Getting Started
 

Hello,

I am just getting started stamping & am wondering about buying colored inks. I know I am going to place a SU order. My big question is whether to start with spots, large ink pads or markers. Initially I thought I would get markers & spots, but I am beginning to wonder if I will regret not getting full size later. Thoughts?

Thanks so much for any help. I have learned SOOO much already by just lurking here :)

I personally prefer the spots. To me, the full-size pads are just bulky and hard to use. Plus, you get a whole color family of spots at one time. One tip for you if you do get the spots: I turn my stamp upside-down on the table and hold the spot to ink the stamp. That way I can see the stamp and make sure it's inked properly.

I'm new to stamping too (this hobby is like craft cocaine - addictive and expensive! LOL) and I've started with the spots too. It is a good way to see which colours in a "colour family" you'll actually use, IMHO. So far I've got the spots in the Earth Elements and Soft Subtles. I neeeeed them all!

I started out with the spots and then bought the full size pad of the colors I reached for on a regular basis. That way you start out having all of the colors and you're not limited to only a few projects! Hope that helps.

When I was first starting out I bought the markers. I wanted all the colors and I also wanted to do some techaniques that you couldn't do with ink pads. I think if I wasn't a demo and didn't need bigger ink pads for classes and workshops, I might have stuck with just the markers a lot longer. As it is, since I purchased them in July of 2006 there's hardly been a day when I didn't use my markers. I love them! Plus having them all in an organized carrier case makes it so easy to take all the colors with me when I go to stamp outside my stamp room.

So obviously my recommendation is markers, followed by full size pads in the colors you use the most (until you have them all -- LOL!).

I started with the spots and then purchased the full size pads in my favorite colors. I also added a color family of the markers here and there until I had them all. Now I have all of the classic ink in the full size pads as I have learned to like pretty much all of the colors. Plus the spots are nice if you are traveling to a crop or get together.

I also started out with the spots and then started buying the full size pads whenever I found colors that I used the most. I have just recently bought the markers so that I can do other techniques. One of my favorite techniques is using different colors on the same stamp image and I can only achieve that with markers. But I think the spots are the way to go for now. :)

I had the ink spots and I ended up selling them. I find it much easier to just grab my full size ink pads to use. One think you might want to consider is that it's easier to ink a large background stamp with the full size ink pads rather than the ink spots. I ended up selling my ink spots on ebay because I just didn't use them enough. I realize that the full size ink pads are more expensive, but you can purchase one color family at a time.

I agree, start with the markers. You can do so many things with them.

We're not all that helpful when our opinions run the gamut, are we? :) I recommend the spots. They're easiest to store (fit perfectly in the clamshell boxes) and you can get a whole lot of colors inexpensively. I bought my Palette inks that way and have never once regretted it.

i started with the full size pads... i am still collecting them by the way

some time ago i bought the marker set so i could have all the colors.


this is what worked best for me!

good luck and happy stamping

I wish I would have done this. Instead I bought the full pad sets (my demo loved me). I now find that I have used every pad at least once so it doesn't bother me so bad anymore. I prefer to use the full pads. They are easier for me to hold and design with. I gave my spots to my BFF who wanted to stamp but couldn't afford it.

You guys are so funny!
 

Thanks for all of the advice. I think I will start with one set of spots & some markers plus big pads of colors I know I will use.

I appreciate all of the help.

I got the spots in both the classic and craft inks and the markers.

I have all the Palette spots, Brilliance Dew Drops, VersaMagic Dew Drops, Memenots Dew Drops and cubes from many other companies.

I love the size of the spots, the value for the $$$ and the fact that the full sixe pads are way to hard for me to handle.

The spots can ink up a background stamp just as good as full size and you can have way more of them for the $$ and the space!

When I started out buying stuff I was on a budget and bought stamp pad and paper together and at first I bought the colors I liked. That stamp pad is still wrapped in plastic. I do recomend the big stamp pad as that is all I have and I use. What I do recomend is go through the gallery and look at color combo's you like together. you will be amazed at what ones stand out at you. Before I ever looked in the gallery I would have never thought of cameo coral and choc chip as colors I would put together let alone be really drawn to. Now I LOVE them. you will also notice that their are a lot of images that you will need a perm black ink for since a ot of images are colored in by chalks, watercolor crayons, SU Markers and Copic Markers. look in the gallery too about what stamp sets because 2 stamp sets I never thought of buying and finally did after looking in the gallery and now I use them ALL the time!

I vote markers! I wish I hadn't waited a couple of stamping years to get mine.

For pads, what I usually recommend is to buy the spots and use them for a while, then purchase the colors you use frequently in the big size.

When I was getting ready to buy SU ink, my demo suggested getting a full sized ink pad of black and brown and get spots for the rest. This has worked out well for me plus it is easier to transport for get togethers or crops. Plus that will leave you with more money for stamps!

For the basic colors like Brown and Black and maybe even white I would get the big ones. For the colors I would start with the spots. Then when you see what you use alot of you can buy the big ones or the refils.

Honestly I use my ink pads to color instead of markers most of the time. You can get a blender pen and a water brush. Just stamp one of the spots onto acetate or something that doesnt absord the ink and use that as you pallete.

Have fun!

If I had it to do over again...
 

I'd purchase all the spots along with the refill ink. I've been doing this a just a year now and I've spent a few thousand dollars. Had the first demo had the time to explain the color families on when I place my first order which was almost $500.00 I could have saved a lot of money.

Hope that helps. :D