Kiss Technique

The name of the Kiss Technique is inspired by Vicki Boutin. This background technique produces results similar to the Dip Technique, but with much more control over where the colours land, making it the perfect variation for those of us who like a bit of control in our creative process.

By working on an acetate sheet first, you can gently “kiss” the ink onto your cardstock, building up layers of colour exactly where you want them.

• Technique:
• Products used:
• Tools used:
• Examples of how the Kiss Technique can be used:

Technique:

1. Choose around 5 different ink colours.

2. Press one of the ink pads directly onto a piece of acetate.

3. Wet a paintbrush with water and use it to mix the ink on the acetate until it forms small droplets.

4. Turn the acetate sheet over and gently “kiss” the ink onto smooth white cardstock. You can press lightly or firmly, depending on how much ink you want to transfer.

5. If needed, dab away excess ink with a paper towel.

6. Clean the acetate sheet before moving on to the next colour.

7. Allow the ink to dry, then repeat the process with additional colours.

8. Continue layering until you’re happy with the background you’ve created.

I created three different backgrounds using the same colour palette.

Digital versions of these background pages can be downloaded here (just click on image and save):

These backgrounds work beautifully with our FREE Journal Cards 2026:

Products used:

• Distress Oxide ink (Ranger) – Stormy Sky, Victorian Velvet, Scattered Straw, Hickory Smoke and Peeled Paint (or other water-based inks)
• Smooth white cardstock 280gsm

Tools used:

• Acetate sheet
• Paintbrush
• Water
• Paper towel
• Non-stick Teflon craft sheet or similar

Examples of how the Kiss Technique can be used:

You can use the pages as full background papers, or punch shapes from them to create custom embellishments for your projects.