Today on our blog, Kerry Engel is sharing some wonderful projects and techniques using Magenta Nuance Powders.

I’m one of those lettering people. Always playing with pens, practicing my down strokes, experimenting with different mediums.

I’ve been playing with Nuance Powders since Christy Riopel introduced me to them at the Canadian Scrapbook Carnival in Edmonton last September. It’s a little embarrassing how happy the Nuance Powders make me.

There are many ways to use the Nuance powders. Lately, I’m enjoying the unpredictable magic of tapping them onto pre-watered areas. It reminds me of the invisible messages we used to create with lemon juice when I was a kid.

I’m using watercolour paper by Canson, cut to 4×6 size, Nuance ink and water. That’s it!

1. Choose a harmonious color family of ink. I used three colors. Poke a hole in the lids of your powders so that you can tap out the powder gently thought the small hole. (Use a tack that you can push back in to stop the hole when you’re storing the powders).
2. Lay down some guide marks lightly in pencil (which are easily erased after the project dries).

3. Sketch out the word first on another piece of paper in order to figure out placement. I found the block style of letter easier to control.
4. Write out the first letter of your word with plain water. If my brush was a bit dirty it was ok because it allowed me to see where my water went and it didn’t really matter once I tapped on the ink.
5. Tap the ink onto the water letter. Careful tap different colors in different locations of the letter. Because the space is small I tried not to layer the inks too much. I like the marble effect that results.
6. Let it dry for a minute or so. If you want to smooth it out go back with your wet paint brush and blend it a bit. Be careful not to go outside your lines or to add too much water, it will run and you’ll lose the grainy, marbleized effect – unless of course, you like the smooth look.
7. Repeat process with the next letter in your word.

After I made the cards I tried writing my name. I thought a little doodling would look good, then I fussy cut my name to create a title. On the layout below I stamped a Magenta stamp with archival ink, brushed water onto the stamp and tapped some ink onto the water marks. This is a fun and easy way to make your own color coordinated embellishments.

I cut out these leaves and the title that I made with the Nuance Powders and added them to this layout.

All you need to do is fold up some patterned paper or cardstock as your card bases and your cards are complete!

It’s so much fun!

Have fun!

Kerry Engel