Swatching and Storing: New Archival Inks and Liquid Pearls

Yesterday I showed off the colorful new release from Ranger: six new shades of Archival Ink and eight brand new varieties of shimmery Liquid Pearls! The new Archivals are:  Avocado Toast, Sweet Treat, Big Plans, Dark Roast, Best Dressed and Sandcastle.

One of the best things I've ever made just for myself is my Ranger Archival Swatch Book. Not only does it satisfy that craving to USE brand new inks as soon as they arrive; it's also a very practical resource that I constantly refer to when picking and/or matching colors. The pages are 3" squares of sturdy watercolor paper and I stamp or stencil* each shade, then do some funky outlining and write the color name. I made simple chipboard covers and held the whole thing together with a single book ring, making it easy to add, subtract or re-arrange shades as needed. 

With regard to storage: I keep my Liquid Pearls in a Ranger Alcohol Ink Storage Tin** (technically, now in TWO tins because my collection has expanded!) in more or less rainbow order. Until now I haven't officially made a swatch book (because the bottles are clear) but when I start a project using kraft or black cardstock, I usually take time to try out the various shades and see which ones I like best on a colored substrate, so at some point I might make a more permanent record. 

The new LP shades are: Firecracker, Sweet Potato, Rubber Duck, Kiwi, Emerald, Blue Velvet, Royalty and Truffle. Hop over to the Ranger Store to get your own gorgeous new rainbow of shades and check out the classics as well! ♥

**********

*When making swatch books, I highly recommend using a variety of different stamps and stencils; being uncritical if you don't get a perfect impression; and labeling them in your own handwriting. The simpler and more whimsical your design, the better the chances that you'll keep it as a long-term resource and update it as necessary. Plus, you'll never feel the need to re-do the entire thing because you no longer have the stamp you used when you started out!

**Storage PS: I also use the AI Tins for my Stickles and Reinkers... they all come in exactly the same sized bottles!