Supplies
- 1 sheet of black cardstock and 1 sheet of white paper
- Ranger Blush Pearl Embossing Powder
- Ranger Gold Embossing Powder
- Ranger Emboss It Pen (black)
- Fan brush and paint brush size 3
- Embossing Heat Tool
STEP 1: Letter It Be
Using your Ranger Emboss It pen, lay down your lettering on the black cardstock. The thicker the lines, the better your embossing powder will stick when you get to that step. I suggest going over your lettering twice to ensure you haven’t missed any spots with your embossing pen.
If you need some help with your lettering, grab The Ultimate Brush Lettering Guide or a brush lettering Procreate pack to practice before you start sprinkling that gold dust everywhere.
STEP 2: Emboss Like a Boss
Using your Ranger Blush Pearl Embossing Powder, cover the top half of your letter design. Let the embossing powder sit there for 30 seconds to ensure it is sticking to the embossing ink you laid down. I always use more than I need because the weight of the powder piled on each other helps push it onto the ink. This might not really be the case, but it makes me feel better.
After the powder has sat on the embossing ink, you will then place your white piece of paper under your black piece of paper. Pour the blush embossing powder from your black paper onto the white paper and tap a couple of times to get the excess to fall off. You will then fold the white piece of paper slightly and pour the powder back into its container.
Repeat step 2 with the gold powder.
STEP 3: Brush Away the Pain
Using your small paintbrush, very carefully brush away the excess powder that has stuck to the paper around the letters. Be careful not to brush the powder off the embossing ink. This step is slow and tedious and rather annoying, but also necessary. Then, using your fan brush, wipe away all of the excess powder spread around the rest of your paper, not close to the letters.
STEP 4: Let's Get Lit
Now that you have your letter design perfect and just the way you want it (or you have given up on brushing the excess away and can live with your end product), turn your heating tool on and let it warm up for a solid minute. Don’t put your hand in front of it to check if it’s hot. It hurts. You will then slowly move the heating tool over your lettering and watch the glorious science experiment unfold.
STEP 5: Stay In Your Line
This step isn’t necessary, but for some reason, I always like to add a little shadow line with white ink. For this, I use a Gelly Roll pen, size 10. You can choose what side of the letters to put your white lines. I choose the right side 99% of the time, but you do you.
STEP 6: Promoted to Embossing Royalty
You did it! Now, take a step back and admire the beauty you just created! YOU created that! Take a picture. Post it all over social media. Hang it on your refrigerator. Mail it to the President. You get to do whatever you want with it because it’s your art!
Hi everyone! Jamie Russell here, the face behind Letter This By Jamie. As you can tell from the blog above, I try not to take myself too seriously. When I’m not creating and obsessing over lettering, you’ll more than likely find me at one of three places – school, supervising a school event (I’m a high school assistant principal), or lying on my couch, cuddling my dogs, exhausted from the day-job hustle. I actually began my lettering journey 2 ½ years ago as an outlet for stress. I figured I could only continue drinking so much wine, but I could letter all I wanted! That simple outlet has paved the way for some amazing opportunities for which I didn’t plan. Other things I enjoy – board games, barbeques on a sunny day, riding my bike, and going to sporting events. I’m super competitive and will jeopardize any relationship to win! I’m sure with that said, you’d love to come hang out with me! Hit me up on my Instagram or Facebook (both @letterthisbyjamie). I’d love to chat with you!
