A brayer is a hand-held tool used to break up and spread ink during the printing process. Originally created in the late 19th century, brayers were used to smooth and spread pads of ink before they were applied to the printing plate. This ensured an even distribution and prevented over-inking and bleeding. Modern printers rarely use brayers, although they can still be found in artisanal settings or for historical re-enactments.
As paper crafters, we use rubber brayers to smoothly transfer ink to large areas of paper or cardstock, mostly commonly to create backgrounds. The process of rolling the brayer through the ink helps to spread the pigment, and blend colours when more than one ink is used.
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