Brayer Magic

Basics:

• Roll the brayer in a single direction across the stamp pad. Lift your brayer each time you roll your brayer across your pad. Do not roll back and forth. You want to make sure that the entire surface of the brayer is covered.
• Once your brayer is filled with ink, begin rolling across your paper. You may find it works better if you brayer in a single direction across your paper.
• Continue to brayer across your paper until it is as dark as you would like, or your brayer runs out of ink.
• If you have lines or you want your background darker, re-ink your brayer and apply to your paper again.
• Generally glossy paper works best, but experiment with different papers for interesting effects.
• To clean your brayers, place them under running water. If you have used permanent ink, spritz with stamp cleaner before running under water.
• Store your brayer rubber up so that you do not create a flat spot on your brayer.

Soft Rubber Brayer Techniques

• Ink up your brayer with a rainbow pad and brayer in any direction for a subtle background.
• Draw on your brayer with markers. Huff on the brayer and then take it to your paper. Glossy paper is recommended for this technique.
• Use the brayer to reverse a stamp image. Ink up your stamp and then roll it onto the brayer. When the image is brayered onto your paper it will be lighter than if you had stamped it directly onto your paper.
• Ink up a textured item, such as bubble wrap, and run your brayer over it for a textured background.
• Brayer through textured items such as lace, mesh, or cheesecloth for more texture.
• Brayer Liquid Applique onto your cardstock and heat right away for a leather look.

Sponge Brayer Techniques:

• Many of the techniques done with the Soft Rubber Brayer can be done with the Sponge Brayer, but will result in a softer look.
• Brayer over stencils instead of using a stencil brush. The Sponge will go down into the stencil for a better impression.
• For a Suede effect, brayer a darker color dye ink over a slightly ligher color cardstock.
• Spritz the brayer with water from a fine misting spray bottle before brayering for a softer, watercolor effect.

Acrylic Brayer Techniques:

• Attach items to the Acrylic Brayer using double stick tape. Because the surface does not give, you won't catch the edges of the brayer.
• Spritz the brayer with water from a fine spray bottle before brayering for a softer, watercolor effect.
• Consider attaching unmounted stamps, rubber bands, string, plastic wrap pieces of sponge, fun foam, etc.
• Use as a rolling pin for clay.
• For an interesting effect, spritz the brayer with water, from a fine misting spray bottle, before brayering onto glossy cardstock.

Hard Rubber Brayer Techniques

• Use your brayer to ink up large or difficult stamps. The brayer helps you put an even amount of ink on all areas of the stamp without getting ink into the recessed areas.
• Carve designs into the brayer.