6 Ways to Color Canvas Thickers by Nicole Doiron

Nicole Doiron is featuring our October Limited Edition Kit today with six different ways to change the color of the canvas Thickers that came in the kit.

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It's my time once again to show you a few tricks of the trade.

Well, this month, I have decided to play around with the set of canvas Thickers that came with the

October Limited Edition kit and show you different ways to add colour to them.  Obviously, there are dozens of possibilities out there, but I have decided upon 6 different mediums that I have in my stash.

First I have decided to use number 1-6 of my Thickers set.

On number 1, I went the easy route, dabbing some Ranger Distress Stain.  I love Distress Stain as it is very watery and flows so easily from the cotton dabber.  It's also very pigmented so every colour available is very potent and bright.  It absorbed fairly quickly into the canvas, not requiring a lot.  I've had my Distress Stains for a couple years now and none of them have ever dried (unlike some paint dabbers) and they last a long time.  Definitely a favorite of mine!  

Number 2 was misted with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist.  I love mists and I love Glimmer Mist as it gives such a beautiful translucent glimmer effect and they come in a variety of colours, but I have to admit that they are a bit more complicated to use than Distress Stains.  More complicated in the sense that they are messier and yes, they do often clog up!  And it's never an easy task unclogging them!  But according to the Tattered Angel website, before each use, if you "hold the bottle straight up and shake side to side multiple times, avoiding flipping the bottle or turning the bottle over as much as possible", your mist should remain clog-free.  I love using mists the most to create nice mixed media backgrounds for my projects, often mixing more than one colour.  To cover the canvas Thicker, two sprays were more than enough.

Hold the bottle straight up and shake side to side multiple times. You want to avoid flipping the bottle or turning the bottle over as much as possible. - See more at: http://mytatteredangels.com/glimmer-mist-tips-techniques/#sthash.ub1KTc9A.dpuf

Number 3 was more of a challenge.  I dare say that Ranger Distress Inks do not work that well on canvas chipboard.  I used a finger dabber to rub the ink unto the Thicker and it resulted in a more distressed uneven look, the canvas even ripping in some places.  Maybe Distress Ink is better for distressing paper.

Aww... the good ol' marker method!  I love coloring so I often use my markers to color in any type of chipboard.  These markers worked pretty well on the canvas, absorbing quickly and so easy to use.  Another advantage is that you can even add colour even after your chipboard has been stuck on your layout as it's fairly mess-proof if you are careful with the tip.  

Number 5 was painted using FolkArt Metallic Acrylic Paint.  I could have used a paintbrush, but I normally like to add paint to anything by using makeup sponges.  I just put a drop or two of paint on the sponge and just dab away.  That's how I achieve the whitewash frosted look I add on a lot of my layouts for anyone who is familiar with my style (if you're not, you can see most of my creations on my blog http://scrap-utopia.blogspot.com - I would be thrilled if you came to visit!).  If you want a LOT of shimmer, I do suggest this brand of metallic paint.  They come in different shades and are very good quality for crafting.

With number 6, I went even more shimmery than Glimmer Mist or Metallic Paint.  Ranger Perfect Pearls is a pigment powder creating dazzling pearlescent effect.  You just need to mix a tiny little bit with water and paint your chipboard using a paintbrush as you would with any other paint.  On normal chipboard, you need very little to cover a large piece.  With the canvas-covered Thickers, it was a bit more difficult.  Perhaps I hadn't used enough water.  You can also Perfect Pearls in a mister and make your own glimmer sprays.

So now you can compare and tell me which one you like best!

Personally, I have to go with either the Distress Stain or the marker.  However, each one of these mediums created a cool effect and if you start to search online for different ways to use each of them, the possibilities are just endless.

Hope you liked my little tutorial this month!  See you in November!

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You can see Nicole's beautiful work in our Design Team Gallery!

Here's the October Limited Edition Kit:

We invite you to join us and experience the possibilities that our coordinated monthly kits offer. To purchase a kit, please visit our website, here.