How to Do Stippling for Scrapbooking

Stippling creates an uneven, and elegant, wash of color on the page.

Scrapbooks hold people's fondest memories, from family photos to newspaper clippings. Crafting thoughtful and artistic pages requires the right tools and bit of practice. Stippling creates an uneven wash of color on the scrapbook page to serve as a background to those special moments. While a standard paintbrush can create a similar wash of color, ideally you should use a high quality stippling brush to create the desired effect.

Things You'll Need

• Card stock or scrapbook page
• Stippling brush
• Ink pads
• Moistened paper towel
• Stencil

Instructions

1. Dab the tip of the stippling brush onto the surface of the ink pad a few times. Dab with quick, successive motions to get an even layer of color onto the brush.

2. Dab the brush onto the card stock or scrapbook page in quick, successive motions in a small area about 4 inches in diameter. As the ink runs out, some areas will have a lighter shade of color while others will be slightly darker.

3. Wipe off the brush with a moist paper towel after the first ink has been used up. Dip into the same color or a contrasting color, using quick, slight motions to get an even color.

4. Continue to dab the brush onto the page in quick motions. Never leave the brush on an area for more than a quick moment to avoid getting a heavy, dark dot on the page.

5. Stipple over a stencil to get a faded, watery image on the scrapbook page. Stencils create an ideal centerpiece on a page, around which photos and clippings can sit with ease.

Tips & Warnings

• Always clean your stippling brush between colors to avoid creating a muddy brown color.

• Practice stippling on a scrap sheet before beginning a project on nice scrapbooking paper.