IMPRONTE D'AUTORE

Sealing wax is an "ancient" material that is extremely current ... We use it to seal an invitation, to enrich a card, to complete an album page with a three-dimensional touch, to close an envelope or a package. How is sealing wax used? Here we give you some suggestions that go beyond the simple application of the wax stick to the flame of the lighter, resulting in the aforementioned fire to produce a stamp usually stained by the signs of the fire ... and hopelessly too thin or too thick. We will adopt a technique to control the heat well. A second technique, a variant of the first, will show us how to make numerous stamps in comfort, for those projects - such as wedding invitations - which require many dozen. Finally, we will show you two stamp finishing techniques with a metallic color for a sophisticated finishing touch!

Needed:

    An Impronte d'Autore brass seal
    The sealing wax in sticks of the chosen color
    A meat grinder or a pliers or a hammer
    A wax melting set with candle or electric stove, or a gas stove
    A spoon to easily pour the sealing wax
    A Brilliance Galaxy Gold or Platinum Planet bearing

Step 1. First crush the sealing wax with a hammer or pliers or a meat grinder. You can wrap it in a cloth to avoid scattering the fragments around. The resulting flakes will melt more easily.

Step 2. Melt the sealing wax by putting the flakes in a spoon and place it on an electric stove (or gas stove), or, for greater convenience, use the wax melting set and the spoon to pour it comfortably. It is very important not to overheat the sealing wax: it must never come to boil (see final warnings).

Step 3. Pour a little sealing wax from the spoon onto the project (the classic closure of an envelope in this case). Proceed calmly (the sealing wax does not cool so quickly) and don't put too much on it: some experiments to get carried away wouldn't hurt ...

Step 4. Print by gently pressing the seal. It is not necessary to wet it: our special brass does not adhere to properly heated sealing wax. Leave the seal in place for a moment and lift it gently: voila 'your stamp will be rich, shiny, deeply engraved.

Step 5. If you need to make many seals - or you want to have total control over the quality of your work - you can follow this very useful procedure: instead of pouring the sealing wax directly on the project, you can do it on the Craft Sheet.

Step 6. Make the stamp or all the stamps you need following the procedure already described.

Step 7. The stamps made on the non-stick sheet can easily be peeled off. Apply a small piece of double-sided tape on the back and glue them to the final project: with this easy technique you will only get perfect impressions !!!

Step 8. Find out how to use Brilliance ink pads to add a spectacular metallic effect to colored sealing waxes! Gently dab the seal into the Brilliance pad of your choice (we especially recommend Galaxy Gold or Platinum Planet Silver).

Step 9. Print as usual. The Brilliance color will remain on the round bottom of the imprint, while the internal reliefs and the external contour will keep the original color of the sealing wax.

Step 10. Or, after making the stamp, use a Sponge Dauber finger sponge to take some color from the pad and gently dab it on the internal and external pads of the stamp. You will get the coloring of the embossed parts while maintaining the original color in the engraved parts.

Step 11. That's it! Here you see both options realized - have fun!

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HEAT: you must never use overheated sealing wax. The temperature of the sealing wax is correct when applying the seal is squeezed to the consistency of a thick cream (like plasticine). When you pour it it might sound like a kind of pudding; if it is more fluid it is too hot. Nothing prevents you from waiting a little before impressing the seal. If the sealing wax is too hot, the precious ingredients that compose it tend to separate and deteriorate. An overheated wax wax, in addition to not obtaining the particular dimensional effect we want, could stick to the seal, in the incision of which some sealing wax could remain. To clean it, remove all possible traces of sealing wax with a toothpick or a needle (used gently to avoid marking the brass) and clean the residue of color with a paper tissue and nitro thinner or a similar solvent.

Sealing Wax