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I hope I am posting this what if question in the correct area.
Here goes...
If you had to cut down your ink pad collection to no more than 20 ink pads what would they be? Let's just pretend that for the next year of your life you could only use those 20 pads what would be your best choice?
The reason I am asking is I was just looking at my large and growing collection ...dye, distress, pigment, hybrid, some chalk, archival and it was not always like this. I remember one iris cart full and then a second iris cart and that was all of my stamping supplies. Now I have a room.
- The 12 Oxide inks for versatility: good stamping, blending and techniques.
- Versamark: heat embossing
- Versafine - black for sentiments (though I'll miss the other rich colors)
- Deja Blue - a navy from Studio Calico
That actually could be enough, though I love most of my tons of dye and pigment inks. So the last five is tough!
I was going to say the 4 Lia Griffith Hero Arts "Color Lights" set, but they're similar to some Oxides if you do 2nd gen stamping with Oxides.
So I'd look at ROYGBIV gaps and fill them in with dye inks from Hero Arts Shadow inks maybe, similar to Deja Blue above. Or grab another Versafine - maybe the dark gray.
Gabriella, you just convinced me I need to purge and donate some of my inks.
Great exercise! I'd been saying if I could only have one type of ink it would be Oxides. And Versamark. : )
Good question, it's one that I've been struggling with since I figured out some of my favorite colors (CTMH) have been retired and I can't buy the cardstock to match anymore. I didn't jump on the distress ink, I still don't know how to use them. I didn't jump on the pigment (with the exception of White Daisy), hybrid, or chalk ink either. I use mostly Tuxedo Black from Memento and Versamark, so these would be my best choice. The rest of what I use are dye inks. I did go through my collection a few weeks ago and gave about 20 ink pads to my daughters (who are 10 and 7) of colors that I realized I never use. I realized that I go back to these colors continuously (CTMH): Cranberry, Blush, Hollyhock, Sky, Crystal Blue, Outdoor Denim, Sweet Leaf, Pear, and Chocolate. So for me, it would a light and dark pink, a chocolate brown, light, medium and dark blue, a good Christmas red, and a light and mid green. There are about 10 other colors that I do use from time to time, mostly Christmas green, a mid purple, and some lighter browns.
Definitely VersaMark, at least 2-3 VersaFine (black and brown, gray) for sentiments. I would also want a blue.
Other colors and types depend on what you do most. I would want Archival or StazOn pads because I prefer watercoloring to marker coloring. Otherwise, my choice would be Memento.
Most of my cards are for Christmas so I would want compatible shades of red and green. I'd also want gold and/or silver (but might sub embossing powder to be used with the VersaMark). If choosing inkpads my choice is Brilliance or Delicata.
Most of my birthday cards are for males so at least 2 shades of blue but I'd prefer 3. One of my favorite colors is yellow so, again, 2-3 shades with one perhaps being orange instead.
The remaining (7?) would probably be Distress/Distress Oxide for making backgrounds although I would also want several chalk ink pads as I prefer them for my photopolymer stamps. My feminine colors would be pinks/purples pearlescent shades in the Brilliance line by Tsukinieko.
I don't think I could go down to 20 as I easily have over 100.
I am afraid I cant do this. I have different inks b/c I do different techniques that need them, which is why I got them in the first place.
In fact I need 2-3 more of the colors recommended for no line stamping.
For sure though I have to have Versafine, Memento, Archival and Stazon Blacks. All three basic metal colors-bright gold, silver and copper. The ones for no line stamping..I am already up to 9 with no colors yet. See?
Maybe if you look at it from that POV..you wont feel overstocked? Of course if you have three different navy blues in pigment or dye...that is a way to trim the sails?
Inks are not like dies, stencils, EFs, etc. for me. I see them as a truly fundamental supply-like cardstock.
Versafine Onxy, Ranger Archival Black, and 18 of my favorite Distress Inks. Distress Inks are the most verstile. You can stamp with them, paint with them, or do BGs with them.
I could probably live without the Archival Black, but sometimes I like to stamp on glossy paper. ;)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
It is my unalienable right as a US citizen to the pursuit of happiness; having many and varied inks contributes to my happiness and the pursuit thereof; therefore to limit myself to only 20 inks violates my rights per the US Constitution.
__________________ 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.
that is my top 10, you didn't mention getting rid of your pencils, pens or paints... so, those are my most reached for pads ( and I have hundreds of them) I did pick up the whole range of the oxides and if you wanted a second 10 i would pick those and take out the walnut stain and maybe maybe the hmmm that is hard. so it would be 21 pads... :cool:
Versafine black, Hero Arts intense black, antique linen Distress for no line water coloring, Hero Arts shadow inks and WPlus9 dye inks to fill out the rest of a very basic color palette. That would allow me to stamp and watercolor. I'd just have to give up inked backgrounds in Distress and sponge in with the dye inks. That would be very stressful and sounds like a solitary confinement scenario. I would gladly trade my allotted hour a day in the exercise yard and my pudding for more inks.
I'd go with Versamark, about 5 Versafine including black, ColorBox Frost White, Brilliance Platinum and Graphite Black, Ranger's Archival Black and then ten distress inks. That would include antique linen, vintage photo, tumbled glass, broken china, faded jeans, peeled paint, forest moss, mustard seed, and I'd have to toss a coin for the last two! I'd miss my Encore metallics but could get by with just embossing powders for metallics.
I like my distress ink pads in assorted colours. Some of you have lots of different kinds of ink pads....does anyone else have those pigment ink foam style pads that go all decomposed and gooey? I like the pigment ink for embossing but feel I have wasted a lot of money on pads that I didn't hardly get any use from before they "fell apart". They were inexpensive individually but it adds up with multiple colours. There is still lots of ink in them.
I have about 40 of the pigment in assorted colors and brands, Fresh Ink, Mama Elephant, etc. I haven't noticed any breakdown. I just forget to use them and they sit in a drawer. Probably wouldn't bother again. I also have about a dozen very old Colorbox pigment inks. No problem with them so far.
I like my distress ink pads in assorted colours. Some of you have lots of different kinds of ink pads....does anyone else have those pigment ink foam style pads that go all decomposed and gooey? I like the pigment ink for embossing but feel I have wasted a lot of money on pads that I didn't hardly get any use from before they "fell apart". They were inexpensive individually but it adds up with multiple colours. There is still lots of ink in them.
Barb
I've been lucky in that the only pigment pads that went gooey were the inexpensive small pads I bought from Michaels. What usually happens to me with the cat's eye style is that the top layer of foam will separate from the rest of the foam.
Interesting question for me . . . so many people are saying that they couldn't pare down to 20 but I've been thinking that I have way too many pads and it's time to do a major purge. I have lots of "old" SU! colors and just discovered I somehow got a bunch of craft refills instead of classic ones (not sure if the mistake was mine or my demo's but it's way too late to undo it now) so reinking isn't an option. I know this isn't the group to ask ;) but, really, how many "greens" is too many?
Boy, don't know if I could do it either, but I'm sure I could pare down my collection. I've been slowly collecting the Archival ink in different colors. I like the idea that I can use whatever medium over the top without it smearing. Having said that, I've been having fun with the new Distress Oxides.
I look at my ink pads and think I have too many. I just purged a bunch of SU inks because I ate the cases. I like felt pads and do not like the new sponge pads. I did buy a bunch of the small unlinked pads so I can make mini pads from reinkers. I love the new magnetic pads from Close to My Heart and Prima. I also have mini Distress and Hero Arts shadow and mid tone. The Tim Holtz round blending pads fit in the bottom of the mini pads so you get double storage.
Seriously, if I had nothing else, I have to have Versafine neutrals for sentiments, an embossing ink pad and metallics. I could always color woth my markers.
I have just jumped on the dye ink blending train, that left the station about 10 years ago lol! but if I was forced I would keep my Versafine Black, Versamark, and Momento Black and I would be just fine.....but since I just got a load of dye inks it would be a shame to say goodbye so soon lol!
Interesting question for me . . . so many people are saying that they couldn't pare down to 20 but I've been thinking that I have way too many pads and it's time to do a major purge. I have lots of "old" SU! colors and just discovered I somehow got a bunch of craft refills instead of classic ones (not sure if the mistake was mine or my demo's but it's way too late to undo it now) so reinking isn't an option. I know this isn't the group to ask ;) but, really, how many "greens" is too many?
I was feeling the same way when I purged my ink pads. I went through the long process of comparing ink colors on my 200+ pads (includes duplicates of full size and mini pads). It was easy to purge colors I don't like/never use. Next it was keeping one of pigment and one dye of the same color. Then came the really hard part I wanted to keep some of each shade (lime green, olive, forest, etc.). So, I just can't say how many is too many greens nor do I know why I still don't have the perfect pink ink pad! :rolleyes: I haven't bought any new pads except the new oxide inks to make sure I don't creep back up to where I was.
Not sure I could get down to 20 as I am a color junkie. In the past I got rid of all my Adirondack pads/reinkers and Distress pads/reinkers to different newbies to our stamping group. I decided I could get nearly the same results with regular dye inks, and stayed with SU as I really liked the cardstock and how they matched. So then I got rid of all my CTMH ink pads/reinker and now would like to purge again. I have some Colorbox pads, but seldom use them except for some background techniques that don't come out like the pictures, any way. Think I will stick with my SU, which is more than 20, but bet I could weed out some colors, and my Encore Metallics. I also have all of the Opalites and have used them, but now don't seem to get the same results, even when I reink. Anyone know if there is a reason to keep the Opalites? Do have about 5 black ink pads and use them all for various things. I'm going to have to spend some time thinking about just 20 colors. Yikes!!!
I look at my ink pads and think I have too many. I just purged a bunch of SU inks because I ate the cases. I like felt pads and do not like the new sponge pads. I did buy a bunch of the small unlinked pads so I can make mini pads from reinkers. I love the new magnetic pads from Close to My Heart and Prima. I also have mini Distress and Hero Arts shadow and mid tone. The Tim Holtz round blending pads fit in the bottom of the mini pads so you get double storage.
Seriously, if I had nothing else, I have to have Versafine neutrals for sentiments, an embossing ink pad and metallics. I could always color woth my markers.
Same here....I got rid of my SU pads because I do not like opening and closing them and I do not like the spongy top
Interesting question for me . . . so many people are saying that they couldn't pare down to 20 but I've been thinking that I have way too many pads and it's time to do a major purge. I have lots of "old" SU! colors and just discovered I somehow got a bunch of craft refills instead of classic ones (not sure if the mistake was mine or my demo's but it's way too late to undo it now) so reinking isn't an option. I know this isn't the group to ask ;) but, really, how many "greens" is too many?
Too many is when you have some that you don't like or use. I got rid of a lot of pads recently when I did a purge of stuff that was just taking up space, but I am replacing them with more colors of the brands I love and use.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
What if you could only have......
