Card Making & Mixed Media Surfaces

Getting started with Ranger inks doesn’t require dozens of tools. You just need a few essentials that will let you jump in confidently. 

• Surface - Start with a surface of your choice, preferably white or a light color and make sure it's the correct size for the card you want.
• Ink Pads - Pick a few coordinating colors of ink pads that match the theme of the stamps or stencils you have chosen for your project.
• Stamp - Pick the sentiment or design you want to create with. If you plan to stamp you will need a clear acrylic block to mount your stamp on so you can get an even impression.
• Stencil - Pick your design or image you would like to add to the background of your card and make sure you have an ink blending tool or brush handy so you can transfer the ink through the stencil.
• Ink Blending Tool or Brush - The Ink Blending Tool is used for ink blending and backgrounds, allowing smooth, precise application of inks across cardstock, tags, chipboard, die cuts, and more and can be used with or without a stencil. Most crafters keep a few handles so they can blend different colors without swapping foams too often or they keep one tool with foam attached for each color family.  Blending Brushes are similar but instead of interchangeable foams they have bristles and crafters typically have one brush per color family. If you plan to stamp, you’ll need a clear acrylic block to mount photopolymer or cling rubber stamps.

With just these basics, beginners can tackle cardmaking.

Ranger offers a few blending options, each with a slightly different application.

• Ink Blending Tools have a flat foam on a rectangular or round handle and vary in size, ideal for large backgrounds and full-sheet coverage, working through stencils or in small areas or inking edges. The Domed Blending Foam has a rounded foam that creates softer edges and more concentrated ink in the center, perfect for vignettes or subtle transitions and can easily be attached to the Mini Ink Blending tool applicators.
• Tim Holtz Distress® Blending Brushes are firm bristled brushes designed to create soft blends for backgrounds. Use to easily apply Distress Inks and Distress Oxides directly to surface, or apply through stencils for shaded effects. Distress® Blending Brushes are made with natural fibers. The compact, retractable design is ideal for convenient storage.
• The Simon Hurley Blending Brushes are great for laying down bold color directly onto your cardstock or adding detail through intricate stencils, this brush glides effortlessly—delivering smooth, seamless blends every time. The custom-designed ergonomic handle sits comfortably on top of the brush, giving you total control and precision exactly where you need it. Apply more pressure for intense, saturated color, or use a lighter touch for soft, subtle gradients, with bristles instead of foam, applies ink in a textured, painterly way, making it excellent for stencils, feathered edges, or stippled effects.

Proper cleaning extends the life of your tools and keeps colors from bleeding into each other. Ink blending foams rinse under warm water until clear, or you can use Ranger Stamp Cleaner, then let air dry completely before reuse. Many crafters keep separate foams for light and dark colors and stock extra foams to avoid frequent washing. Stamps should be cleaned immediately after use with water-based or clear stamp cleaner and scrubbed gently with a Rubit-Scrubit pad; dried inks, especially Archival or pigment-based, can permanently stain and degrade rubber. Stencils should be wiped or rinsed while the medium is still wet—baby wipes for inks, warm soapy water for paints and texture pastes. Avoid letting paste dry on stencils, as it can permanently clog fine details. Non-stick craft sheets and silicone mats are easy to clean with a damp cloth or baby wipe, and dried ink can be refreshed with Ranger Ink Refresher. Following these routines keeps your tools performing at their best.

While a hair dryer can dry wet ink or paint, it cannot replace a craft heat tool for embossing. A craft heat tool is usually the better choice because it’s designed specifically for art materials.The Ranger Heat It Craft Tool produces high, concentrated heat with minimal airflow, melting embossing powders quickly and precisely without blowing them off your project, and ideal for speeding up dry time and setting mediums between mixed media layers. Hair dryers, by contrast, create airflow that scatters powder before it melts and offer less controlled heat.  Craters run the risk of shifts or elements blowing away. For anyone serious about embossing and mixed media techniques, the Heat It Craft Tool isn’t just convenient—it’s essential.