embossing by hand

While I feel that for most applications, our images show plenty of dimension, I do think there’s a place for some extra effort.

I have been playing with embossing by hand. I use a burnisher with a small ball end and put the paper of a surface that has a little give like a softer paper. For stone, I start on the front and press in on the grout lines. Not too hard just enough to get a little deformation and I don’t do the whole sheet just a few areas a couple of inches in diameter.

Then flip the paper over and with a bigger burnisher I push out some stones using the marks I made on the front as a guide. Don’t over do it and don’t try to be even. Uneven is good. I think this would work especially well on corners and areas of special interest.

I did see on another forun someone had printed stone on watercolor paper. It has a lot of give and texture. I thought it was a bit too much but it’s good to know it’s possible.

That’s the tip for today.

Thom

Comments

[John Humes]

Thom,

Thanks for tip. In the past I had done the first part but would try to do the whole page. Just too much effort. But your right, just small areas is more than enough. I must admit, I have never tried turning the paper over and pushing from the rear. Next model:))

Again, thanks for the tip.

John