10 Ways To Use Hero Hues Reactive Inks

Learn 10 fun ways to use Hero Hues Reactive Inks in your stamping & cardmaking projects!

The Hero Hues Reactive Inks are a brand new formulation of inks from Hero Arts.  These inks are hybrid inks and combine properties of both dye inks and pigment inks.  It’s like the best of both worlds!  These inks dry quickly to the touch, but stay wet long enough to allow for lots of techniques, like embossing and ink blending.

The Hero Hues Reactive Inks react with water allowing you to create fun backgrounds with lots of texture.  You can also use these inks to water color, ink smoosh and more!

I’ll be showing you the following techniques in today’s video, featuring the Hero Arts Hero Hues Reactive Inks.  Be sure to check it out!  I’ll also use the pieces that I’ve created with these techniques to make some quick and easy cards.

Ten ways to use Hero Arts Hero Hues Reactive Inks

1. Stamping.  Probably the must “duh” thing you’ve ever heard.  But sometimes I think we get so caught up in all the “technique-y” things an ink can do…and we overlook the fact that we can use them to stamp beautiful, vibrant, colorful images on our projects.
2. Stamping on dark or colored card stocks.  Due to the unique blend of dye and pigment properties, the Hero Hues Reactive Inks are perfect for stamping on darker colored card stocks.  The pigment properties add an opaque quality to these inks that allow their color to stay true, even on Kraft and colored card stocks.
3. Embossing.  The Hero Arts Reactive Inks, are a slower drying ink, which allows for more techniques.  Because they are slower drying, they can be used for embossing.  I like to choose my favorite color to stamp with, and then layer clear embossing powder over the top.  Once heat set, this will leave you with a high-gloss, raised, and vibrantly colored image.
4. Ink blending.  Once again, because these inks are slower drying, they are perfect for ink blending.  I was able to blend on to standard white card stock and get great results.  Use your favorite ink blending brushes for a softer, more subtle blend.  Or use an ink blending tool or sponge, for a more intense color. 
5. Water flicking.  Hero Arts Reactive Inks and reactive when they are exposed to water.  You can add some flicks of water with your hand or with a paint brush.  This will cause the ink to react and leave you with beautiful texture on your inked or stamped images.
6. Watercolor.  Watercoloring with Hero Arts Reactive Inks leaves you with a creamy, vibrant color that you’re sure to love.  Just add some ink directly from your pad to a non-stick surface.  Use a brush and some water to pick up the color.  You can use these inks to watercolor images or to create watercolor backgrounds.  It’s easy and the results are yummy.
7. Direct to paper watercolor.  Similar to the previous technique, you can create watercolor effect by simply taking your ink pad directly to the paper and then adding lots of water to allow the colors to blend.  This is a fast and easy, fool proof water color method that is great for creating fast backgrounds or adding quick color to stamped images.
8. Ink smooshing.  Ink smooshing is another spin on watercolor.  Because Hero Arts Reactive Inks blend and move with water, they are perfect for ink smooshing.  Just add some ink to a piece of acetate, spritz with water, and apply the ink to your card stock using the acetate.  This is a fun technique that adds lots of texture.  Once the first layer has dried, layer on other colors.  Due to the opacity of the inks, you won’t end up with muddy colors.  Smoosh away!
9. Ink lifting with a stamp.  Ink lifting can be achieved with stamps and stencils.  Keep in mind, your results will be more intense if your base layer of ink is more intense.  I like to start with a direct to paper technique or heavy ink blending for my base.  Then, I simply take a stamp spritzed with water and stamp on to the inked area.  This will lift and push the Hero Arts Reactive Ink, and leave a pattern ink your inked area.  Experiment with stencils too!
10. Layered Ink Blending.  Try stamping a pattern with white pigment ink on your card stock and then blending over the top with the Hero Hues Reactive Inks.  The pigment ink beneath will grab the color, leaving you with a cool, tone on tone effect.

I hope you enjoyed this look at the Hero Arts Hero Hues Reactive Inks.  And I hope you’ll give these techniques a try!  I had so much fun experimenting with this hybrid ink.  I absolutely adore the beautiful palette that Hero Arts has curated in these inks.  They’re vibrant and beautiful!

Thanks for stopping by today.  Until next time, I hope you have a fabulous day!

XOXO, Carissa

Giveaway…

Are you excited to test out the Hero Hues for yourself? Well we have a whole set to giveaway! Leave a comment here for a chance to win all 15 Hero Hues ink pads!

Here are the details…enter to win by commenting on this post before 11:59pm PST on July 21st. One winner will be randomly selected and notified via email.

Supplies: