Inking the edge

So I've been scrapbooking for a while and I just got into inking the edges. What's the best technique for this?

I use cat's eyes or powder puffs and just scrape the pad against the edge ... sometimes I tear or water distress the edges first and sometimes I keep the edge clean ... easy peasy

Thank you! I may try the watering technique.

It just depends on the look you're going for. Chalk or colored pencils will give a softer look, ink pads will generally be more vibrant (depending on the color of course). You can rub the paper edge along the pad, or use a sponge to rub the color on and blend it away from the edge. I also love using my Copics to ink edges as they can produce a nice strong border.

With the colored pencils I simoply draw around the edges? Do you have any examples of this?
(So dumb)

Kara - how are you doing the edges with the Copics? I have 4 or 5 Copics and have never removed the caps from them. Inking the edges of some of the pages might be nice. Do you just run the pens around the edge of the paper on the side or do you get some on the front too?

I have inked the edges with copics, just take the cap off and move along the edge of the paper. But I find ink pads easier now. I will still use copics for inking edges of letters. Edges of paper, I use TH distressing ink, sometimes I ink the pad directly to the paper sometimes I use my sponge applicator and ink the edges for a softer look.

I've also used markers (not Copics though) to ink edges of paper. I pick up the item and run the pen around the edge from the bottom (so that if the pen slips, which it always does, it marks the bottom, not the top of the item - usually journaling or a photo mat). I've also run edges along an ink pad.

• scrappinmylife Said:

I don't have an example handy, but you just color on the edge of the paper, you can either make it a solid border type line or feather it in toward the center of the paper.

Henri, take those caps off and play! The paper will wick Copic ink a millimeter or two into the edge - try it and see

Okay - I'm playing with scrapbook stuff today. Now to get my lonely little Copics!

I use one of those triangle makeup sponges and dab around the page with ink and/or chalk. I have also used a balled up wad of saran wrap. It gives it a different look. Hope that helps.

I'm laughing because Bill has brought me 3 or 4 boxes of saran wrap and I don't use it in the kitchen.

Now I have a use for it!

• scrappinmylife Said:

Here is an example of one I did. I used my prismacolor pencils to "ink" the edges make the orange circle more pink-ish. The circle is also inked with TH distressing ink (which I am obsessed with!)

To use the colored pencil, I usually start light and get darker torwards the edges, giving it more a blending look. The picture is kind of hard to see this, but that is what I did.

in her shoes By Snoflake517

I love TH inks too!!!!!

What I do, including tearing, is take my xacto knife and scrap around the edges of my paper. then i take my TH distress in, and rub it against a dobler (probably not spelling that right) which is like a little pad, and rub that against the sides.

I actually have this ink! Thanks so much!

This is too good to be true. DH cleaning out and reorganizing his art studio room. He came upstairs with 3 sets of 6 Spot pen handcoloring photo pens and asked me if they were anything I could use. He must have bought them when we still had a darkroom and he developed black and white photos at home. Now using digital, he no longer develops any photos in a darkroom. I feel like I hit the jackpot... looked at these at an art site and they sell for $40 a set. Edge inking here I come! Later he brought up a set of 12 Marshalls photo oil coloring pencils. I don't know exactly how I will use them.......but I am certain they belong in my crafty room. Any suggestions for using them?

My preference is to use daubers or home-made bleding tool with my distress inks - place the paper on my teflon/non-stick craft sheet and start in a circular motion on the craft sheet and move onto the card. There's technique videos on youtube and Tim Holt's website. If I'm using chalk inks - I usually wipe the edges directly onto the ink pad.

That is an amazing fortune for you! Can't wait to see your layouts!

Thanks so much! I made not of those products!

A couple of other ways to "ink" edges is with paint dabbers. Paint bottles with sponge applicators. Just flick them across the edges like with the ink pads.

You can also use the new Tim Holtz distress stains. They have the same type of applicator as the paint dabbers.