Ideas for Background Textures

Copyright Easy Scraps 2010

I Love Texture!! And several of my rubber stamps can be used to create stamped texture for use in backgrounds. Many times I will use the texture stamps to add a bit of interest to a punched out pieces of cardstock as well.

Here are some examples of the backgrounds you can make with my rubber stamps:

Use the Screen stamp from my Frame Makings rubber set as a means of adding texture to a background. In the picture above, the stamp was inked and then stamped directly on the paper in the right hand example. In the left hand example, the stamp was used to stamp again without re-inking it, in order to get a lighter and less than perfect image. This technique is called “Stamping Off” and many times results in even more of a textural feel.

I often use this stamp on flower cut outs to give them a bit more interest, as in the example below.

I have two different Cross Hatch stamps on my Frame Makings rubber set. One is denser than the other. Use them separately or together and stamp multiple times to fill a background with textural interest.

Here is an example of the Dense Cross Hatch stamp:

Here is an example of the Sparse Cross Hatch stamp (used with the Wood Cut Scrolls) to create a monochromatic border. There is no color, but the texture gives it interest:

The Open Dotted Background stamp from my Mesh and Dotted Backgrounds rubber set is great when stamped on its own. But I used it with the Faux Batik technique to create another cool background. This technique has been around for a while, but I have a slightly different take on it (hint I don’t use blank newsprint).

Everyone loves script as texture, at least I do! Add more texture and age by spritzing the image with water and then crumpling the paper and inking the wrinkles:

Did you notice that the script covered the whole background? Many of my stamps are designed as repeatable patterns and can be used to cover larger surface areas than the size of the actual stamp. If you read my Tips for Cutting and Mounting Stamps (find it under the Rubber Stamping Tips page in the Help section of my web site), you will learn to trim the rubber and mounting foam close to the edge of the image. If you then place the image on the acrylic block in the corner, it is much easier to line up and stamp the image over and over again, without using an alignment tool. For many of my stamps that have a less defined edge, this technique works great!

Sometimes, you do need to use an alignment tool to make it easier to line images up and get a more exact placement. Then you can do something like this- use my Mesh Border from my Stitched Stripes and Tie Dye Rubber set to make an entire background from just a single border stamp:

If you look closely, there are a couple of places that don’t exactly line up perfectly. Rather than re-doing the sample, I left it alone to show you that it isn’t really all that noticeable until you look closely. And once you place other images, punch outs etc of the top of it, you really won’t notice. So don’t drive yourself crazy when trying this sort of thing!

Many of my stamps can be stamped over each other to add even more interest.

Do you recognize the stamps in the above images? They are the lines from my Memo Pad stamp from the Knit Border and Memo Pad rubber set. I separated the Lines from the Spiral Border in order to use them separately. This idea is discussed more fully in my Creative Cutting of Rubber Stamps tip sheet, found in the Help Section of my website (or search for “cutting”).

I really like the texture that comes from having a stamped image that is not quite so perfectly inked. Many times I wipe the stamp quickly to remove some of the ink before stamping. The different light and dark inked areas give it a more textural and interesting look. Here is one example where I wiped off portions of the Large Screen (Mesh) Background stamp from my Mesh and Dotted Backgrounds rubber set before stamping. I stamped several times (without an alignment tool) to fill the background.

These are just a few ideas for using my Rubber Stamps to create texture in your own projects! I have lots more ideas on my blog, Ursula-Smith.com/Blog if you would like to visit there. Enjoy!!