Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I'm relatively new to stamping and would like to know from veteran stampers what your favorite brand of stamp pad might be. I'd like to know before investing a lot of money. I understand the difference in dye-based and pigment-based ink and how they are both used. I've also seen the chalk inks. If you have a suggestion, in addition to the brand name, could you please specify what type of ink (dye, pigment, or chalk) you're referring to? Thanks!
hmmm ... not as easy a question as you may think!! I have mostly Stampin' Up Classic ink (dye ink) in the larger size pads, the Craft ink (pigment) in the 1" cubes, and a variety of chalk ink from Colorbox. I've also got Stazon (alcohol based) for permanent stamping.
Each type of ink is good and needed for different reasons!
I love SU's colors--classic ink dries fast and is a great all purpose stamp pad. I do love the rich color of SU Craft ink but they take longer to dry; craft ink is beautiful embossed with clear embossing powder. Experiment with a few different ink pads--see just which one fits your stamping needs.
Versafine Black for normal stamping - Hybrid Palette for other colors. I have all the SU one's too and the regular colors are nice. Spots are just as good which are cheaper also.
Well I just learned that SU Classic Ink spots do not work well on clear Studio G stamps (the ones sold for $1 at Michaels) and that chalk ink works best. So if you use clear stamps this is something to give thought to.
I wish I'd been as smart as you and ASKED someone before wasting a lot of money....
All inks have their place, and there's no one ink that will do it all. The key is to invest in inks that you will actually use.
There are lots of different inks: water-based dye ink, waterproof dye ink, slow-dry pigment inks, quick-dry pigment inks, chalk inks, hybrid inks, solvent inks, alcohol inks, distressing inks...you get the picture. Lots of choice.
If I had it to do over again, I'd first buy SU! classic inks in the full size pads and SU! craft inks in the spots, plus a big pad of the white. I'd supplement that with Staz-on black and timber brown (solvent inks that are absolutely waterproof and stamp on any slick surface or regular cardstock), a selection of colors of Brilliance pearlescent inks (quick-dry pigment inks that have a lovely shimmer), and a selection of Palette hybrid inks ('cause they stamp beautifully on lots of different stuff, including fabric, and work great with clear stamps).
But this is my choice. Basically, decide what you want to do, then pick an ink that will do the job best. Buy a few colors of it, play around, see if you like it, and if so, invest in more.
My recommendation is to not invest in multiple pads from one company. Try a few out. That way you can figure out what works best for you and the way you stamp. Here are a few thoughts.
If you watercolor -- you need a true waterproof ink. My favorite is Memories Black Dye ink.
If you use Copics or other alcohol based markers, go with Adirondack. The black is called Pitch and it won't smear with the copics.
Stampin Up has a lovely variety of colors and they match the papers and ribbons, etc., which is great. But, I hate the design of the pad itself. You may love it, so buy one (the black is NOT waterproof) and see what you think.
Palette inks are nice and work really well with clear stamps. And, they will stamp on fabric, which is a nice bonus.
That's a quick list, but there are many more. For example, I have a couple of versafine cubes as they work well with detailed images.
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I agree with the lady that suggested buying a few from different brands. I personally love the new Memento Dye inks. Gorgeous colors & soft finish. I also have all the Adirondack dye inks, because again I love the colors. I never have trouble matching inks and cardstock & I love the freedom of using many different brands. My favorite black is India Ink Black & I've tried twenty-five or thirty different blacks. Like another poster I don't really care for the SU pad. I find it awfully clumsy for me, but I like the colors. I might try the spots again. Experiment! There is a big, beautiful bunch of choices out there.
__________________ Keep what is worth keeping
and with the breath of kindness
blow the rest away.
I love the Brillance line. The pearlescent (sp?) colors are my favorites. I also love the Tim Holtz Distressed Inks, but if you don't like the distressed look then you may not. I certainly do not recommend the Distressed Inks as your first or only ink pads. Versafine are also a favorite, especially for my scrapbooks. I also have Staz On, Marvy Matchables, Memories Dye Ink, a VersaMark pad (highly recommend getting one of these), ColorBox pigment and chalk pads, some Versa Color, and a few onsies here and there. The problem is different inks are good for different things. I would recommend getting some pigment pads if you intend to do heat embossing.
I love Stampin Up ink (dye-based) for red rubber, but for clear ink I prefer Memento Ink (also a dye-based ink). Not all inks, even of the same type, are created equally nor are the containers themselves. Although I love Memento Ink, I much prefer SU's handles (google stampin' up for their website). Also, Memento Ink works well for copic (alcohol markers) coloring!
Many inkpads come in a small size (1" cube, cateye, dew drop, etc). I love that size because I can have lots of colors and they don't take up much space.
As far as which ones are right for you... one thing to think about is what cardstock/paper you plan to use most. If you are using SU cardstock, their inks match their papers. Many of the manufacturers have color charts on their websites, so you can see all the colors and decide which one has the best range for the paper you intend on using most. Here are a few of the manufacturers that make many of the inks people have mentioned above:
I use Memories Black, White and Brown dye inks ($4.99 from Joanns) for regular stamping. I love how white the white comes out!
I use black staz on if I am going to watercolor.
I am currently collecting the SU classic spots, only have one family at the moment.
And I use the clearsnap colobox chalk queues for stamping with clear stamps as I cannot get them to work with SU ink!
Oh and I also have some large and small size pigment colobox ink pads which I do not use often, I bought these before knowing there were different types of ink pads duh!!! I should have asked like you have!
i think a wide assortment of stamp pads is wise. not every stamp pad works with every stamp, paper or whatever you are stamping on or with. if you like a variety in what you do, then a wide variety in pads is also necessary. marvy makes a good bad, new momento are fun, pallett offers great colors, caulk is something different as well as adirondack. the great fun of this hobby is using different products and getting differnet affects. i would not limit myself to only one product/company for anything.
happy stamping.
I use Versafine Onyx Black. It dries instantly, does not smear if you are watercoloring or use the Gamsol technique. I use SU and some CTMH for colors in dye ink. I have Staz-on but don't use it often. I also have chalk ink when I want a subtle look
__________________ Did you know nearly 1 in 2 Americans live with chronic illness? chronic illness?
I love Adirondack for the color range, Versacolor 1" cubes for solid stamps, Ranger Archival Jet Black ink for outlines. I also have Colorbox pigment and chalk inks. One thing I would recommend is buying the reinker when you buy the stamp pad. Have fun trying out the different ones available!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I use SU classic, I also have 3 color families of the craft ink that have never been opened...think I will have to sell them and I love Pallette Inks...Have lots of those.
HI! I use mostly Stampin' Up Classic pads. Several years ago, when my instant addiction to stamping began, I started with markers only, then Stampin' Spots, and finally the full size pads. I love that the colors match the card stock so well. However, I do not care for Basic Black since it looks purple instead of black. Love, love, love Stazon Black and Brown for most of my stamped images - you don't have to worry about the ink bleeding when you are coloring or watercoloring. (Thanks to everyone above for your tips- would love to experiment with some different looks!)
My favorite is Stampin' Up! But I also like the Palette Noir for use when I'm watercoloring and the Versafine and Versamark inks are very nice. I also like Kaleidecolor ink pads too.. just got a fresh re-introduction to them at an Archivers class recently.
I like Stazon too but I try to stay away from it when I'm using my acrylic stamps.
I have a couple colorbox inks too but only the small guys in metallics.
__________________ Julia Gluten free on 9/15/2008. I am a Celiac. 1 in 133 Americans is a Celiac and 97% of those who have Celiac Disease are still undiagnosed. Are you one?
I'm relatively new to stamping and would like to know from veteran stampers what your favorite brand of stamp pad might be. I'd like to know before investing a lot of money. I understand the difference in dye-based and pigment-based ink and how they are both used. I've also seen the chalk inks. If you have a suggestion, in addition to the brand name, could you please specify what type of ink (dye, pigment, or chalk) you're referring to? Thanks!
like many people here I have various brands for various uses.. Sometimes it's hit and miss, but maybe some suggestions here could help you avoid some misses..
-I have a lot of Palette inks. I love how cleanly they stamp
-I have a bunch of versamagic inks. I like them for sillouette stamping, and sponging. I do recommend getting re-inkers for these guys 'cause they tend to dry out...
-I like Ranger inks (all kinds). I use the nic bantock line for colouring with copics..
__________________
{Gallery}{Blog}
I design for: Stampendous!, There She Goes, Technique Tuesday,
SRM Stickers and Deconstructed Sketches.
Welcome! You will find that Stampin up pads are some of the top in the business. Other pads are good for specialty uses and you will most likely acquire them as needed. "clear" stamps are not all alike. They are made of different polymers and you will need chalk and other inks for some of them.
__________________ ~Vee
It's not who you know-it's whom you know.
I really like Vivid! Dye Inks. They are by clearsnap. They give really vivid crisp color. Also the pads on them are dense foam not felt. I have issues with felt.
__________________ My BlogMy GalleryAll dog's feet smell like Fritos. I know you don't believe me, go check... See, I told you so.
I'm relatively new to stamping and would like to know from veteran stampers what your favorite brand of stamp pad might be. I'd like to know before investing a lot of money. I understand the difference in dye-based and pigment-based ink and how they are both used. I've also seen the chalk inks. If you have a suggestion, in addition to the brand name, could you please specify what type of ink (dye, pigment, or chalk) you're referring to? Thanks!
I like Stazon black in for colored pencil work. I like Brilliance for Marker stuff as long as you heat set it first. Palette is tricky because it seems like it's half dye ink, half pigment ink and it's hard to know when it's dry. I have ruined many projects thinking it's dry when it isn't and I destroyed a crayon resist project trying to get it to react like SU ink. I have to say, I love Stampin' Up dye ink for vibrant fast drying color. But I am still trying to find my favorite non-SU ink. Jury's still out.
__________________ Be polite to those who are rude to you. Not because they are nice, but because you are.
Owner- Gina K. Designs
Stampin Up has a lovely variety of colors and they match the papers and ribbons, etc., which is great. But, I hate the design of the pad itself. You may love it, so buy one (the black is NOT waterproof) and see what you think.
That's funny that Joan said that because I really LOVE the SU ink pads and the unique design, the ink is always hanging upside down which keeps the pad juicy and the large pad bed lets you stamp using really large stamps. It's a fabulous design!
I'm in the minority here, but I do like SU's basic black because it's only purple if you water it down, when stamped directly, it's very black and it is indeed waterproof! (It won't hold up to alchohol based markers though, like Copics, but will do fine with reinkers or watercoloring.)
My advice is full sized pads with reinkers of SUs ink (maybe start with one color family) then I'd go with SU spots for the craft ink with a large white craft pad as mentioned above. Once you've tried SU's classic inks, no other dye will do, particularly because the papers and accessories all match perfectly!
SU inks are the best and most economical in the business. The classic variety can even be used on clear, yes I said clear stamps, if you add a little trick before inking your stamp. What works best for me is rubbing my clear stamps with my embossing buddy (From SU also) before inking them up.
Check out my gallery, I have a St. Patricks Day card posted that was done with Stampendous mini clear stamp set, and SU Classic Ink.
Ranger Archival (Jet Black and Coffee) for watercoloring.
Ranger Adirondack for dye inks.....love the variety of colors!!
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Inks for distressing, sponging, etc.
ColorBox Fluid Chalk for chalk inks.
I saw that one person recommended the India Ink Black. The stamp store near me uses this exclusively in their classes. It is dye ink and water safe if you want to do any watercoloring. The second most versatile for me is the Versamark, since you can stamp an impression on SU cardstock and it makes exactly the same color, just darker. Perfect for backgrounds. I personally like SU colors ( I use a lot of their paper), and the ink pad design since it stores the pad upside down and the ink gravitates to the top of the pad and keeps it wetter. Another advantage for me is the re-inker is available for all the colors. Some re-inkers for other manufacturers are not so readily available. Good Luck.
For the first five years after I became a stamper, I used pigment inks almost exclusively because they give a crisp image and emboss so well (and, if you're "financially challenged" as I was/am, you can get away with just having clear embossing powder...most of the time). My pigment favorites are VersaColor for their range of colors and b/c they are available in little (read: cheap) cubes, and Brilliance -- the pearlescent colors are nice, and Brilliance Black is still my go-to for a black pigment ink. I've used it for 6+ years and only reinked it once or twice.
Never thought I'd add dye inks to my collection until I caved to the call of the discount and became an SU! (hobby) demo -- their classic dye inks really do rock, especially on good-quality cardstock. I've never had issues with the Basic Black with watercoloring, as long as I give it a few minutes to dry or give it a quick heat-set.
For "specialty" inks, you can't go wrong with a VersaMark -- and it will last for-EVER!
Oh, speaking of VersaMark, another trick for using dye inks on clear stamps is to ink the stamp with a light coat of VersaMark before inking it with dye ink - it sticks way better and gives a clearer impression, even on most of the dollar stamps. Also a quick way to turn a dye ink into something emboss-able.
Favorite stamp pads
