Ink Pads

[mpizzazz]

I have a lot of solid stamps or solid backgrounds with an incised design in them. I must like them even though it's very frustrating to get a good impression. What inkpads do you all recommend for fairly solid stamps? I like that the Altenew come in mini sets with 4 different colors. I tried some one year at ReCreate, not last year but the time before and thought they did a good job. Any other recommendations or is it, not the inkpads but user error?

[nchoney]

I'm sold on Misti stamping tool. It keeps the paper in one spot so you can stamp multiple times until you get a good impression. I've got the Tim Holtz one too, but just not as impressed.

You could also use a sheet of fun foam under your paper when you stamp. Or a smooth mouse pad.

[pbp908]

I'm with Debi. The issue may not be your ink as much as it is pressure and needing more than one inking. Even using the Misti I still have to ink stamps with a large area of coverage several times to get good solid color. So far the best ink I've found to use with them is Distress Oxide.

[mpizzazz]

Thanks, Debi and Pam, I do have Tim's stamp platform and like it most of the time but even stamping multiple times does not give a nice smooth finish on solid stamps. I just reinked all my Oxide pads yesterday so maybe they were too wet today.

[Keitha]

In my limited experience with these stamps, the ink very much does matter. I just did a little experiment and got the best results with VersaFine ink which is a quick dry pigment ink, meant for fine details. My ink pad is quite a few years old but still juicy; best impression was the first. In the past I've not got good results with dyes but tried a brand new Altenew Crisp Dye ink and just got a wet blob with no definition. My StazOn experiment is inconclusive; I can see crisper details but my pad badly needs reinking, and I don't think a freshly inked pad would be best for details.
I also pulled out an old Cat's Eye pigment ink - the only other pigment ink I have around - and got the next best impression to the VersaFine. You do have to be careful when applying your ink; if you twist or drag the inkpad on the surface you are likely to get those twist or drag marks on your impression, akin to brush strokes when you're painting. So, pigment ink wins in my studio, preferably VersaFine which is formulated for fine details. As an aside I wasn't happy that the Hero Arts ink cubes I have don't say on them what type of ink they are; a serious omission in my opinion. I know they're dye inks, but someone else might not and it does matter.
I also tried several different papers, which I think can play a part in the results. Best was smooth white cardstock (Recollections), I also tried HP matte presentation paper and vellum. The cardstock impression is better than the presentation paper, and the vellum doesn't look bad - but takes forever to dry.
Debi, I was interested to hear that you get different results from your stamp platforms. My original one is the WRMK stamp press they subsequently had to pull off the market in the stamp press wars with Misti; I consistently get good results with it and it's my go-to. I got sucked into a Black Friday deal for a TH stamp press because I'd like to leave at the hotel, but will confess I haven't tried it yet.

Editing to say I did my experiments with an old CS incised (thanks for that word, Marianne) stamp that's fairly intricate; I don't think it matters quite so much for a plain solid stamp. I get good results for those with chalk inks and Oxide inks.

[mpizzazz]

Oh, yes, forgot to mention the whole paper issue, too! Thanks, Keitha! The paper makes a huge difference, too!

Right now, I don't have the patience to keep trying the whole ink, stamp, paper thing. For the amount of cards I make and send, simple is going to be better.

[nchoney]

Try using a sheet of fun foam under your paper when you use Tim's stamping thing. Having a little give under the paper helps.

[mpizzazz]

Try using a sheet of fun foam under your paper when you use Tim's stamping thing. Having a little give under the paper helps.

Yes, I do have a piece of fun foam under the paper all the time. Lots of little things like that help but it all comes down to the ink and the paper. Playing around with it to try and get the perfect combo just doesn't seem worth it to me anymore.

[Keitha]

Try using a sheet of fun foam under your paper when you use Tim's stamping thing. Having a little give under the paper helps.

Good to know, thanks.

[pbp908]

Nothing works well on watercolor paper. There have been times I've had to fill in with a pen.

[Keitha]

Nothing works well on watercolor paper. There have been times I've had to fill in with a pen.

Cold press watercolour paper has too rough a surface for good stamping, that's for sure. Pam, have you tried hot press paper? It typically has a very smooth finish. Fluid brand is one in my studio, and a watercolor block (with the bound edges) will keep it completely flat until your page is done and you remove it from the pad. Watercolour paper is meant to absorb though, so you might still experience a bit of bleeding.