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
Love the versatility of these inks and the colors are so pretty
Thank you for sharing all the ways to use Hero Arts inks.
Love the shades of color.
Oh my goodness!! Love the color combos! I wanna try them out for myself!!!❤❤
Such beautiful colors! I’m a fairly new Crafter and I love hearing about how many different ways I can use inks. Thank you for the tips!
Thank you for the video, I watched it last night. Got some new ideas
I love the vibrant colors of the Hero Hues, they make such beautiful blends
Thank you for sharing so many techniques. I have been intrigued by these ever since I saw the release. I love how they look on the Kraft card stock. The colors are just gorgeous.
I learned so much from this post–thank you.
Thank you for showcasing a product that is new to me.
What a great post. Thank you so much for all great ideas on ways to use these ink pads. They look awesome!
What gorgeous ink colors!! I am totally in love! Thanks for sharing these ideas!
I have only used the shadow inks before. These reactive inks look fun! I definitely have to get some and start playing!
So many new things for me to try.
I would love to try these inks. Thank you so much! Lovely ideas Carissa.
This was a great post!
These inks are amazing! I love all the techniques Carissa shared, they are so versatile. The colors are gorgeous!
Thank you for sharing the techniques.. these are amazing.. would love to add them in my collection.
These inks are gorgeous, thank you for sharing the techniques, would love to add them in my collection
these inks sound amazing! thanks for the chance to win some to try!
I always learn so much from you guys and those inks are sooo pretty. Would absolutely love to have them in my collection to make my cards have more colours in them.
I watched your video. Great ideas and a terrific ink colour pallet!! You can do so much with all those colours. Thank you for having the give away. 😊
These look like they’d be fun to try, and I love the vibrant colors!
It would be so exciting to win these! Thanks for the chance and thanks for all the ideas! 🙂
I love the bright colours of these and all the things you can do with them! Beautiful card examples, too.
What beautiful, Bright Colors. I live how versatile these inks are.
Omg!! A chance to win the new hero arts reactive inks!!!? Sign me up!!! And thanks so much for the opportunity!! 🙌🙌😍😍
Who wouldn’t want to get their hands on those?? Awesome giveaway!
Such fun, beautiful colors! Thanks for your amazing video and thanks for the chance to win!!
Oh my gosh…I need to try these inks out! You have inspired me (although I would love to win the giveaway)
Beautiful and fun cards! And of course those inks look amazing!
Ooohh! These colors are so pretty! I’ve been itching to try them. Ooh the colorful things I could make…
So generous to offer this great prize! Thanks!
Those inks look AMAZING! I’ve just started getting back into watercolors, and would love to try out these inks!
I need all the help I can get! Love your stuff and and you do.😊
Lovin’ the inspiration! Such beautiful colors! The inks look fabulous!
Love all the colors! What a great prize too! Thank you for the chance to win!
These new inks look and sound amazing! Would love to try them 😊
Love Hero Arts inks. Great blog on techniques to use!
These inks look so versatile! I can’t wait to try them. Thanks for all the ideas on how to use them!
Beautiful vibrant colors. Love Hero Arts and have been dying to get some. Would truly love to win. ThNk you for sharing all the many ways to use them.
Great tips, thank you! I need to try stamping with the new inks on dark cardstock…
Great info. Thanks for sharing!
Great idea to show all these techniques! Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for the inspiration. These pads are amazing. Love the colors 😊 I can imagine so many beautiful summer layouts and cards ♥️
I have few ink pads so it would be such a treat!!! Oh the things I could do!!
I love all of the colors! Just beautiful!
Oh my! This post has made me want these inks even more!! Thank you for all the tips and techniques!!! Thank you also for the oppurtunity for such an amazing giveaway!!!
Those are so pretty. I love them all. Thanks for the chance to win. Fingers crossed………
Well, I never win contests so oh well. Being new to card making I long for the stashes that others have built up over time. I love being creative and all the things that can be done but it is expensive. And you carry the inks, dies and stamps that are the highest quality. I got some distress ink cubes because I can afford them but the the colors are more bold. Hero’s Hues are so soft and sweet. I will hope to pick one or two up at my local craft stores when they have coupons!
These inks are stunning. The color palette chosen to introduce this new line is perfect because not only is it varied enough to be multi-purpose, but it also compliments existing colors across other lines in the Hero Arts ink repertoire. It also looks as if it will pair beautifully with inks from other manufacturers. I can’t wait to add these to my stash!