"Art is my vehicle through life; may we share the ride together." Ron Wickersham

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

All About Inks

Confused about the variety of stamping inks on the market and what each is used for? Here's some information I compiled for my stamping classes.

INTRODUCTION TO STAMPING INKS


Inkpads fit into three basic categories, although there is some crossover and a few “exceptions.” The most important thing to remember is to first select the material you will be stamping on and then choose an appropriate inkpad for that application.

DYE-BASED INKS
Water-based and washable (semi-permanent once dry)
Dry quickly (and, thus, not used for heat embossing)
Best for detailed stamps
Usually dry on all papers, including glossy, though may need to be heat-set
May fade over time

PIGMENT INKS
Slow drying (used for heat-embossing)
Smears easily until dry
Cannot be used on non-porous surfaces (glossy or matte papers) unless embossed
Fade resistant
Resist and embossing inks are included in this category
* Note: Brilliance pigment ink is the only ink that will dry on vellum!

PERMANENT INKS
Either water-soluble or solvent-based
Dry quickly
Can be used on non-porous surfaces, including glossy paper, transparencies,
shrink plastic
Use when coloring image with water-soluble media
Special cleaner may be needed


OTHER:

CHALK INKS
Rich, opaque colors with matte finish
Blend easily
Can be embossed
Permanent when heat-set
Some brands juicier than others (ie. Colorbox)

VERSAMARK
Actually a pigment ink but “in a class by itself”
Can be used for resist technique, heat-embossing, watermark background

1 comment:

Linda Manning Findley said...

Great tutorial on inks Susan .... Linda F