Information

Today we thought we would guide you through which inks to use when stamping.  Our DT member Jane has very kindly written up a beginners guide as it is very important that you use the correct ink depending on what you are doing.  What inks we use to stamp with will depend on which colouring mediums you wish to use.  I know many crafters have been put off stamping because of poor results but with the right tools  and know-how it really is very simple. Of course any questions you may have we are more than happy to help, any problems we will try and resolve.  Above all else we don’t want you to give up!

Colouring with watercolours

You need a permanent ink so the outline will not run, you can use Staz-on, Versafine or Ranger inks for this.

Colouring with alcohol pens

Alcohol pens include Promarkers, Flexmarkers, Copics and Spectrum Noirs. Momento dye ink is perfect and is fast drying and fade resistant and comes in a variety of shades.  Other ink pads you can use are Impress or Tim Holtz.

I like to use Prismacolour pencils which you blend with spirit and for this you need to follow the rules for alcohol pens. 

Stamping Surfaces

Your card stock is also important when it comes to stamping.  You obviously need a watercolour paper if you are using water colours to avoid the paper fibres tearing. 

When it comes to alcohol inks I find it best to use Supersmooth card which has a  non-bleed surface and is perfect for Promarkers and all other alcohol based pens.  Other brands I can recommend are Neenah card, Super Smooth by Lili of the Valley and Digital card stock by Craftwork cards.  You can also stamp onto acetate and Kraft card. 

Another question crafters have is about the size of the ink pad they are using, should it be the size of the stamp?  No, any size ink pad will work as you tap it over the stamp.  Momento make Dewdrop ink pads which are cheaper and come in several hues.

Stamps

Stamps come in different forms, traditionally they are wood mounted which are more expensive but you can also get un-mounted or clear cling.  Un-mounted stamps are just rubber which you can mount onto EZ mount foam for a crisper image.  Clear cling stamps are great as you can see where you are stamping your image.

Becoming ever popular in this age of technology are digi stamps, which in a nut shell are stamps that you can buy on-line and download. The beauty is you can re-size the image as you wish, at a fraction of the price.

Now all printers vary and it can be a little bit of trial and error.  If you wish to watercolour your digi stamp please ensure your printers ink is permanent.
You can check by just printing an image and brushing some water over it. 

If you are using alcohol pens I tend to click, print (Epson) and colour.  Some ink brands can bleed so I have heard you can dry the image using a heat gun or dry iron.  You can also print in Draft mode or greyscale so less ink is printed.  Alternatively, leave the digis to dry overnight.

 

Stamping Tips

Wood mounted stamps are already mounted as the name suggests  but clear cling or EZ mounted stamps need an acrylic block to mount them on.  Un-mounted rubber stamps can be attached to a block either by a glue stick or PVA.  I find with the clear stamps you shouldn’t press too hard as the image with distort but with a little practise.  Un-mounted rubber or EZmounted stamps need to be trimmed without too much excess rubber because you will end up with ink around the edges and this will spoil your stamped image.  All stamps once mounted need to be placed image side up and inked with light tapping over the image.  Good even pressure is needed when stamping.  If you have a large stamp you need to ensure good pressure over the entire stamp otherwise your stamped image will have bits missing.

Cleaning Stamps

Wood mounted stamps should NOT be washed in soapy water but cleaned with a baby wipe or such like.  You will need a good cleaner if you are using Staz-on ink pads and Staz-on solution is perfect.  Un-mounted stamps can be washed in soapy water and clear cling ones too.  I am a little more careful with EZ mounted stamps but I haven’t had any problems with them in the water as long as you don’t let them soak!  Some clear cling stamps will stain but the quality will not be affected. Stamps should last a life time if they are cared for properly.  If you are unsure you can check the manufacturers packaging.  I store my collection flat and out of direct sunlight and they are always cleaned after use.

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I hope you have found this helpful and we look forward to seeing your results.

Of course we cannot be held responsible for what will become a stamp addiction!

Any tips or tricks you have, do let us know, we would love to hear from you.

Happy Stamping!

Jane x