Tim Holtz and Ranger released Distress Oxide Pads and Reinkers during Creativation 2017, held in Phoenix in January.  They’ve taken our world by storm, amazing just about everyone with their unique dye/pigment ink blend of properties.

As you’d expect, artists are using the pads in a variety of ways.  I’ve seen card fronts colored with Oxides, journal page backgrounds made with them, and of course people are stamping with them.  The fusion of the two styles of ink make them perfect for all kinds of artistic adventures.

As marvelous as the pads are, what about the Reinkers?  I asked myself that question and began to play and experiment.  One of the things I discovered is that the Reinkers are color on steroids; intense and filled with goodness waiting to be unleashed.  If spritzing something colored with the ink from a pad causes the oxidation to happen, it stands to reason adding water to the reinker on a surface would do that same – and yep – it does.

In the beginning of the video you’ll see me play in this manner, working on NonStick Craft Sheet.  At about the 5:15 point of I’ll shift gears, getting out an 8″ x 10″ Gel Press Plate and rolling the Oxide Reinker on the surface in the usual manner, using a brayer.  Because the viscosity of the Reinkers is thinner than paint, the color can be rolled out in such a way to create some pretty cool dotted patterns.  That’s a good thing.

Because the Reinkers are so heavily pigmented, I add water after printing which allows me a second generation, and then a third.  You’ll also see me twist the 4″ x 4″ Artist Tile I’m printing on which causes the pattern to be less about dots or splotches and way more like a cyclone-type pattern.  Think of weather surface maps weather folks show that depict a hurricane or tropical storm and you’ll be on the right track.

There’s a to to love about Oxides, especially those Reinkers!

Supplies For This Video:

Distress Oxide Reinkers

Gel Press Plates

Brayer

Strathmore Artist Tiles (4″ x 4″ or 6″ x 6″ in both Bristol and Watercolor)