Thursday, March 15, 2018

The Digit-al Dozen Does Stamping Day 4: Reversed Stamping (featuring Dixie Plates Botanicals 01)

(Press samples and affiliate links ahead!)


Hello!



So far during The Digit-al Dozen's stamping week, I've shown you some beginning and intermediate looks--we've played with placement, layering, and color. Now we're going to move into the advanced techniques, with one of my very favorites--reversed stamping. I have several tutorials that use this technique on my YouTube Channel, but my favorite is this one, because is shows my tip for making reversed stamping easy peasy.


To show off this technique, I chose Dixie Plates Botanical 01, one of her new plates for spring 2018. I reviewed the plate in this video:



And here's a still shot of the plate:


Dixie Plates Botanicals 01


Dixie Plates makes her images generous, so if you have longer nails, you won't have to worry about images disappearing on your nail. Here's a shot with a ruler, so you can get a feel for how the sizes work for you:



Here's a look at a few test swatches:


 


Since this is stamping week, this is a good place for me to mention my tips for working with intricate, fine-lined images. Plates with those types of images can be finicky, so if you find yourself having trouble with the images, try one or more of these:

1) Try a different stamping polish
2) Try a different clear stamper (I have one that refuses to pick up fine-lines off most plates, no idea why!)
3) Cover your entire image with polish (not just halfway, a cheat I use all the time)
4) Scrape veeery gently.


On to the manicure! For this look, I started with a base of Zoya Darby. Then I stamped the crocus image using Hit The Bottle Polish My Suitor Wears Pewter. I overlapped the images for a graphic sort of look. On two separate stampers, I stamped another crocus, then colored them in, first with Zoya Leia (a topper that gives a flakie-like shimmer), and then when that was dry, with a layer of Zoya Trudith. Here's how it ended up:


Dixie Plates Botanicals 01 over Zoya Darby
Dixie Plates Botanicals 01 over Zoya Darby

Dixie Plates Botanicals 01 over Zoya Darby


Okay, so, here are the two tricks I use for perfect reversed stamping. First, once you've colored in your image, hold your stamper up to the light and look down the barrel at your image. This will let you see if you have any bald spots you need to fill in more before you apply. Then, once you're ready to apply, rather than a coat of topcoat on the nail where you will be rolling on your image, use a coat of bonding basecoat. Even when completely dry, the bonding basecoat will stay sticky, and will grab onto your image when you apply it to the nail! No more ending up with half of your image on your nail, and half still on your stamper. :)


If you're in the US or Canada, you can find this plate (and the Hit The Bottle Polish) at Lantern & Wren; if you're elsewhere, check out Dixie Plates' site for a retailer that ships to you. And you can stalk Dixie Plates around the interwebs:

Dixie Plates Facebook Fangroup: https://www.facebook.com/groups/461694520667496/

Dixie Plates on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dixie_plates/


I'll be back next time with my very favorite advanced stamping technique (at least, currently!). In the meantime, check out all the gorgeous stamping by the other ladies, below. :)


Big hugs,
M. xoxo

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9 comments:

  1. The detail in that stamping plate is amazing! You created such a sweet spring mani!

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  2. Beautiful mani! I just recently discovered Dixie plates and love the one I have.

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    1. Thank you! I've fallen in love with her plates. Excellent quality and lovely designs!

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  3. Leia as a topper over the gorgeous Trudith is just magical.
    Love this whole mani, you did great.

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    1. Thank you so much! I was happy with how this one turned out. I love how the pewter polish really softens the look, rather than black. :)

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  4. I really love how you chose to fill in just a couple of the flowers!

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  5. The colors that you used worked so well with this plate! This look is absolutely beautiful!!

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