Brayer Fish Card Tutorial

Here are 3 examples of the brayer technique in the tutorial. The two blue ones used the exact same colors of ink, but the one on the left was gone over more times to intensify the colors.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a project that can be a bit messy, but the end result is so worth the effort. I highly recommend that you wear an apron or old shirt when you do this. Also having baby wipes handy is a great idea to get the ink off your fingers if needed.

Supplies Needed:
Blue Painters Tape - random strips
1 piece 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" Glossy White cardstock, Item #102599
1 piece 4 1/4 x 11" whisper white cardstock, Item #100730
1 piece 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" bashful blue cardstock, Item #105120
Snail Adhesive, Item #104332
Dimensionals, Item #104430
Bone Folder, Item #102300
Brayer, Item #102395
Brilliant Blue Classic Stamp Pad Ink, Item #100691
Bashful Blue Classic Stamp Pad Ink, Item #105209
Versamark Stamp Pad Ink, Item #102283
Scallop Circle Punch, Item #109043
Just Beachy Stamp Set, Item #113796 (Occasions Mini Catalog April 1 - June 30, 2009)
And Many Mower Stamp Set, Item #113724 (occasions Mini Catalog April 1 - June 30, 2009)


Fold your 8 1/2" x 4 1/4" whister white page in half using the bone folder for a crisp, clean fold. This is the base for your card. Set your folded card piece aside. It will be used at the very end.

The piece of glossy white cardstock that we will do the brayering on, will be added to the card later.

Take painters tape and put random strips of it over the white glossy cardstock. I adhere a little bit off the cardstock too so that it can be easily removed when the brayer color is finished.

We are going to use the stamp pad ink and the brayer to gently roll over the glossy white painter that we have put the painters tape on. Do NOT use the brayer until you have completed the next step.

Ink your stamps with versamark ink and then stamp image on the glossy white cardstock. The images will be put randomly over the glossy white cardstock. Let dry for a minute before moving on to next step.

Clean your stamps right away. The Versamark Ink is sticky and you want to get it off you stamps as quickly as possible. Using the Stampin' Scrub (Item #102642) and Stampin' Mist Stamp Cleaner (Item #102394) works great for to clean your stamps after using our inks or Versamark.

Roll your brayer over the classic ink stamp pad. I go in the same direction with applying the ink to the brayer. Now gently roll the brayer over the card top going in numerous directions and smoothly out the ink as you go. The more you roll over the image, the deeper the color and the image will start to stand out more too.

Clean your brayer. You will need to use it again in a couple of minutes.

Gently peel off the painters tape. It will leave white areas on the card. Notice too how well the versamark ink fish show up under the blue ink we put on with the brayer.

Now using Brilliant Blue Classic Stamp Ink, put additional fish images over the white areas and some on the blue areas too if you would like.

Then using Bashful Blue Classic Stamp Ink, brayer again over the complete card. It will put a light blue over the white areas.

Stamp Happy Father's Day with Brilliant Blue Stamp Pad Ink on the Bashful Blue piece of card stock. Do not stamp too close to the bottom edge. This stamp is from the And Many Mower stamp set.

Using Brilliant Blue Stampin Pad Ink, stamp one of the smaller fish from the Just Beachy Stamp Set above the Happy Father's Day. Don't space them too far apart. You want this to fit inside of the Scallop Circle Punch.

Using the Scallop Circle Punch, punch out your design being sure not to cut any of it off.

Put two dimensions on the back of the scallop circle you just punched out. One side of dimensions is sticky, put that onto the back of the scallop circle. Then remove the paper off the back of the dimensional, exposing the other adhesive side to each.

Now place the Scallop Circle on your card front.

Then using snail adhesive attach this card front to your folded card base. I find it easiest to work from the folded side, matching the fold then top and bottom. Turn your card over and gently press to adhere the card front to the card base. Because the card front has so much design on it, I try not to rub my fingers over it so press from the back.

Don't forget to decorate your envelope with some of the fish too for an added design.