The creative ideas for rubber stamping are never-ending! However, every rubber stamper should know the following fundamental rubber stamping techniques. There are several methods of inking the stamp image, coloring the image to achieve different results, and embellishing the card for that special touch. Here's a simple way to embellish a plain invitation with stamps and colored ink pads:
The Fundamentals
The basic method of rubber stamping is to press the stamp onto an ink pad. Then stamp the image firmly onto the paper. Remember not to move or shift the stamp until you are ready to lift the stamp from the paper. If the image did not fully transfer to the paper, you can touch up the lines by using a thin marker of the same color as the ink.
Cleaning Your Rubber Stamps
Your rubber stamps should always be cleaned after each use and in between changing ink colors. Rubber stamp cleaning solutions can be found in your local arts & crafts store. Another alternative to using cleaning solutions is water. A wet and dry paper towel, a fuzzy paint pad wet with water and a towel, or baby wipes without alcohol or oils all work well. Use tape to easily remove lint and glitter.
Using Your Solid Rubber Stamps
The rubber portion of a stamp tends to get hard when used infrequently, causing your stamped image to appear faded or blotchy. There is a simple solution to this problem: a common eraser. Take the rubber stamp in the palm of your hand and scrub with a common pink eraser. Brush off any eraser dust, ink the image, and you are ready to start rubber stamping again. This process softens the hardened rubber and makes it more pliable. For more severe cases when using an eraser does not work, use fine grit sandpaper in place of the eraser. To fix faded or blotchy images that have been stamped, draw in the missing portion of the image with a marker.
Rubber Stamping With Brush Markers
Instead of buying many different colored ink pads to stamp an image with multicolored details, use brush markers to color the stamp. Brush markers allow you to color parts of the stamp different colors. Turn the stamp over so that the rubber die is facing up. Apply the ink of the brush marker directly on the parts of the stamp you want to color. Change the color of the marker to color other parts of the stamp. By the time you have finished coloring the whole stamp, the first colors that you applied may have already dried. “Huff” on the stamp to re-moisten the inks before you stamp the image.
Coloring Book
You can use the coloring book method with outline design stamps. Ink your stamp using an ink pad and stamp the image. Use colored pencils, markers, chalk, or watercolor to color in your image. Remember to make sure that the ink is dry before coloring.
Glitter
After you have stamped an image, you can apply glitter to add sparkle to your image. Apply glue to your stamped image. Pour enough glitter to cover the image. Shake off the excess and return to the container.
Embossing Powder
Embossing gives your image a three-dimensional look. Embossing powders come in metallics, opaque colors, and clear. To emboss an image, you need to use a slow-drying ink such as embossing ink or pigment ink. Using a slow-drying ink, ink your image and stamp onto paper. Then pour a generous amount of embossing powder over the image to cover it. Pour the excess powder back into its container to reuse. Use a very fine paint brush to remove any excess powder that may be on the areas of the card you do not want to emboss. Use a heat tool to melt the powder. You will notice the change almost immediately.
For additional rubber stamping tips and ideas, visit the following Web sites:
Tags: rubber stamping, stamping techniques, stamping invitations, stamping tips
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