Paintsticks ...

Hello, and it's Alexa here. Markal paintsticks, anyone? Like these ...

They're pure colour beneath the self-sealing skin which forms on the top (and needs a little scrape of a knife or fingernail to remove before using.) They can be applied on fabric, wood, metal and many other substances, combined together to create new shades, and they then become permanent when sealed or heat-set on fabric or, very helpfully, when they're left to their own devices for a few weeks to 'set' of their own accord. I love them on fabric, where you can very effectively use one of these:

Rub the colour onto a soft toothbrush (Poundland ones are fine!), and then gently stroke across the fabric. Tear a jagged edge along a piece of firm paper, dab some paintstick into the paper strip in several places along the edge, and with short sweeping strokes gently brush the paint from the paper onto the fabric. Using clean strips of paper and a fresh colour and toothbrush for each one can generate soft stripes like these:

They can be used in many projects. Being a scrapbooker, I wanted to use mine on a layout. I could have incorporated the fabric directly, but I photographed it and printed it onto card which I then trimmed:

There it is, down the left - immensely soothing (almost meditative) to do, creative as you change the shades of the paintsticks, and very satisfying to see the way each brush-stroke is unique in transferring the colour differently. An investment in two or three to start will still give you lots of pleasure and options to explore!
Have you used them in any of your projects? We'd love to see!

Comments

[Debbie Roberts]

Oh this is absolutely beautiful, just googling to see if the bank balance will take another purchase just now.

Thanks for the inspiration

Debbie x

[Eleanor]

It is truly beautiful, what a marvellous technique, like Debbie, I have to have some of these. Stunning layout.
E
xx

[Mandy]

Gorgeous colour in those sticks... fab LO too :)

[michelle]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!!!

[joy aitman]

Off to find my box of these. I know they are somewhere in the house.

[Sian]

This is gorgeous! I haven't seen these before..something else to put on my list then.

[jayne]

think i need these :)

[Carmen]

I missed this post! I've never heard of them before - such a gorgeous effect. Wondering if OH will notice a hit to his Paypal ;)