Let’s talk about ink and what to use for your rubber stamping projects.
You want to get started rubber stamping but you don’t know where to start? Last week, I posted information about the basics of rubber stamps as well as a short video. See that post here.
Today, let’s talk ink.
Ink Choices
Choices abound in this category – from classic, dye-based ink available in an array of colors; to Memento, a general-purpose black ink; to Stazon, a permanent black ink; Versamark, a clear, watermarking ink; and craft ink.
Classic, Dye-Based Ink:
I recommend starting with a few coordinating colors of classic, dye-based ink. It absorbs into the card stock, dries more quickly than craft ink, and is acid free.
Stampin’ Up! Brights Ink Assortment
Stampin’ Up! offers full-size foam pads in fifty different colors of ink, so you have lots of choices. Be sure to purchase a refill with your pad so you’re able to reink your pad after a lot of stamping.
Neutrals Collection Ink Refills
There’s also a smaller selection of mini ink pads called Stampin’ Spots. These one-inch pads are available in eight colors. They’re perfect for travel, easy to store, and great for use with the Stamparatus.
Stampin’ Spots Assortment
Stampin’ Up! also sells uninked Stampin’ spots, allowing you to create your own mini pads with refills.
Uninked Spots
Brand-new pads are quite fresh, meaning they have a lot of ink. So, a light touch is important. When inking your stamp, it only needs a tap-tap-tap on top of the pad to apply ink. Don’t feel you have to press hard to get good coverage. If you find you have ink marks on the edges of your acrylic blocks, you’ll know you’ve applied too much pressure.
These pads have a unique design that stores the foam pad upside down so the ink stays at the top of the pad. Stamps inked with classic ink clean easily. Just use Stampin’ Up!’s Simply Shammy or the Stampin’ Scrub with the stamp cleaner.
Memento Black Ink:
This is a good basic black ink pad. I find myself grabbing for this pad if I need a black. It’s a perfect water-based ink to use when coloring with Stampin’ Blends, Stampin’ Up’s alcohol markers. It’s a nice, all-purpose black ink. Pads are available in Stampin’ Up!’s catalog and online store as well as refills.
Memento Ink Pad
Stazon:
Stazon is a quick-drying permanent ink. Stampin’ Up! offers this in both Jet Black and Saddlebrown. This permanent ink is perfect when used with watercolor techniques (your image won’t “run”) and nonporous surfaces like vellum and window sheets. Stampin’ Up! offers a Stazon refill as well as a Stazon cleaner.
Jet Black Stazon
Versamark:
This ink helps you create a tone-on-tone effect on colored paper or a watermark image. Use this pad if you’re planning to heat emboss any of your images. A pad and a refill are both available from Stampin’ Up!.
Versamark
Craft Stampin’ Pad:
Stampin’ Up! offers this permanent ink in white. The pad comes uninked and you add the refill before you start stamping. Images stamped with the craft ink often need a longer drying time. Or, heat set with the Heat Tool.
Craft Ink and Refill
Here’s a short video explaining the ink selections:
Visit Stampin’ Up!’s 2020-2021 Annual Catalog to view the huge variety of ink.
Thanks for stopping by today!
Kim
