5 STEPS TO FAULTLESS STAMPING

How to get an impeccably stamped image or sentiment? How to avoid vague impressions dropping shadows or bald patches on solid images? I describe five easy steps that help me personally to achieve stable results in stamping.  

1 Stamp on a Soft Surface

Stamping on a hard surface is one sure way to get a pale uneven image. Despite working on a craft mat you may not get a stable stamping result. Underlie the cardstock with several scrap paper sheets, so you make a cushion under your card and stamped image lines come out even.

Make a cushion for your card

2 Tune Your Stamp

Some factory residue from manufacturing process on new stamps, oil remains and fibres from baby wipes or stamp cleaning solutions on favourite stamps often prevent even inking and cause ink beading on a surface. Lightly rub a soft pencil eraser over the surface of the stamp image before inking it.

Rub eraser over your stamp

3 Distribute Pressure Equally

If your acrylic block is bigger than the stamp, what is often a case with sentiment stamps or small details stamps, chances are high that one side of the impression will be extra bold or will drop "a shadow". To prevent the acrylic block from rocking and to distribute pressure equally add one or two stamps from the same set.

Add 1-2 stamps

4 Thoroughly Ink Your Stamp

The very best ink may be beading on the stamp surface, and the stamped image may have pale areas. This is a re-occurring  problem with solid stamps. Rub ink into your stamps with circular motions, not only light taps often seen in videos.

Rub ink into your stamp

5 Position Your Stamp Correctly

Positioning your stamp correctly may be a challenge although acrylic blocks usage. The sentiment is placed off the line or center, and layers of multi-step image do not match. Use a positioning tool, e.g. Inkadinkado Stamp-a-ma-jig, to place the stamp precisely where you want it. It includes a transparent imaging sheet and a T-shape tool.

Use positioning tool