Who doesn’t like COLOR? Or should I say who doesn’t like colorful backgrounds that are easy to make? Well, these can’t get any easier or any more colorful! Keep on reading to learn about the new Hero Arts Hero Hues Reactive Inks, why you need them in your stash (if you are anything like me you better start making room for these beauties) and what they can do on paper.
Like this card idea? Be sure to save it to one of your Pinterest boards for future reference! | Curious about my project photography? Click for details.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
As always, I filmed a video tutorial showing how to create this project from start to finish. I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it. Watch it below or on my Youtube channel:
Like this video? Please give it a big thumbs up (you can do this on Youtube video page right under the video) and share with a crafty friend! Leave me a comment too, I love hearing from you!
HERO ARTS HERO HUES REACTIVE INKS – WHAT ARE THEY?
Don’t be fooled, these aren’t just same old inks in new packaging, these are new formula inks entirely. These are called Hero Arts Hero Hues Reactive inks and at the moment they come in 15 beautiful colors. These are ideal for stamping and creating colorful backgrounds.
For the first background, I wanted to try and create solid color ink coverage and ink blend a sunset scene on a card. Using masking technique, Ranger ink blending tools and Spellbinders blending foams I quickly ink blended this non-traditional sunset:
Colors used: Fruit Punch, Taffy and Lemon Drop.
This ink will react to water when sprayed, dripped or misted. You can also use it without water. In fact all of the backgrounds I’m showing today were made without the use of water.
You can also use this ink direct to paper, this is how I made the sun’s reflection in the water (above), and how I created the next background (below). I started be applying Pool Party ink in the center of the panel making an impression using my ink pad alone. Next, using the technique, I added Lemon Drop, Taffy, and Key Lime Fizz color.
Next background is an ombre one featuring brush stroke like impressions on the paper using ink pads alone. I used Blue Raspberry, Key Lime Fizz, Pool Party and Blue Hawaii inks to complete this look.
Next one is my favorite. I die-cut some clouds using masking paper and cloud dies from the Color Layering Sea & Sky set and ink blended the entire background using Pool Party, Splash and Blue Hawaii inks for an ombre looking sky. Then, I re-applied the masks, the negative, and gave a soft ink blending to the clouds using lightest ink color to make them appear a bit dimensional.
All of the cards were completed with the help of black ink stamping or white heat embossing, I trimmed each panel to 4 x 5 1/4″ and foam mounted on A2 white card bases.
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
 Hero Arts AF420 Taffy Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF421 Fruit Punch Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF422 Creamsicle Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF423 Lemon Drop Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF424 Key Lime Fizz Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF425 Green Apple Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF426 Pool Party Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF427 Blue Raspberry Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF428 Splash Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF429 Blue Hawaii Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF430 Berry Smoothie Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF431 Thistle Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF432 Grape Slush Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF433 Fog Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts AF434 Sea Salt Reactive Ink Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts CM361 From the Vault Beach and Sea Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Hero Arts Color Layering Frame Cuts Sea and Sky Dies Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Hero Hues Cardstock – Dove White Shop at: SSS | SC | HA |
 Neenah 80LB Solar White Cardstock Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Hero Arts Black Ink Pad Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts White Detail Embossing Powder Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 Ranger Mini Round Ink Blending Tools Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Spellbinders Circle Replacement Foam Shop at: SSS | SC | SB | AZ |
 EK Success Powder Tool Applicator Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ |
 Judikins Eclipse Art Masking Tape Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Mini Misti Stamping Tool Shop at: SSS | SC | HA | AZ |
 White Fun Foam 12 Pack 9 x 12 Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Scor-tape 2 1/2 Inch Crafting Tape Shop at: SSS |
HOP ALONG FOR MORE INSPIRATION
I’m the last stop on this hop. You can start on the Hero Arts blog.
GIVEAWAYS!
We have gathered some fabulous prizes from our industry friends and partners for this hop.
Hero Arts: 3 $145 Gift Certificates, 3 $45 Gift Certificates | Altenew: $50 Gift Certificate | Art Impressions: $25 Gift Certificate | Ellen Hutson LLC: $50 Gift Certificate | Gina K: $100 Gift Certificate | Jennifer McGuire Ink: $100 Hero Arts Gift Certificate, 5 Share Handmade Kindness goodie bags | Laurie Willison: 2 Card Hanger Dies | Lawn Fawn: $50 Gift Certificate | My Sweet Petunia: 1 Prize Bundle (Original MISTI, a set of Creative Corners, a Cut-Align, and a bar magnet) | Online Card Classes: 5 spots in the Stamp Happy In Good Company: Hero Arts class | Pink Fresh Studio: $45 Gift Certificate | Scrapbook & Cards Today: 3 copies of Scrapbook & Cards Today Summer 2019 Issue | Scrapbook.com: $50 Gift Certificate | Simon Says Stamp: $50 Gift Certificate
Winners will be drawn from people who leave comments along the blog hop over the three days – comment all three days for more chances to win! Comment by Sunday, June 2 at 11:59 pm PST, and we will announce the winners on the Hero Arts blog the following week.
I am lovin’ the vibrant colors and blendability of those inks … lovely cards
OMGosh, this video was so informative, thank you so much for taking the time!! The color of these inks is AMAZING! ❤
Love all of the fun, bright colors you used in your cards. 🙂 So very pretty. Definitely want to try out these inks!
Great cards, and process! Thanks for showing me something new, and easy! Pinned it to try soon 🙂
I LOVE the lighthouse card and how you used the inkpads! Can’t wait to watch the video on this post.
Thanks for showing all the techniques using the reactive inks. The cloud background is also my favorite.
Beautiful backgrounds! I especially like the one with the brushstroke impression (the one with blocks of color). It certainly looks like the inks blend easily and definitely beautifully! And the vibrancy of the colors comes through in your video. Thanks, Yana!
So excited to try these new inks! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful cards and for the very informative video. As soon as Hero Arts mentioned the reactive inks a month or so ago I knew I had to have them! Now seeing them in action and how smoothly they blend, I must get my hands on them asap! Now to choose some colors…they’re all so beautiful!
Fun technique. Great cards
Love the colors you used in your cards.I would really like to try out these inks.
Happy 45 anniversary to Hero Arts – a favorite company with a great product line!
Wow! These are such bright and beautiful cards! Reminds me of vacations and tours 🙂
OMG. That vibrancy! Looks like HA has taken Picked Raspberry and Twisted Citron up a notch. Fabulous.
Always love tips for easy cards!
wow, all the cards are absolutely stunning and now I need to buy those inks, haha
Beautiful and such colorful backgrounds!
Wow! Another colorful ink I need . Gorgeous cards!
WOW! Stunning colors! I Love these cards! Thank you for the video! Commented there too!
Great background techniques. Love the cards!
Your cards are all stunning and I am loving the bright summery cheery colors you chose. Those new inks look fantastic
love your ink blending techniques and ways of creating imaginative backgrounds:)
Always love your work
Thanks for the great ideas with these new inks. Live your cards!
I love the technique of just pressing the ink pad to paper – it’s on my must-try list!
You gave me some great ideas for the cruise scrapbook I’ll be putting together this summer. Thanks! Love the inks.
Great cards
What gorgeous backgrounds!
Great techniques and beautiful backgrounds
Awesome background video and your cards are beautiful!
Great job on keeping the focus on the inks themselves. Fantastic resulting cards.
Those backgrounds! So vibrant 🙂
Great cards! I’m anxious to try out the new inks, so thanks for sharing a video with us!
as always your cards are beautiful Yana!.. thanks for all the inspiration that you give everyone!!
Gorgeous cards! The new inks look amazing.
Thanks for sharing your techniques on using the inks to create backgrounds.
All such beautiful creations and you make it sound so easy! Love all the pretty colors and beautiful stamps!
I love your use of ink
Bold and bright and beautiful!
Stunning cards and a Happy Anniversary to Hero Arts!
Your cards are all so lovely!
Fantastic cards, Yana, thanks so much for sharing! I love the sky card, and the second one that you created with just swiping the ink pads around the panel – that center blue panel is fab, and I love the colour combo!
So many beautiful backgrounds. Your cards are very special. I always love your work.
I’m going to save your post so I can refer to it later when I am crafting. I like the backgrounds, and how they anchor the images. I struggle with anchoring sometimes. It takes me a long time to figure out what to do to make a scene. THANKS!
You always have such great ideas! Thanks.
Really cool background ideas! I can’t wait to try these new inks.
I especially liked your color-blocking technique today. I look forward to your posts every day. Thanks.
Love your cards. I’ve been following your site for awhile and love your work. But these cards drew my attention because of the easy techniques for a newbie like myself. Cants wait to make some cards using these techniques.
So pretty, Yana. I love the creativity you share!
Thank you so much for the video! Your cards are amazing.
Love the color block look of these cards!
Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas on making backgrounds with these new reactive inks
Fabulous and beautiful cards. Love the lighthouse & sentiment; so lovely.
I love these cards! Your creativity is amazing! Thank you for your wonderful inspiration!