To stamp on a wood slice, prime it with white gesso, let it dry, stamp with a pigment ink like VersaFine Clair, add color with markers, paint or an ink blending brush, and seal it with varnish. Maria made two birch slice snowmen with the Woodland Visitors stamp set, one painted and one ink blended.
Maria here with a wintry project. Here in the Northeast it has been cold with a little snowfall, and this snowman kit is a winter kit, not just a holiday one.
Here is what I created using small birch wood slices:
Slice one: gesso, stamp, markers and paint
I captured a few steps along the way to show how easy it is.
First off I covered the wood with white gesso as a primer. Then after it fully dried I stamped the image using VersaFine Clair in Black. I added color to the hat and bird using markers and then used the acrylic paints for the sky and snow.
Slice two: ink blended instead of painted
For the second wood slice I primed it with Gesso and stamped in black again. Then instead of paint I just used a teal ink using a blending brush.
Seal it
Once everything was completely dry I used a varnish over the top to seal and protect the image. Mine was a statin varnish because I didn’t have a high gloss one on hand.
I hope this inspires you to create some fun winter projects. Thanks for stopping by!
Till next time!
Where to get the stamps
The snowman with his bird and rabbit, plus “Can’t wait to see you again” and “It’s been too long”, are the Woodland Visitors stamp set.
There is a sale every week at Unity, so if the timing is not right today, add the set to your wishlist and wait for it.
More ideas: Handmade Christmas Card Ideas and the full winter stamps collection.
Questions cardmakers ask
Can you stamp directly on wood?
Yes, once it is primed. Raw wood soaks up ink and the grain breaks the image; a coat of white gesso gives a smooth surface that takes a crisp impression.
What ink works on a gessoed wood slice?
A pigment ink such as VersaFine Clair. It stays crisp on the primed surface and does not bleed when you add paint or ink blending on top.
How do I seal a stamped wood slice?
Let everything dry completely, then brush on a clear varnish. Satin or gloss both work; Maria used satin because it was on hand.