Stamping Techniques

You can successfully stamp with many inks and paints, from regular stamp pads and block printing ink to acrylic paint and even watercolor. Experiment!

Inking Your Stamp - Stamp Pads

I use various inks and paints for my stamping. The most convenient, of course, is the wide variety of stamp pads, both dye and pigment based. These are also the easiest to transport. Depending on whether I have mounted my stamp (temporarily or permanently on a block), I either tamp the stamp on the ink pad, or I tap the inkpad on the face-up stamp. Find what works for you and your situation.

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Inking Your Stamp - Block Printing Ink

I carve a lot of old-fashioned, woodblock-style images, and for those I most often use Speedball water-based Block Printing Ink, which comes in 13 colors, including metallic gold and silver. Available at most craft and art supply stores, this ink comes in many sizes. For colors I use most, such as brown and black, I buy in the largest size available. I blend my own colors if Speedball doesn't make what I need. 

For this method, I use a soft rubber brayer (photo below) to apply the ink to my face-up stamp. Click here for detailed instructions on how to print using this method.

Note: Speedball water-based Block Printing Ink is not waterproof. If you get it wet, it will smear (I usually use detail embossing powder to help "set" the ink). If you really need a permanent impression, Speedball makes an oil-based ink, but drying time is lengthy, fumes are toxic, and clean-up is a chore.