Ink Essentials: Choosing the Right Ink for Your Stamping Project
12 March 2009
Author: Spotted Canary
There are several things to consider to help you choose an ink for stamping. It is helpful to have an idea of what type of surface you will be stamping on, what the project will be used for and whether it needs to be archival. Read up on these ink essentials that every crafter should understand before purchasing their first ink pad.
Ink pads come in different shapes and sizes and in a wide array of colors. Some ink pads are single color, while others offer multiple colors. Certain inks need to be heat set for permanency. It is best to test any ink on scrap paper before using it on your stamping surface.
This guide includes the essential ink types for paper crafting:
Dye Inks:- Water-based, nontoxic inks on felt pads
- Available in a wide range of rich, bright colors
- Quick-drying, permanent, and waterproof
- Acid-free and fade resistant
- Stamp well on all types of paper
- Great for watercoloring, backgrounding, and direct-to-paper techniques
- Dry lighter for a muted effect
- Perfect for scrapbooks and keepsakes
- Heat setting not required
Washable Inks:- Water-based, nontoxic inks on felt or foam pads
- Often made from fruit dyes
- Clean up easily with water
- Will not stain most fabrics or surfaces
- Great for children’s projects
- Large size and removable lid make it convenient for inking large stamps
- Heat setting not required
Pigment Inks:- Thick water-based, nontoxic inks on foam pads
- Offer the widest range of colors
- Come in bright, rich, and opaque colors
- Slow-drying and permanent when heat set
- Acid-free and fade resistant
- pH balanced to be archival quality
- Great for embossing
- Work best on matte (non-glossy) paper
- Must be embossed if used on glossy paper to dry properly
- Work well for stamping images you wish to color since heat setting will make them permanent
- Heat setting recommended
Chalk Inks:- Water-based, nontoxic inks on foam pads
- Permanent when heat set
- Offer the rich, opaque color of pigment inks with quicker drying times
- Resist bleeding and fading even when air dried
- Smear resistant
- Blend colors easily
- Create a soft painted look without a chalky residue
- Work great for direct-to-paper and backgrounding techniques
- Can also be embossed
- Heat setting recommended
Embossing Inks:- Thick water-based, nontoxic inks on foam or felt pads
- Come in either clear or slightly tinted ink to make seeing the stamped image easier
- Slow-drying and permanent when heat set
- Acid-free
- pH balanced to be archival quality
- Designed specifically for embossing
- Stamp well on porous paper
- Heat setting recommended
Watermark Inks:- Water-based, nontoxic clear inks on foam pads
- Slow-drying and permanent when heat set
- Acid-free
- Create a tone-on-tone effect, perfect for making background patterns on plain uncoated paper
- Can be chalked or embossed
- Can also be used for resist techniques on coated paper
- Heat setting recommended
Solvent Inks:- Solvent-based
- Require a solvent cleaner
- Acid-free and archival
- Available in a broad spectrum of vibrant colors
- Fast-drying on paper, slower to dry on non-porous surfaces
- Permanent, fade-proof and waterproof on all surfaces
- Recommended for stamping on non-porous surfaces such as glass, metal, shrink plastic, cellophane, aluminum foil, leather, and acrylic
- Can also be used on paper
- Heat setting not required
With an understanding of these ink essentials you can now shop for stamping inks with the confidence that you will select the right pad for your next project!