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Whatever ink pads you opt to get, be sure that you can get reinkers for them. It's a frustration of mine that none of our local stores carry refills even for a basic black pad.
Whatever ink pads you opt to get, be sure that you can get reinkers for them. It's a frustration of mine that none of our local stores carry refills even for a basic black pad.
What do you want to do with them Toya? Best for one thing isn't necessarily best for another! Do you generally use rubber stamps or clear polymer ones? What colouring media do you like to use?
OK, I'm guessing your markers are water-based since you say you use Stazon so you don't need to worry about whether pads will work with alcohol-based markers.
I love Versafine - fantastic detail and coverage with both clear and rubber stamps. If re-inkers are really important to you though it's worth noting that only the black and sepia have reinkers. It's an extremely long lasting ink though (they say four times longer than regular ink if I remember rightly) so reinking is not a big issue. Cubes are available as well as full size pads so you can get a range of colours without a big outlay or lots of storage space. It's oil-based so it's water resistant if you want to colour with water-based media.
The Adirondack dye inks from Ranger come in a fantastic range of colours and there are reinkers available. I use mine with both clear and rubber stamps and they're fine with both. I'm guessing they would be like most dye inks and "bead up" if you use them with the lower-quality clear stamps but with good quality ones they're fine. Adirondack Espresso is probably my most-used ink pad!
For a good pigment ink it's hard to beat Brilliance by Tsukineko. The metallic/pearlescent colours are really pretty and again, they're good with both rubber and clear. There are reinkers available and they come as either full size or dew drop pads. These inks will dry on vellum and even slick surfaces like acetate - they need to be left alone for a while but they will dry and there isn't the clean-up issue that there is with Stazon.
My other big ink indulgence is Distress. Fabulous colour range and because they're stable when mixed with water (they won't break down into their constituent colours like some inks) they're really useful for colouring as well as for stamping. Great for sponging and brayering too as it's formulated to stay wet for longer so it spreads well.
I am finding that as time goes on, I am using my SU dye inks less and less. I can't honestly say I love the new pads. They are better than the old ones for some things and worse for others. And I've found inks that work better in almost all cases.
Versafine has become a go-to for me. I only wish they would come out with more colors (many more!). I can't praise this ink enough - as long as you make sure you allow for a bit of dry time. It produces crisp images and renders detail beautifully, whether you are using rubber or polymer.
My other favorite is Distress. I don't stamp with it all that much, but I use it for all sorts of other things. You can just use it in so many ways.
I also really love Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink, although I avoid using it on my clear stamps because it stains them so badly (except for clear sentiments - those I purposely stain with the Charcoal so I can read them easily). The Colorbox Chalks have great coverage. I especially love them for large BG stamps.
I've yet to do a lot with pigment inks. I have the Brilliance in white and the Memories by Stewart Superior in Unicorn (white), and the Memories is far better in my opinion. At least in the white.
I used to use Memento Tuxedo Black constantly, but Versafine Onyx has replaced it for most things.
I haven't tried the Adironack dye inks. Maybe I will. I did try a few of the Papertrey dye inks and they are nice enough but nothing amazing. What Papertrey does have is a really interesting color palette, more interesting in my opinion than SU. But, again, fewer choices.
Really, if I had only my Versafine and my Distress Inks, I could manage very well. If I were to add a third, it would be my chalk inks. But then I don't have to worry about working with alcohol or solvent based markers.
Getting reinkers is good advice. If the store doesn't carry it, go online and get it. I did not do this in the beginning, I just bought pads, and now I am slowly collecting the reinkers to go with all my pads.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Not sure on the Hero Arts but the Stephanie Barnard (Premium Dye Ink from Clearsnap) have excellent coverage on solid images. Those and the Colorbox Chalk inks are my go to inks for solid images.
__________________ Jeanne S - Inky Paws SCS Moderator
1- What are the qualities that would make me want to buy hero arts shadow ink?
2-Do Stephanie Barnard's ink cover a full picture stamp ( not drawn but filled in) without showing the lines of the stamp pad? Am I making sense?
Thanks ladies
Thinking about when I got my HA shadow inks (which is about 8 years ago, before they became a hot item, LOL), the selling point then was that they were soft muted colours suitable for using with the shadow stamps or other solid images, to combine with another image stamped in stronger colour. They do give good cover on solid stamps, but I'm assuming that they're still a range of fairly soft colours. I haven't checked them out recently, since I rarely use mine.
I'd think that if they're colours you like, that would be the main reason for getting them, otherwise some other inks will give equally good cover on solid stamps.
Thinking about when I got my HA shadow inks (which is about 8 years ago, before they became a hot item, LOL), the selling point then was that they were soft muted colours suitable for using with the shadow stamps or other solid images, to combine with another image stamped in stronger colour. They do give good cover on solid stamps, but I'm assuming that they're still a range of fairly soft colours. I haven't checked them out recently, since I rarely use mine.
I'd think that if they're colours you like, that would be the main reason for getting them, otherwise some other inks will give equally good cover on solid stamps.
Hero Arts has come out with "Midtone Shadow Inks" with nice vibrant colors. Here is some information from Jennifer McGuire's blog:
I'm a die hard Stampin' Up! ink pad user (I'm a demo too so I totally admit to being biased). I get beautifully clear images, can do tons of techniques, and the ability to get the reinkers is a HUGE benefit.
I am adding my manta about buying reinkers. BUY THE REINKERS! I am good at listening to advice. The one advice I did not take was buy the reinkers when I first started stamping.
Seriously, why would I want to buy reinkers? It's just another added expense! What if I get tired of the colors? Now, I am stuck with ink pads and reinkers. Then I got stuck with a bunch of dry ink pads and no reinkers. I couldn't buy reinkers for those pads. I was so mad at myself. I recycled all my ink pads. I went out and bought all of Stampin Up reinkers. I slowly bought the SU pads to match. I am much happier now.
Stamp pads I use Stampin Up. The only reason why is because I love their color palettes. I hardly use my stamp pads. I use my brush markers more when I want to ink my stamps.
Black inks I use. I am an all Tsukinecko girl
Versafine Onyx Black- I love it for detailed stamping.
Brilliance Black- Vellum stamping. I also like to work with it when I want a little sparkle on my project.
Memento- Alcohol markers. Not my favorite stamp pad. I am always grumbling how the ink looks like an off black. The other day I used it and my image was a nice black. Now, I am thinking weather issues effected my stamp pad.
StazOn- Use it mainly on acetate. It's my Sharpie in an ink pad.
I always like Stamping Up ink pads for the simple reason that you can get re-inkers and for a nominal price. I do like the the VersaFine ink pads but, not many colors are availble.The SU re-inkers usually outlast the pads and are availble in every color. I think they are also versatile for many surfaces. Haven't used the new pads much yet but DO NOt use the old re-inkers on the new pads.
I totally agree I don't use my SU inks at all anymore, in fact if I sold them, I don't think I'd miss them. I'm thinking about it but haven't decided yet. I have Brilliance, Versafine, Adirondack etc. but my go to inks - I love my Distress inks and Memento which I use most and you can get reinkers.
It does totally depend on what you're doing though.
I echo what Joanne said about the inks. I do also use SU inks as I am a demo, but I also use all the other inks Joanne mentioned. I also use Memento for stamping images to color with Copics (alchohol-based markers). Several years ago I went to Addicted to Rubber Stamps (they were having an ink sale) and purchased ALL the reinkers I did not have for Brilliance, CB Fluid Chalk and Stazon. I have not been to their store since they reopened their site, but it might be worth checking out if you are in need of reinkers. I never buy an ink pad without a reinker any more.
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
I am NOT a demo, but use only SU ink pads and have always bought the reinkers. I do not have any of the newly reformulated pads (I even have lots of the old style cases that I prefer), so can't speak to the new pads. I probably will not buy any of them as I have all the core colors plus all of the retired and in colors of the past (with the card stock to match), so I have decided I will not spend my money on any in colors in the future unless somewhere down the road they become a core color. That being said, the only dye ink black I use is Memories. Works better from me in almost all instances than even Staz On which I only use for acetate. Staz On is supposed to be for non-porous surfaces, so why doesn't it work on glazed tiles?
I'm a SU! Demo also so only use SU! ink pads and Staz on when watercoloring. I LOVE the new ink pads especially for solid stamps. Great coverage and image. My appeal is not only reinkers but that everything matches, paper, ink, ribbon, etc. That's what hooked me on SU!.
I always like Stamping Up ink pads for the simple reason that you can get re-inkers and for a nominal price. I do like the the VersaFine ink pads but, not many colors are availble.The SU re-inkers usually outlast the pads and are availble in every color. I think they are also versatile for many surfaces. Haven't used the new pads much yet but DO NOt use the old re-inkers on the new pads.
I'm glad I read your post - I just recently got my Real Red and Riding Hood Red pads replaced. When I went to use them I saw nasty raised crayon-like stuff all over the one and a raised crazy looking substance on the other. All my other pads are fine. Anyway I do have the re-inkers for the old pads but was not thinking of using them in case the same issue arises but I'm curious - why not use re-inkers bought for the linen pads on the new foam pads?
__________________ Just keep breathing...that's the key.
Actually, you can use your old reinkers on the new pads with the exception of five colors: Basic Black, Basic Gray, Tempting Turquoise, Marina Mist and Perfect Plum. Those colors were reformulated for the new pads. So the old reinkers for those colors won't work on the new pads.
I believe you can use any new reinker on any old pad, including those five colors mentioned above.
I'm not a demo, I've just read this many times on the forum. If I have it wrong, a demo can jump in an correct me.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I like memento or PTI for dye, archival by Ranger for waterproof and colorbox chalk. I like and used SU! for years but its a pain to go through a demo to get them. And I hate when the colours change. Also Distress for techniques and distressing. I hear Hero Arts shadow inks are great and intend to try some soon. I have a few but only the super soft ones in a very old formula.
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
I'm glad I read your post - I just recently got my Real Red and Riding Hood Red pads replaced. When I went to use them I saw nasty raised crayon-like stuff all over the one and a raised crazy looking substance on the other. All my other pads are fine. Anyway I do have the re-inkers for the old pads but was not thinking of using them in case the same issue arises but I'm curious - why not use re-inkers bought for the linen pads on the new foam pads?
Ooh, ooh, tell me more! My riding hood red pad looks like it has leprosy! Did you just call to get it replaced?
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
Ooh, ooh, tell me more! My riding hood red pad looks like it has leprosy! Did you just call to get it replaced?
Yes, just call them and they will replace it. If you have a demo, go through her as she'll have the original order number. If you don't go through a demo, just have your order slip handy.
They look weird eh?? Actually the person I spoke to said, she'd never heard of that happening to an ink pad before. I had replaced my Real Red once before and then someone told me that it's a common problem with the red ink pads.
I'd be curious to know if anyone else ever had this problem. My ink pads are all stored together and no other ink pad has ever had the problems these ones had. I've had ink pads for over 12 years.
__________________ Just keep breathing...that's the key.
The strange looking SU pad thing happened to me, too. I replaced the Real Red a while back, and I just noticed that my Bravo Burgundy is doing the same thing.
All my red ink pads from SU do that, but it has something to do with the components of the ink and how they look on the pad (terrible), but there is nothing wrong with the quality and will not hurt your stamps or the quality of the stamped image. I stressed over it, added more reinker, but nothing helped the look of the pad or changed anything, so I'm not stressed about it anymore and I hardly notice it now.
I found that some of my new pads get a mottled look. It doesn't seen to hurt the performance. I think if you keep stamping in the same spot, it drives the ink away. You can try varying where you hit the pad. It might help.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I had have one or two do the weird-looking change. But let's face it ... I started buying SU pads about 10 years ago, so they have definitely done their stampin' duty here. I've replaced one, basically because it was permanently "pounded down" after years of "tap, tap, tap". :lol: Help! It couldn't get up!!
Yes ... I also have Adirondacks, Distress, and Stephanie Barnard's Premium Color Box inks. And they're all happy here ... and welcome to stay. ;)
I really don't like SU ink pads. I only use one when I am at a SU class and that is what they supply. I had a couple of the old pads, but I am trying to get rid of them. The black turns into a dark purple. I even have the reinker and that does the same thing! I will stick with my Momentos and Distress inks. I do have a couple of Stazon just in case I decide to use water color.
I'm not a fan of SU! any more either. I was going to buy an espresso pad tho because I want a very dark brown. Anyone know of a very dark brown from any other company?
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
I really don't like SU ink pads. I only use one when I am at a SU class and that is what they supply. I had a couple of the old pads, but I am trying to get rid of them. The black turns into a dark purple. I even have the reinker and that does the same thing! I will stick with my Momentos and Distress inks. I do have a couple of Stazon just in case I decide to use water color.
The old purple issues with SU black have been corrected in recent years! Yay! With their new formulation, it's a true black, dark and rich. ;)
I'm not a fan of SU! any more either. I was going to buy an espresso pad tho because I want a very dark brown. Anyone know of a very dark brown from any other company?
Yes, there's a colour called "Espresso" in the Adirondack range - I use it a lot as it's softer than black but still dark enough to give a really good line.
I'm not a fan of SU! any more either. I was going to buy an espresso pad tho because I want a very dark brown. Anyone know of a very dark brown from any other company?
I really like Momento's Rich Cocoa. It is just dark enough but doesn't look black. Has a nice brown color. HTH.
I actually want a VERY dark brown. I find Rich Cocoa to be quite light. They came out with a darker brown but it has a weird undertone to it. I'm not a fan. I like PTI chocolate but I want an even darker brown occasionally.
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
I have switched to almost all Tsukineko inks....my favorite is Memento and have almost all of those colors. Staz-on is also a favorite since it stamps on non-porous materials. I always buy the reinker because I hate a dry ink pad!
Best Ink Pads
Dark brown ink...
