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How to Emboss
I learnt to heat emboss in 1997. I know the precise year, because
as we were trying to keep costs down for our wedding, we decided
to make our own invitations. At that time the range of stamps
was more limited, and it was only a chance trip to a craft shop
for something else that I was introduced to the concept. Call
me sad if you like, but I have to this day I still get a thrill
watching the powder melt and provide a lovely raised image. So,
if you would like to give it a try, and open up a lot more paper
crafting possibilities, give it a try.
Off
we go .......
Then with a gently, but firm action, place your stamp on the card. Ensure that you apply a firm pressure all over the mount to get a good impression. If it’s a particularly large stamp, sometimes you can press with a fist in several places. It’s also important that you don’t use a rocking motion. If you are stamping on to a slippery surface like gloss card, or acetate, then you will need to a little extra care to ensure that the stamp doesn’t slide and therefore blur the impression.
Hold your heat gun about 1 ½ inches from the work, and as soon as you see the powder melt move the stream of air to the next portion. Make sure that you don’t overheat the powder, as it will just go flat. I am often asked by a beginner is if they can use a hairdryer, and the answer is no, but it is possible to use a toaster - that was how we did our wedding invitations. Also a DIY paint gun could be used, but with extreme care to avoid personal injury of scorching the cardstock. If you are having problems with scorching on some cardstock/vellum of more delicate disposition try heating it from the rear for more success.
Remember
at any stage if you go wrong the cost is not that great, and you
can try again. Nothing should ever be considered a mistake, just
a design opportunity. |
Place
your stamp with the rubber side facing you the on your work area,
and with a light tapping motion apply ink to the surface, making
sure that you have coverage all over the face of the stamp.
Sprinkle
the powder over the image. Don’t be afraid that you will
use too much, as the excess can just be collected and put back
in the pot. Sometimes it’s a good idea to flick the back
of the work to get off any other stray bits of powder that can’t
be removed with the brush. 
Really, the heat gun should be considered an essential tool, and
once you’ve got one, it should last a good long time - and
prove to be a worthwhile investment. I’ve had the same one
since I first started. It’s still going strong, even though
I use it most days. They also come in handy for drying or heat
setting all manner of bits and bobs.