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I vaguely remember this topic being hit on before, but I can't bring it up in a search. I bought a set of MS alphabet acrylic stamps the other day. I tried using them and the ink just beads up on the surface and when I stamp it it makes it look like its polka dotted. Is there a way to "rough up" the surface so the ink won't bead? I have used (borrowed from a friend) the PaperTrey stamps and they are INCREDIBLE...no beading, perfect ink coverage, smooth result. Anyone out there who can give me some suggestions? TIA!
Have you tried rubbing a white eraser across them to see if that helps with beading? If you're super brave and super careful, you can try lightly sanding them with super fine sand paper. I haven't tried that method myself, but I've heard of others doing it. The key seems to be to use very fine paper and a super light touch. Most likely though, you'll need to use different inks with the stamps as not all acrylics are made equal. Try craft ink and you should get a better impression. Or, you can try a hybrid ink like Pallette, which Papertrey, and many other companies, sell. You can also try stamping in Versamark first, then stamping in your dye ink, then stamping on paper. I've heard that helps to get dye ink to load onto some acrylics properly.
I vaguely remember this topic being hit on before, but I can't bring it up in a search. I bought a set of MS alphabet acrylic stamps the other day. I tried using them and the ink just beads up on the surface and when I stamp it it makes it look like its polka dotted. Is there a way to "rough up" the surface so the ink won't bead? I have used (borrowed from a friend) the PaperTrey stamps and they are INCREDIBLE...no beading, perfect ink coverage, smooth result. Anyone out there who can give me some suggestions? TIA!
How do you ink your stamp? What I mean is do you rub the stamp on the ink pad, tap the stamp on the ink pad, just put the stamp on the ink pad and press down? I'm asking because she was on The View yesterday while I was waiting in the doctor's office and she was holding the stamp in her hand and then rubbing the ink pad over the stamp. Maybe that would work. I don't have any MS stuff but it works on some of the acrylic stamps I have trouble with beading on.
I vaguely remember this topic being hit on before, but I can't bring it up in a search. I bought a set of MS alphabet acrylic stamps the other day. I tried using them and the ink just beads up on the surface and when I stamp it it makes it look like its polka dotted. Is there a way to "rough up" the surface so the ink won't bead? I have used (borrowed from a friend) the PaperTrey stamps and they are INCREDIBLE...no beading, perfect ink coverage, smooth result. Anyone out there who can give me some suggestions? TIA!
Martha Stewart's clear stamps are made of VINYL.
PaperTrey clear stamps are made of PHOTOPOLYMER.
High quality photopolymer accepts all sorts of inks well, and may even accept water-based dye inks well, and without beading up. Photopolymer stamps are more expensive than vinyl, and have a higher durometer (density), more akin to rubber.
Vinyl, on the other hand, repels waterbased dye inks, and about the only ink I've found to work well on them are chalk or pigment. They are more "stretchy"/softer than photopolymer, with a tendency to distort or "squish" than their photopolymer counterpart.
HTH, :grin:
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
I don't have Matha's stamps, but I have a few from other makers and had the same problem with that "bubbly look". Like others have mentioned, I too found that I had much better results with pigment ink.
Definitely try rubbing an eraser over them. I did that with some of my non Martha clear stamps and it worked well. I also try to use pigment or chalk inks whenever possible because it works so well. Also clean them on your cleaning pad first because there can be some residue left from manufacture.
See, that is why you are the Royal Rubberness! Thank so much for that answer, Julie. I wonder if I can return them?? Ugh! Martha!
You're welcome.
Also, I hope I didn't imply that Martha's stamps were necessarily "bad"--vinyl was chosen for their manufacture probably due to the audience of crafter Martha was trying to reach with her clear stamps--people interested in making handmade items, but, they aren't necessarily die-hard rubber stampers, if that makes sense? She's trying to reach a much broader crafting audience, in other words.
She was smart, in that she knew that pigment inks would perform best with her stamps, and that's what she offers in her line, right next to the clear stamps. ;) This makes it easy for the general crafter to buy products that are designed and intended to work together, whereas a stamper might pluck the stamps off the rack, but knowing that they already have an arsenal of ink at home, might not grab the MS inks.
Of course, unless you've done a little research on the different types of clear stamps, and, how they perform when compared to rubber, which the majority of stampers are accustomed to working with, you wouldn't know that your water-based dye inks back home would be repelled by the clear vinyl.
I am hoping to acquire the Ornamental Bodoni Alphabet--I think it's such a great decorative alphabet! Yes, I'd prefer it in high quality photopolymer, but, for the price, and the fact that I already have inks on hand that will work with them, I think I'll still be happy. :mrgreen:
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
Martha Stewart Acrylics: Ink beading up?
