How to create a Joseph's Coat embossed background using an iron-off technique

Use this technique to create a gorgeous multicolour background with a flat matte finish. You can add as many colours as you wish and the technique can be used with a multitude of different stamps.

Joseph's Coat technique tutorial

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You will need

Canson watercolour paper
Graceful Beauties stamp by Paper Smooches
Tangelo, Rose bud and Dandelion Memento Dye ink
Tsukineko Versamark Watermark Ink Pad
Versafine Ink Pad - Onyx Black by ImagineCRAFT featuring Tsukineko
Clear embossing powder
Heat tool
Powder tool
Iron without steam
Copy paper

Top tip! Invest in a tool, such as the Powder Pal by Stampin Up, designed to make returning powder and glitter back to containers. The built-in funnel gives you greater control to avoid waste.

What is a powder tool?

If you like to heat emboss your stamped images, the powder tool is a must have for keeping the embossing powder in place and eliminates the challenge of removing the stray bits without messing up the actual image you wanted embossed. This is because when you touch paper to be embossed the oils from your fingers become a magnet for the embossing powder and static electricity in the air can cause the embossing powder to stick where not wanted. A powder tool neutralises the oils and deters static on your paper.

Instructions

1. Lay a piece of watercolour card on your work surface. Think about the particular stamp that you are using and whether you require your work to be produced in landscape or portrait fashion. Rub ink direct onto the paper using the inkpads. You can use as many colours as you wish – this example uses three. It's ok to leave a little white space. Alternatively you could use a brayer to fill the page.

2. Dry the ink a little using a heat tool as the next stop is going to be embossing and a dry surface is required.

3. Before heat embossing, use a powder tool to help your embossing stay in place. Prior to stamping your image with the embossing ink, generously rub the powder tool all over the area you are going to stamp. Be careful not to touch that area until after you've embossed and heat set. This will remove static so the embossing powder will stick to the stamped part only.

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4. Stamp your chosen image – in this case it is the Graceful Beauties stamp by Paper Smooches – in random fashion about the page using a Tsukineko Versamark Watermark Ink Pad. This will create translucent images. Sprinkle the page with clear embossing powder making sure to completely cover every stamped piece before shaking off the excess powder. Heat to set being careful to avoid overheating the powder and burning the paper.

5. Once completely cooled, cover the entire page using Versafine Ink Pad in Onyx Black, a fast drying pigment ink. The embossed parts will resist the stamped images. Remove the excess ink by rubbing lightly with kitchen paper. Again you could use a brayer to do this but be aware it may be particularly hard to clean!

6. Heat an iron to a medium to hot setting. Cover the piece with copy paper and iron. You’ll notice, the embossing powder comes off leaving a wonderful matte effect. Repeat this step until the embossing powder comes off entirely. This removes the glossy effect of the embossing powder resulting in a flat page with no dimension.

To complete the look, why not use the Busy Butterflies Craft Paper Collection to create toppers for the cards, which you can purchase from our store below!

Purchase Busy Butterflies Craft Papers

Now you've mastered the Joseph's Coat embossing technique, learn how to create a floral background using Gesso resist technique.