much of ideas keep it up!