Stamps allow to print images onto a huge number of materials: from paper to plastic, from wood to fabric, from glass to ceramic, the list is so long! Out of any doubt, this is probably the easiest technique for printing because it is so immediate. It is sufficient to find the right ink for your purpose to start the adventure. Many of you have asked for advises or tips about how to use hand carved rubber stamps or about how to take care of them after using... For that, I take decision to write a post to summarize all my instructions and tips that I was able to gather during my personal experience....
We start with inks. Actually, one of key knowledge about the use of stamps, is to choose the right ink pad for your purposes. Fortunately, you can find a huge range of varieties of ink pads on the market place. For instance, I experienced the use the Versacraft's and ColoBox's, because they are good quality and very versatile inkpads, which are optimal both on paper and on fabric. In this last case, you need to iron on high heat for few minutes onto the print in order to make your image permanent to washing (in any case, it is preferable to wash your fabric up to 30° C not to damage your printing).
I have recently discovered an inkpad called Versafine, which is able to capture fine details like no other. Thus, it is very useful for industrial stamps that, differently to the hand carved ones, are harder and absorb with much difficulty the ink issuing an inexact print. This ink pad is very useful in these cases, in order to make a very exact print of your image!
About stamping onto other materials, I find out that ArchivalInk is very useful for projects that need a waterproof and permanent ink. For instance, I use this ink to stamp onto very smooth surfaces, such as the shrink plastic. The StazOn is appropriate for all surfaces, but it is especially designed for the use on plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, laminated or coated papers, and leather. Differently to the Versacraft, StazOn is not suitable for fabric. For these special inkpads, I suggest to read carefully the instructions on the box in order to have best results.
And now, some insights about how to clean your hand carved rubber stamps. They need to be careful because they are more fragile and delicate than industrial ones. Pay attention to avoid to twist or scrub them. Press the stamp several times on the work surface or on some paper to remove the excess ink. If you would like to obtain a cleaner stamp, you can also use a kneaded eraser on which to dab your stamp. You can also rinse it with some fresh water and allow it to air dry completely. But in all cases, be really careful to never scrub or scrape it, even a little hurt with your nails can damage your stamp! My recommendation is just not to want to bring the rubber to the "white" because a) it is not needed for using your correctly the stamp and b) it could damage it.
Some last words about storage stamps. It is important not to stack stamps in top of each other because they could stick to each other. Store your stamps with their carved face up in a plastic or wooden cases, so you will keep them free from dust. It is also preferable to avoid to expose them to excessive heat or light, this will damage your stamps. I hope that all these tips and instructions could be useful, but do not hesitate to write your special tips or experiences in the comments. Bye!
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