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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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!
- 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.
112 Comments
I agree on us getting so technique’y that we forget to use the ink for its main purpose! I would absolutely love to play with a set of these inks!
Fabulous and informative post!!! What cool effects. I must try these.
Thank you for the chance to win.
<3 J
jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com
I would absolutely LOVE winning this set of inks to get inky and play and experiment with them! Unfortunately not being able to afford them, winning them would be a bright spark in the middle of the dark time I’ve been having for the last year and a half.
Thanks for the technique overview. These new inks do look fabulous and such yummie colours too! Thanks for the chance to win!
Thank you for for this overview. It’s easy to forget how versatile reactive I is are and the colour palette is absolutely gorgeous.
These new inks have really pretty colors! Thanks for sharing all the different ways we can use them.
The colors are gorgeous. Thanks for showcasing the properties and options for crafting.
I have really gotten into ink techniques. I’m using less and less patterned paper because I make my own backgrounds, would love these inks!! Love your company and shop often (according to my husband – too often LOL).
Lots of ways to utilize these beautiful ink pads. Thanks for a chance to work and play with them. I’m excited to try all 10 ways! Such pretty colors to experiment with.
The colors are so soft and pretty. I would definitely use these. Thanks for the video.
Such beautiful colors! I want them all.
Enjoyed the video. I love ink! Hero Hues is an ink that will be fun to have in my collection.
Beautiful cards as always, from Carissa. These inks are on my wish list, I would love to win a set of them, thanks for the chance to win.
I did not know these inks were so versatile! Can’t wait to get them in my stash!
These inks are awesome and you did so many interesting techniques with them! I love how you kept your stamped images black and white- they really pop against your colorful backgrounds! Thank you for sharing such great ideas with these Hero Hues inks and for the opportunity to win them!
Love the Hero Hues and you can stamp on dark cardstock!
Such vibrant colors. It’s fun to learn all the ways to use them.If I win them it would be fun to share them by using them in a card project with my monthly card group.
Thanks for the tips – love the colors!
Would love to check out these inks and try the different techniques.
Carissa and Ellen Hutson – you guys color my world HAPPY! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the great usage ideas. If I were to win these, I’d first want to try the lifting technique. Thanks for your presentation!
Good look of the new ink and colors. I like your ten ways of use. Thanks for all the information. The hybrid inks have allot of possibilities. Ink smooshing looks like fun first.
When I have been crafting for a number of years, I like seeing something new like this. There are plenty of new techniques that will work so well with these!
Thanks for sharing some great ideas for using the Hero Hues ink pads.
Would love to win a set of them!
Thanks❤️
So springy so summery! I would imagine I could use these everyday! And so many options for their use! Thanks for sharing and for the giveaway too.
wow Carissa…these inks look great. Thank you so much for the great video of all the techniques. Love how you used those samples to create these fun cards.
So many great ideas! Would love to try them.
Thank you for the perfect introduction to the Hero Arts Reactive inks. I’m glad you made comparisons to Distress Oxide Inks, as that answered my questions. I would love to check out all those colors.
Love the softness of the colors and the range of colors. Nice introduction to a new product!
I love all the options available with these new hybrid inks! Sounds like a lot of fun to play with.
Thanks for sharing ideas on these inks. They look so interesting.
This has been such a great year for both Hero Arts and Ellen Hutson! Birthdays to celebrate, the awesomest new products and brilliant new releases to be had. We’ve all profited from the talented and devoted people behind both companies. I would love nothing more than to toast both with splashes of intense colour should I win the stamp pads. Of course, you have my heartfelt thanks just for the great year (and the opportunity LOL) ♥️
Great ideas!!! I love the colors!!!
Omg wow!! These colors are so pretty. I don’t have any of these would love a chance to try them out! So many ways to use them!!
I love seeing that rainbow of ink pads. Gorgeous! Thanks for all the great ideas of ways to use these inks – and thanks for the chance to win them!
Great techniques! Thanks for sharing them, and the giveaway!
Thanks for the detailed tutorial and the video.. informative and helps a beginner like me..
These color are so vibrant and beautiful. Looks like they would be so fun to craft with!
Thank you so much for this video! Really enjoyed reviewing & learning techniques! Especially appreciated the contrast with the distress oxides! Very helpful! Love these colors & the different properties of hybrid inks!
I’m so excited to play with these fun and vibrant inks!
Beautiful colors and they look so fun!
Beautiful colors! Thanks for explaining the different ways to use it. 🙂
I absolutely adore the colours released so far, so vibrant and clean. I need them all in my life!! I can’t wait to try the ink lifting technique, I love tone on tone so it’ll make beautiful backgrounds 😍
Thanks so much for the in depth tutorial! These look so fun. 🤞🏼
Great ideas. Would love to try them out. Thanks for the giveaway. : )
These inks are so versatile, you can do lots of techniques with them! Thanks for the video! Love alle the different colors too! 😍
Thank you for showing all of the neat ways to use the Hero Arts Hue inks. I’ve gotten a few in the kits. Such an amazing prize!!💕
What amazing set of cards!!!
I’ve always loved Hero Arts’ Inks and it would be amazing win this great prize!!!
These colors are amazing! I can’t wait to try them out and make my own beautiful cards!
Thank you for the great tips.
Love these! You get so many options on thecniques with one set of inks. And the colors are absolutely amazing! 😍