MV Articles - Basic Stamping

**Stamping 101**
Basic Stamping... by nancy peterson ~ click to enlarge~ BASIC STAMPING: I have been stamping for little over two years and I use the technique in the making of greeting cards. In this article I will be talking about the tools you will need for stamping, different types of ink pads, how they are used; and different types of rubber stamps you will see available. The main tools you'll need for your basic stamping project will be paper to stamp on, a rubber stamp of your choice and an ink pad in the color to work with your project. You will also want a stamp cleaner for cleaning any extra ink from your rubber stamp. It's important to keep your stamps clean for a clear sharp image with each use and for true colors when using different colored ink pads. The stamp cleaners also have a conditioner in them to keep the rubber soft which will add life to your rubber stamps. PAPERS: Most any of your scrapbooking papers and cardstocks can be used for stamping. You can also use vellum, but caution should be used as ink takes much longer to dry on the vellum and smudging can be a problem. If you are going to do embossing on vellum this works well, but you may notice the vellum will curl a bit when it's heated. RUBBER STAMPS: Rubber stamps are available mounted, on wooden bases, and unmounted. Unmounted stamps are a little less expensive, but must be used with an acrylic block, which they will stick to. There are a much larger variety of the mounted stamps, but in the last few months I have seen more and more companies coming out with the option of getting the same stamp mounted or unmounted. There are also clear rubber stamps coming out in more and more designs and they are used with the acrylic blocks also. These are really nice because you can see exactly where you are placing your design. INK PADS: There are many brands of ink pads out there, but the basic types you will use most often are Dye inks and Pigment inks. Dye inks are inks that dry fast and you will use for most of your basic stamping. Pigment inks stay wet for a longer time and can be used with embossing powder for a shinny raised finish. Embossing powder is a powder, that comes in many colors, and you sprinkle it on the wet ink, tap off any extra, and then you heat it with a heat tool. When the powder gets hot it melts into a shinny raised surface. You can then use the stamped subject as it is or you can use markers, colored pencils or watercolor paints to color within the raised areas of the image for a beautiful finished image. Another great ink pad that I use often is called Watermark ink. It is a clear ink that stays tacky longer and it can be used with the embossing powder or with colored metallic powders such as Pearle-X or Moon Glow. These powders are brushed over the tacky ink; very sparingly as they are very rich fine powders, to give you a beautiful colored shinny result. For best results a fine spray of an acrylic sealer should be used to ensure that the powder does not rub off. The Watermark ink is also great to use right on you solid papers to give that faint watermark look. Once dry you can then proceed with your project. Basic Steps For A Clean Sharp Stamped Image: Select the paper you will be using to stamp on and a flat level surface. I have also used a magazine as a slight cushion under your work area. This will help in the stamping process, as you may not have to use as much downward pressure. Holding your stamp in one hand and the ink pad in the other apply the ink to the stamp by patting the ink pad on your stamp, bring careful to cover the full design but to not have so much ink on the design and trying to not get ink on the back rubber. This could cause you to get smudges or too full lines on your finished stamped design. Place your stamp on to your paper and using an even pressure press firmly. Using too much pressure could cause smudges, especially if you have gotten any ink on the back rubber of the stamp, and too full lines. When I refer to too full lines it means that you have either used too much pressure and or ink, and the rubber from the design pushes out to give you a wider line than is really intended. To remove the stamp, lift in a straight upward motion to help eliminate any smudging. Allow your stamped image to dry and then your design is ready for use in your project. Cleaning your stamps, you will always want to clean your stamp when you finished to help preserve the life of your stamps. Most cleaning solutions come in a 2 oz bottle with a felt like dauber on the top. Apply the cleaning all over the stamp and wipe off with a soft cloth or paper towels. There are also scrubbing pad on the market for getting into those really small spaces, but I have found that an old toothbrush works just as well. Just apply the solution to the stamp, rub with the toothbrush and then dry off with the paper towels. EMBOSSING: This is an easy stamping technique to really add some dimension to your project. For this technique you will need your paper, rubber stamp, embossing powder, and a heating tool. This is kind of like a hair dryer, but it gets hotter and there is only one temperature. Another handy tool would be a tray which has a funnel type corner or edge. Using this will enable you to pour any extra powder back into our container. The first four steps are the same as outlined above. Now instead of letting the ink dry you would sprinkle liberally with the embossing powder. Then tap off any extra powder, at this point you can go ahead and finish this image or you can make as many as you will need for your project and do the finishing step to them all at the same time. Once you have the embossing powder on the ink the project can sit until you ready for the heating step. You will get the best result with your heat tool if you allow it to warm up for about 10 to 15 seconds before you allow the heat to melt the embossing powder. Holding your project so as not to allow the heat to get you, hold the heat tool about 5 or 6 inches above the area you want heated and move in a back and forth motion. After just a few seconds you will see the powder become shinny and raise up. Keep the heat moving as you can overheat the product and you will then get a less clear image. I have found that the lines thicken with overheating. Clean your stamp as in step 6 above. Now go get your favorite stamp, do a little practicing and have loads of fun creating new and wonderful projects from your scrapbooking to all those other paper projects you like to work on! Nancy Peterson MemoryVilla.com Design Team Member ~see my gallery~

Stamping 101

Basic Stamping... by nancy peterson

~ click to enlarge~

BASIC STAMPING:

I have been stamping for little over two years and I use the technique in the making of greeting cards. In this article I will be talking about the tools you will need for stamping, different types of ink pads, how they are used; and different types of rubber stamps you will see available.

The main tools you'll need for your basic stamping project will be paper to stamp on, a rubber stamp of your choice and an ink pad in the color to work with your project. You will also want a stamp cleaner for cleaning any extra ink from your rubber stamp. It's important to keep your stamps clean for a clear sharp image with each use and for true colors when using different colored ink pads. The stamp cleaners also have a conditioner in them to keep the rubber soft which will add life to your rubber stamps.

PAPERS:

Most any of your scrapbooking papers and cardstocks can be used for stamping. You can also use vellum, but caution should be used as ink takes much longer to dry on the vellum and smudging can be a problem. If you are going to do embossing on vellum this works well, but you may notice the vellum will curl a bit when it's heated.

RUBBER STAMPS:

Rubber stamps are available mounted, on wooden bases, and unmounted. Unmounted stamps are a little less expensive, but must be used with an acrylic block, which they will stick to. There are a much larger variety of the mounted stamps, but in the last few months I have seen more and more companies coming out with the option of getting the same stamp mounted or unmounted. There are also clear rubber stamps coming out in more and more designs and they are used with the acrylic blocks also. These are really nice because you can see exactly where you are placing your design.

INK PADS:

There are many brands of ink pads out there, but the basic types you will use most often are Dye inks and Pigment inks. Dye inks are inks that dry fast and you will use for most of your basic stamping. Pigment inks stay wet for a longer time and can be used with embossing powder for a shinny raised finish. Embossing powder is a powder, that comes in many colors, and you sprinkle it on the wet ink, tap off any extra, and then you heat it with a heat tool. When the powder gets hot it melts into a shinny raised surface. You can then use the stamped subject as it is or you can use markers, colored pencils or watercolor paints to color within the raised areas of the image for a beautiful finished image.

Another great ink pad that I use often is called Watermark ink. It is a clear ink that stays tacky longer and it can be used with the embossing powder or with colored metallic powders such as Pearle-X or Moon Glow. These powders are brushed over the tacky ink; very sparingly as they are very rich fine powders, to give you a beautiful colored shinny result. For best results a fine spray of an acrylic sealer should be used to ensure that the powder does not rub off. The Watermark ink is also great to use right on you solid papers to give that faint watermark look. Once dry you can then proceed with your project.

Basic Steps For A Clean Sharp Stamped Image:

Select the paper you will be using to stamp on and a flat level surface. I have also used a magazine as a slight cushion under your work area. This will help in the stamping process, as you may not have to use as much downward pressure.
Holding your stamp in one hand and the ink pad in the other apply the ink to the stamp by patting the ink pad on your stamp, bring careful to cover the full design but to not have so much ink on the design and trying to not get ink on the back rubber. This could cause you to get smudges or *too full lines* on your finished stamped design.
Place your stamp on to your paper and using an even pressure press firmly. Using too much pressure could cause smudges, especially if you have gotten any ink on the back rubber of the stamp, and *too full* lines. When I refer to *too full* lines it means that you have either used too much pressure and or ink, and the rubber from the design pushes out to give you a wider line than is really intended.
To remove the stamp, lift in a straight upward motion to help eliminate any smudging.
Allow your stamped image to dry and then your design is ready for use in your project.
Cleaning your stamps, you will always want to clean your stamp when you finished to help preserve the life of your stamps. Most cleaning solutions come in a 2 oz bottle with a felt like dauber on the top. Apply the cleaning all over the stamp and wipe off with a soft cloth or paper towels. There are also scrubbing pad on the market for getting into those really small spaces, but I have found that an old toothbrush works just as well. Just apply the solution to the stamp, rub with the toothbrush and then dry off with the paper towels.

EMBOSSING:

This is an easy stamping technique to really add some dimension to your project. For this technique you will need your paper, rubber stamp, embossing powder, and a heating tool. This is kind of like a hair dryer, but it gets hotter and there is only one temperature. Another handy tool would be a tray which has a funnel type corner or edge. Using this will enable you to pour any extra powder back into our container. The first four steps are the same as outlined above.

Now instead of letting the ink dry you would sprinkle liberally with the embossing powder. Then tap off any extra powder, at this point you can go ahead and finish this image or you can make as many as you will need for your project and do the finishing step to them all at the same time. Once you have the embossing powder on the ink the project can sit until you ready for the heating step.
You will get the best result with your heat tool if you allow it to warm up for about 10 to 15 seconds before you allow the heat to melt the embossing powder. Holding your project so as not to allow the heat to get you, hold the heat tool about 5 or 6 inches above the area you want heated and move in a back and forth motion. After just a few seconds you will see the powder become shinny and raise up. Keep the heat moving as you can overheat the product and you will then get a less clear image. I have found that the lines thicken with overheating.
Clean your stamp as in step 6 above.

~see my gallery~