50+ Ways to Love Your Brayer

Basic Brayer Techniques through advanced (not necessarily in that order
depending on your level of experience with the "Awesome Power of the=20
Brayer")

Supplies: Brayer (rubber, lucite, foam rollers)
All other supplies will be listed with the description of technique

RUBBER:

1. Stripes: using markers, make stripes on your brayer (this works best=20
if you
lie it on its back and turn the roller while holding the marker) all the =
way
around until the beginning and ending stripe meet. Roll brayer across you=
r
paper in whatever direction you desire.

2. Squiggles (technical term): Repeat the same process as for Stripes=20
but make
wavy lines instead of straight ones.

3. Confetti/Dots/Raindrops: Randomly make marks on your brayer with your =

marker
(you can use different colors) all over the entire roller. Then roll away=
=2E

4. Plaids: Same as with the markers for Stripes except criss cross patter=
n.

5. Plaids: You could also outline the stripes for your plaids with the=20
smaller
tip of your marker to make the plaid/stripes stand out more.

6. Plaids: Rainbow/Kaliedacolor plaids are made with the brayer being rol=
led
over a KC pad several times then brayering over your paper. Repeat as=20
necessary
for the desired depth of color and surface coverage. Then repeat the=20
process
in the opposite direction.

7. KC Backgrounds: Same as above just don't create a plaid design. This=20
works
great for those scenery/landscape cards.

8. Reverse/mirror Image: Color your stamp, rubber side up and roll the=20
brayer
over the image several times, then roll over your paper (works great=20
with trees,
flowers etc). You can also add this technique to the above KC=20
backgrounds for
a great scenic card.

9. Mirror Image: If you have an image that you want to face each other=20
say the
Pig from Farm Fun...you would brayer over the stamp like above and then r=
oll
onto your paper then stamp the original pig image nose to nose with the=20
first.

10. Kissing: Brayer over a background stamp like Pin dot Plaids then use =

your
other stamps like the Seasonal Solid and stamp onto the background stamp =

then
stamp onto your card stock - your solid stamp now has a design and you ha=
ve
just multiplied your uses of one set.

11. Ghosting: Stamp an image on your card (say the Snowflake from the
"Snowflake" set) several times in clear embossing ink. (DO NOT EMBOSS) Th=
en
brayer over your invisible images with regular dye pad and your=20
snowflakes will
start to appear.

12. Resist: Works best with glossy paper, you will need to choose your=20
resist
medium, ink, wax or other. I tried with the metallic pens (looked differe=
nt)
what happens is that you color on the glossy card stock with the pens=20
anyway,
or pattern then you use the same technique as the ghosting by brayering o=
ver
with a different color. The pattern that you drew or colored will not=20
let the
brayered ink to absorb through the card stock therefore comes the "resist=
".
(This category could actually count for about 10 different ways to love y=
our
brayer as you are only limited by your imagination on what you choose as =

your
resist medium)

Others to try:
13. oil colored pencils (work best with regular matte finished papers);

14. crayons;

15. wax paper;

16. metallic pens;

17. ink;

18. resist ink;

19. emboss ink (try the emboss pens to write a hidden message);

20. rubber cement;

21. masking fluid;

22. white out/correction pen;

23. Gel pens;

24. wax resist sticks;

25. Deka paint (for fabric - much harder to do).

26. Another "Resist" able technique: crumple a piece of wax paper; iron
(on hottest setting/no steam) wax paper onto white card stock (be sure=20
to use
an additional sheet of card stock between the wax paper and iron); press =
for
only 2-3 seconds - this will transfer the wax to both sheets of card stoc=
k
(if you iron too long the wax will be absorbed into the paper) Ink your=20
brayer
and then brayer over card stock. The brayer will resist laying color=20
where the
was paper has left its design (makes a great background paper)

27. Another variation to the above is to use your stylus tool and with=20
the wax
paper on the card stock use the tip of your stylus to write your own=20
message or
draw your own design - brayer over to reveal your design or message.

28. Use your brayer for those big background stamps to get an all over=20
inking.

29. You could also use the same technique as above for those bigger solid=

images that you want to emboss. Brayer over the image with the emboss=20
pad for
an even/smoother finish.

30. Put a piece of cheesecloth down and brayer over the cheesecloth for a=

different effect.

31. Try the same as above with lace doilies.

32. Lace

33. Bubble wrap

34. Brayer over a leaf (two ways to do this: place card stock over leaf o=
r
other nature finds and bring out the textured surfaces below; or use the
reverse/mirror image technique to pick up the pattern of your nature find=
=2E)

35. Joseph's Coat: Brayer with a KC pad and cover the entire area of=20
your card
(glossy works best). Emboss your image with clear embossing powder/ink=20
on top
of the area colored (this technique works best with the more solid image =

stamps
like the tent from Roughin It or the Kids Prints). Then ink your brayer w=
ith
Black or Navy (the darker the better) and cover the entire card again=20
with this
new color. Let the overcoat of ink dry, and then buff the card with a pap=
er
towel to remove excess ink. What happens is that your KC color will then =

shine
through. Just think of a great landscape card with stars in the sky and=20
trees)
WOW!!

36. Ink up your brayer with embossing ink and roll over the entire card t=
hen
emboss with clear powder

37. Brayer an intense/brilliant color on glossy card stock then use a=20
speckle
background stamp and clear emboss ink, stamp then emboss with Rainbow Raz=
zle
or other multi colored emboss powder. When you heat it will bring out the=

beautiful play in colors.

38. Watercolor brayer: Ink your brayer with a rainbow pad or markers, the=
n
spritz with a water bottle, then roll out for a very pretty watercolor lo=
ok.

LUCITE/ACRYLIC:

39. Put rubber bands around your brayer for unique background

40. Wrap saran wrap around your brayer for another unique background

41. Try fabric netting or the netting from bags of oranges or marbles as =

above.

42. Cheesecloth another unique background

43. Try string

44. Yarn

45. Crochet yarn

46. Try the new Encore pads and rolling it out onto liquid appliqu=E9 for=
=20
a faux
suede look.

47. Use your acrylic brayer to roll out paperclay

48. Use your acrylic brayer to make sharp creases in your card stock

49. Crinkle up a piece of Mulberry paper, ink up your brayer with the new=

Encore pads and give your Mulberry paper that gilded look.

50. Faux Suede - squeeze brown liquid appliqu=E9 on wax paper or aluminum=
=20
foil.
Roll the brayer until it is coated and smooth. Roll and even coat of the =

liquid
appliqu=E9 on your cut out image (try the gingerbread man die cut) let it=
=20
set for
a minute then heat. This will give you a nice suede feel. Try it with=20
different
colors. But be sure to clean your brayer right away.

51. Use your acrylic brayer with pigment ink on glossy (takes a little=20
while to
dry) don't roll use a quick sliding motion to brush the inked brayer=20
across the
card stock, wiggle if you want (the brayer silly!) You can make some awes=
ome
plaids or sunbursts.

52. Try the same technique above but tap the brayer around in different=20
areas
for an all over color burst.

FOAM:

53. Use your foam brayer for an all over airbrush effect.

54. Use your foam brayer with your stencils.

55. Use with the KC pads for rainbow effect.

56. Use your foam brayer with markers for an interesting look. I've=20
heard that
you can make some great tortoise shell, leopard or gemstone looks on glos=
sy
card stock.

57. You can also use the spritz technique with the foam brayer for a=20
watercolor
effect.