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Domino Basics – Coloring Stamped Images with Sharpie® Markers

By Tracy Turner, TAC Angel #240

Supplies:

• Penguins stamp set (TAC)
• Travel Collage stamp set (TAC)
• Mini Couture stamp set (see note)
• Cup of Tea OOPSIE stamp set (see note)
• Graphite Black Brilliance Ink (Tsukineko ~ *TAC)
• Moonlight White Brilliance Ink (Tsukineko ~ *TAC)
• Regular Size Dominoes
• Sharpie® Brand Markers
• Alcohol Swabs
• Facial Tissues
• Acrylic mounts (TAC)
• Gold Leafing Pen (Krylon ~ *TAC)
• Copper Leafing Pen (Krylon)
• Heat Tool (Marvy ~ *TAC)
• Tube Beads
• Satin Cording
• Pin Back
• Magnet
• E6000 Adhesive

Sealers and Finishes:

• Krylon Workable Fixatif or Blair Marker Fixative
• Future Floor Finish or Krylon Crystal Clear
• Mod Podge or Diamond Glaze
   

A Word about Supplies

The dominoes used in these examples are the regular size white dominoes that come in a blue tin. You can find them at most discount stores, toy stores, on-line, and even places such as Walgreen’s and Kmart.

The markers used are the Sanford brand Sharpies®. These markers are solvent based and are permanent when dry. There are 24 different Sharpie® colors including earth tones and pastels. This does not include the metallic Sharpies®, which are too opaque for blending, but are nice for finishing the edges of your dominoes. Although some craft stores carry Sharpies, you will most likely have better success at an office supply store such as Office Depot, Office Max, or Staples. (I have found all of the colors of Sharpies® and at the best prices here in the San Francisco bay area at Staples).

Preparing the Domino:

For this technique, you DO NOT want to bleach your dominoes before stamping. The smooth surface of the domino is what makes the Sharpies® easy to blend.

You should however, clean the surface of the domino before stamping. Rubbing alcohol is great for this, and the foil packed alcohol swabs found in drug stores are perfect. Window and household cleaners are another option for cleaning.  Also, try to avoid touching the area of the domino you plan to decorate so as not to transfer skin oils to the surface.

Basic Directions for Coloring Stamped Images with Sharpie® Markers

• When working with dominoes, the most important part is having patience. Take your time and heat set between steps. It is, also, very important to allow sufficient time for the domino to cool in order to avoid burning yourself! If you work on more than one domino at a time, you will have less “down” time while waiting between steps.
   
• Facial tissues work great as a blending tool and for blotting or removing excess ink and color. Blot in a straight up and down motion, or pull slightly away from the stamped image, this helps to prevent smearing the image. Keep a box of facial tissues nearby and change to a new tissue often. This is especially important when changing marker colors. You can, also, apply Sharpie® to your domino by letting the facial tissue soak up ink directly from the marker and then pounce the color on with the wet tissue. This gives a more subtle look than coloring directly on the domino.
   
• Avoid straight lines when you color. The ink will blend much easier if you use a circular motion while coloring. Basically, you are just scribbling between the stamped lines of your image.
   
• Keep the area you are coloring as “wet” as possible. Lay a lot of color down, but work in one small area at a time. Blot the “just colored” area with a facial tissue. This both lightens the marker color and blends the ink from area to area. The longer you wait to blot, the more the ink dries and the more intense the final color will be. This, also, tends to give the coloring a more textured look.
   
• If you wish to lighten the color after it’s already dried, add more ink with the Sharpie® and then blot with a facial tissue. You can, also, achieve wonderful effects by coloring with a dark color first and then “over coloring” with a light color. The solvent properties of the Sharpies® make it so that the second color will “erase” the first. This works best by working from the middle towards the stamped edges.
   
• Heat set your domino only when you are satisfied with your coloring.  Don’t heat set if you think you may want to do more blending.
   
• If you make a mistake before heat setting, you can “erase” with rubbing alcohol. You can, also, apply Sharpie® to the domino before the alcohol dries completely. This is just another way to blend and mute the marker color.

Sealing the Dominoes

Once you have stamped, colored, and heat set your domino it is a good idea to seal your artwork.  Since Sharpies® are solvent based, they can react to the chemicals in different traditional finishes such as the Krylon Crystal Clear spray.  To avoid having the inks smear, you can use a fixative spray such as Blair Marker Fixative or Krylon Workable Fixative before adding the final finish. The fixative will “set” your artwork so that you can then add the finish of your choice.

• If you wish to seal all the sides of your domino, try Future Floor Finish. Use a fine mist spray bottle to apply. Spray several light coats, and allow each coat to dry thoroughly before spraying the next.
   
• For a more durable finish, especially on dominoes that will be handled frequently (such as pendants or pins), use the Krylon Crystal Clear. Again, spray several light coats allowing each to dry thoroughly between applications. Due to the fumes, spray outside or in a well ventilated area.
   
• When you only wish to seal the “face” of your domino, try 3-D Crystal Lacquer, Perfect Paper Adhesive, Mod Podge, or Diamond Glaze. All of these finishes give a wonderful shine and add dimension to your stamped artwork. Let dry overnight before handling for best results.

Penguin Domino – “Wrap Around Coloring” Technique

This technique is especially fun when stamping and coloring scenic designs on dominoes.
 

1)    Stamp penguin onto clean domino using Graphite Black Brilliance ink. Heat set, and allow to cool.

2)    Stamp penguin again onto scrap paper and cut out, trimming close to image. Lay paper mask over stamped image on domino. Hold mask in place and stamp “snow drift” on domino as shown. Heat set, and allow domino to cool. 

3)    Stamp “snow drift” on sides and back of domino, lining images up from side to side. Be sure to heat-set each side, and allow to cool before stamping the next side.

4)    Color the penguin’s feet with Sharpie®. Blot marker with facial tissue in a straight up and down motion.

5)    Color detail on penguin’s chest. Orange, then yellow was used in the example. The colors were blended and blotted in a slight downward motion to achieve a “feathered” look. Heat-set the domino and allow to cool.

6)    Color the “sky” using a circular motion with the Sharpie® and working small areas at a time, blotting with facial tissue. Continue coloring on the sides and back of the domino. Heat-set the domino and allow to cool.

7)    Pounce the Moonlight White Brilliance pad directly onto the “snow drift” areas of the domino. Heat set one side at a time until all white areas of the domino are covered.

8)    Finish as desired.

Travel Collage Pendant – “Blended Background” Technique

This technique is a great way to add depth to your dominos where there is a lot of open space to be colored.

1)    Ink “Pisa” stamp from Travel Collage set with Graphite Black Brilliance. Lay inked image face up on work surface. Carefully lay clean domino face down onto inked stamp, positioning it in desired area of design. Press down on domino firmly, then lift straight up off the stamp. Heat set and allow domino to cool.

2)    Color “tower” with brown Sharpie® by tapping the side, not the tip, of marker onto domino. Blot ink with facial tissue and repeat until image is covered.

3)    Add highlights to the “tower” with pink Sharpie®, tapping marker as above. Blot with facial tissue. The solvent properties of the markers will remove some of the brown ink and blend the two colors. When desired look is achieved, heat set and allow the domino to cool.

4)    Repeat the steps above for the “leaves” coloring first with dark green and then light green Sharpie®. Heat set and allow the domino to cool.

5)    To color the “sky”, start with a periwinkle Sharpie® marker using the color and blot method. After entire sky is colored, add pastel pink and then light orange highlights in the same way.  Be careful to color around the stamped areas.

6)    Soak an area of a facial tissue with the periwinkle Sharpie.  Pounce the wet tissue onto the sky to complete the blending of colors. Use an up and down motion so as to not smear the stamped areas.

7)    Color front edges, sides, and back of domino with Gold Leafing Pen. Let each side dry thoroughly before coloring the next.

8)    Apply desired finish and allow to dry thoroughly.

9)    Color wooden tube bead with Leafing Pen. Allow to dry. Glue to domino with E600 Glue. Thread black satin cording through bead for pendant.

Mini Couture Domino – “Over Coloring” Technique

This technique breaks all the “usual” rules for coloring. Since you color with a light color over a darker color, be sure to clean the tip of your Sharpie® often. Just wipe the marker on scrap paper until the tip comes clean.

1)    Stamp “diva” in Graphite Black Brilliance ink onto cleaned domino. Heat set and allow domino to cool. (The stamp set used in the example is an Oopsie or miniature version of the Haute Couture set. TAC Oopsies are perfect for dominoes because of their size.)

2)    Color arms, neck, and face of “diva” with pastel orange Sharpie®. Heat set and allow domino to cool.

3)    Color background with yellow Sharpie®. Use the color and blot method.

4)    Create “shadow” below “diva” with blue Sharpie leaving some white showing. Heat set and allow domino to cool.

5)    Color entire dress in dark purple Sharpie®. Be careful not to smear the stamped image.

6)    “Over color” skirt with pastel purple Sharpie® to create shadows and folds.

7)    “Over color” bodice with yellow Sharpie® working out from the center. Leave some of the purple around the stamped outline of the bodice. When desired look is achieved, heat set and allow the domino to cool.

8)    Stamp “le chic” in Graphite Black Brilliance ink as shown. Heat set, and allow domino to cool.

9)    Use black Sharpie® to color sides and back of domino. Use the edge of the marker to edge the front of the domino. Heat set, and allow domino to cool.

Cup of Tea Pendant – “Faux Watercolor” Technique

This technique creates the illusion of shadow and light and gives a soft look to your stamped dominos.

1)    Stamp “tea pot” onto clean domino using Graphite Black Brilliance ink. Heat set and allow domino to cool. (The stamp set used in the example is an Oopsie or miniature version of the Cup of Tea set. TAC Oopsies are perfect for dominoes because of their size).

2)    Color “tea pot” with brown Sharpie® marker. Color below stamped image in pastel orange. “Over color” the image with pastel orange, leaving some of the brown. Keep your marker strokes in a circular pattern. Heat set and allow domino to cool.

3)    Use a burgundy Sharpie® to color the lower part of the domino as shown. Blot the colored area with facial tissue keeping the color darker around the edges of the stamped image and at the top of the burgundy area. Heat set and allow the domino cool.

4)    Color the remaining white areas on the front of the domino with bright green Sharpie. Allow the ink to dry slightly before blotting. This will keep the color from blending smoothly and give more dimension to the background.

5)    Tap the side, not the tip, of the mustard Sharpie® onto the domino over the lines of the “steam”. Blot with a facial tissue using an up and down motion. Heat set and allow to dry.

6)    Color sides and back of domino with Copper Leafing pen. Let each side dry thoroughly before coloring the next.

7)    Apply desired finish and allow to dry thoroughly.

8)    Color the ends of a dark wood tube bead with the Copper Leafing pen. When dry, glue bead to domino with E6000 Glue. Thread black satin cording through bead for pendant.

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