Frustration with Santa Stamp

[wiggynine]

I've spent much of this evening trying to recreate a card I saw in stamping store, without much luck at all. The stamp is called Classic Santa from Paper Inspiration, and here it is:



In the card I saw, the image was embossed with red embossing powder and looked awesome. I didn't have fine enough embossing powder, so I just stamped in VersaFine black, and it was too dark. I tried Staz On Blazing Red and it looked just ok. In the image shown, you can see some detail of the Santa hat and robe, but this is missing in my stamping. All you can see is the face, beard, hair, and all else is just the ink color.

Am I using too much ink, or not the right kind? Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

[JanTInk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggynine

I've spent much of this evening trying to recreate a card I saw in stamping store, without much luck at all. The stamp is called Classic Santa from Paper Inspiration, and here it is:

Attachment 124458

In the card I saw, the image was embossed with red embossing powder and looked awesome. I didn't have fine enough embossing powder, so I just stamped in VersaFine black, and it was too dark. I tried Staz On Blazing Red and it looked just ok. In the image shown, you can see some detail of the Santa hat and robe, but this is missing in my stamping. All you can see is the face, beard, hair, and all else is just the ink color.

Am I using too much ink, or not the right kind? Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

I'm thinking that you may be over-inking the stamp. You've got an image that looks like it was originally an intaglio print image and there are many fine lines. I would go easier on the ink...you may be filling in some of the very delicate details and they disappear. Pat the ink on rather than rubbing the ink pad back and forth, for instance, to avoid filling the tiny and shallow depressions in the image with ink.

[GypsyRoseStamper]

No authority here, but...did you use a brayer on glossy paper? It would appear to be detailed enough to be treated like a photo stamp. I've been shy of trying some of those images because of all the detail.

[wiggynine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanTInk

I'm thinking that you may be over-inking the stamp. You've got an image that looks like it was originally an intaglio print image and there are many fine lines. I would go easier on the ink...you may be filling in some of the very delicate details and they disappear. Pat the ink on rather than rubbing the ink pad back and forth, for instance, to avoid filling the tiny and shallow depressions in the image with ink.

Ok, I'll try again. It's a wonderful stamp and I'd hate to give up on it.

[wiggynine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GypsyRoseStamper

No authority here, but...did you use a brayer on glossy paper? It would appear to be detailed enough to be treated like a photo stamp. I've been shy of trying some of those images because of all the detail.

I just bought some glossy paper at my last SU party but haven't used it yet. I'll give that a try as well. Thanks.

[myhappyplace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggynine

I just bought some glossy paper at my last SU party but haven't used it yet. I'll give that a try as well. Thanks.

I like the idea of the red ink! Did you try to brayer the ink onto the stamp? Maybe try stamping it on shimmery paper too, it might give it the kick you feel it needs. White or vanilla shimmer? The red won't look so harsh against the vanilla either, it will have a vintage sort of feel. You could even do the edges with some of the Tim Holtz distress inks if that's your style.

I get my vanilla shimmer at cutcardstock.com and now I want that stamp too :mrgreen:

[cbet]

Could it be the paper you're stamping on? Some papers kind of absorb the ink and it feathers out; with such a detailed stamp, the feathering would run into itself and you'd end up with a solid image.

[Vee]

Glossy or not, make sure you have the best quality CS. Ultrasmooth such as SU white. I like the brayer idea too.

[mischelle larson]

why not stamp in red and use clear powder or hologram powder

[wiggynine]

Thanks for all of the ideas. Today I went back to the shop where I saw the sample (it's pretty far from me, but that's how obsessed I am with this project!)

The owner was very helpful, gave me a color copy of the sample, and told me how it was done. The ink was Distress Ink in Mahogony Red with some clear ultrafine embossing powder, both of which I purchased. Paper was smooth white (don't know the brand, bazzill maybe?) but I use SU. No brayer, just tap the ink on the stamp and emboss.

Got home and tried it but the ink doesn't cover the stamp enough and I keep getting a blotchy image. She did tell me I'd have to emboss quickly since it's not pigment ink, but the problem wasn't the embossing, just not enough ink coverage.

So now I'm ready to give up. No matter what I use, the image won't come out clearly.

[qoedvc98]

can you try to ink up the stamp with versamark first and then ink in the red before stamping? This way you'll be able to emboss? Hopefully this might help - it is a nice image and I hope you are able to make it work. *fingers crossed for you*

[MSBetsyZ]

Have you tried your glossy paper yet? That's the first thing I thought of when I read your post. Glossy is the best paper with highly detailed stamps like this.

I would also suggest laying your stamp rubber side up on the table and bringing your paper down to it. Rub the back of the paper (put a sheet of copy paper over it so you don't get all inky, lol!) to make sure every bit of th e paper comes in contact with the rubber.

If this still doesn't work, I'd be considering it might be defective. Take the stamp back and ask them to get a clear image with it and then show you how.

[charming]

how about on a mousepad...?

procedure...:

ink with spanking (rubberside up - inky pad side down....),
blot (stamp off on regular paper...),
then immediately stamp on glossy cs on a base of an upside down mousepad on a good table....
hold then remove...
clean and stamp againwith Stamp-a-ma-jig and with versa to get your emboss layer....

hth! gl!

[Scrapjanny]

I'm surprised she said to use Distress Ink. Whenever I've tried to use it for stamping, everything comes out the way you're describing it: blotchy and incomplete. I didn't think they were made for stamping intricate images.

[wiggynine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapjanny

I'm surprised she said to use Distress Ink. Whenever I've tried to use it for stamping, everything comes out the way you're describing it: blotchy and incomplete. I didn't think they were made for stamping intricate images.

I was surprised too because these inks seem to go on very dry, but the fine powder does stick to it.

[wiggynine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSBetsyZ

Have you tried your glossy paper yet? That's the first thing I thought of when I read your post. Glossy is the best paper with highly detailed stamps like this.

I would also suggest laying your stamp rubber side up on the table and bringing your paper down to it. Rub the back of the paper (put a sheet of copy paper over it so you don't get all inky, lol!) to make sure every bit of th e paper comes in contact with the rubber.

I tried your suggestion and the resulting image is much less blotchy and the santa face is clearer. Looking at the color copy the store owner gave me of the project though makes me wonder - the sample is a much darker red that what I see. But at least I can now make the stamp work.

[deeth1]

I use Versafine red ink. It was created for detailed images. I use Walmart GP cardstock and ink with rubber on stamp face up. Also use a mouse pad under the cardstock. Dye based inks don't work well for me with detailed images.

[Jadiebird]

I have a santa stamp by Hampton Arts that was also giving me grief. To begin with, make sure you are stamping on a very firm surface if your stamp is wood mounted with cushion. If it is unmounted with no cushion, stamp on a firm surface, and put a sheet of foam under your paper. I use the foam that comes with my Inque Boutique stamps.

The best ink i have found for my detailed stamps is Brilliance ink. No other ink I have tried comes close, IMO. I have not tried Versafine, however.

Make sure you press with even pressure all over the stamp. Use very smooth cardstock. I just tried my santa image with my Graphite Black ink on glossy cardstock, and Whoa! The detail is incredible! Thanks for the tip about the glossy paper! Since I discovered Brilliance Graphite Black ink, my poor Ranger Archival Black ink pad is gathering dust!

[MSBetsyZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggynine

I tried your suggestion and the resulting image is much less blotchy and the santa face is clearer. Looking at the color copy the store owner gave me of the project though makes me wonder - the sample is a much darker red that what I see. But at least I can now make the stamp work.

That's great! I think you'll find that as you continue to use the stamp you'll be getting better and better images. Ink, stamp, ink again (don't clean!) and stamp. That 2nd image should be better than the first.

A well-inked pad is a must. After switching papers, that's always the next thing for me...try a different ink. Or try reinking the pad you've been using. But for me, a good glossy paper is well over half the battle, lol!

[Calichk]

I have the same stamp that I just bought and I too was having the same problems, went back to the LSS and this is what I found out. They suggested I use versafine black ink. The image will be dark. then I took my prisma pencils and colored the background dark green, his coat and his hat red, his face peach, beard white and then shaded with OMS. It came out great. I almost exchanged it but after we colored it at the LSS I had to go try it at home. You will be able to tell where the hat is by looking at the front of the stamp, but hard to tell when you look at the stamped image. I shaded the beard and parts of his face with cool grey. Hope this makes sense. BTW, my first time posting, I saw your post and had to answer. I will try to post a pic if I can get my camera back from my daughter.

[bb&kk]

I agree with the Glossy card stock suggestion and ink the stamp once, stamp on scrap and then ink again and stamp on the glossy. Don 't know why this works but it does.