UTEE as Top Coat on ATCs

I am hosting an artist trading card (ATC) swap right now. I received a set of ATCs with a top coating which I had never seen before. It was clear and thick and had a kind of raindrop or smooth bumpy texture (it is kind of hard to explain it). After corresponding with the artist I found out it was Suze Weinberg’s UTEE, which is an abbreviation for Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel. The coating on these ATCs was a clear color and it was bumpy. I was told that one layer of UTEE was put on top of the ATCs.

I was at Michael’s this weekend with a 40% off coupon in hand and bought a large bottle of UTEE (regular retail $11.99).

Last night I tested it out on some finished ATCs that I had made that I thought were lacking something. It worked great! I love this finish as it makes the cards sturdier and makes them seem somehow more finished.

The other things that are needed are the Ranger ink pad (clear color) to use to adhere the embossing granules to, and a heat gun such as is used with embossing. I already owned the other two things bought previously with more of the 40% off coupons!

I put a layer on top of an ATC that I made with a base of watercolor paper and watercolor paint that was rubber stamped upon. I also put a coat on an ATC that I made which was collage of a tourist map of the city of Boston. That ATC was very ‘new’ looking and seemed lacking in something. The top coat of the heavy UTEE finishes off the ATC nicely.

Today my older son (aged 8) used the heat gun and did a top coat of UTEE on another of my ATCs and he had fun with it.

UTEE is my new favorite thing!

You can read more about some uses for UTEE, here.

Technorati Tags: artist trading card, ATC, UTEE, rubber stamp.