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I just bought some acrylic stamps and know I have seen somewhere on a thread about "conditioning" new stamps so the ink stamps evenly. I just can't find it!
I want the ink to look solid for I am using a solid type image and can't seem to get the ink to cover thoroughly. What do I do to a new stamp to help the stamp "grab" the ink better with acrylics?
do you have any chalk inks? They cover without conditioning. I however have never had to condition a clear stamp to use it. Must be the chalk ink.
Blessings.
Chalk inks won't work on this particular image for part of it is big and solid and then part is very detailed and tiny (it is Santa's sleigh which is solid but the deer get smaller and as you go towards the front of the line) which makes it too tiny to use chalk inks and get a clean result) I have the perfect color of chalk ink too but can't use it.
I will try the eraser on it. Maybe that will help! Thank you both for the suggestions.
I have to admit that I am just not a huge fan of acrylics (boy I bet I may get some grief for admitting that!) I like my wood for many reasons. Every time I buy acrylics I think that it will get me hooked them. They always seem to wind up in my cabinet and get VERY lonely!
I use Versafine ink. It's a hybrid ink and designed to use on both solid and detailed stamps. I don't use the eraser method to condition my acrylic stamps. I ink the stamp with Versafine and stamp off on a scrap sheet of paper a couple of times and that removes what ever film is on the new stamp. I get nice clear images with the Versafine ink pads.
I was just about to post about this. I just bought a Martha Stewart set at W@lmart, and my CTMH inks won't stick. They bead up. I've tried conditioning with an eraser, but I think I'm just stuck. My stazon works beautifully with them.
I love acrylics, but love hard rubber and photopolymer more because I don't have this problem.
I "condition" my clear stamps by following a suggestion given to me by a manufacturer in the UK.
Before I use the stamp, I rub it GENTLY with an emery board (the kind we use for fingernails). I rub until it's cloudy or dull. Just enough so that the shininess is off. Then I clean the stamp off with a damp paper towel so the "grit" comes off. I then stamp to see if I "sanded" enough. If the ink still beads up, I sand a little more. I do this especially to the solid images.
I have no problem with beading of ink with this method and it you do it GENTLY, you do not ruin the stamp.
Different inks work with different acrylic stamps. Depends on if they are made from photopolymer, vinyl, etc. If a dye ink isn't working for you, try a pigment ink and heat set or emboss the image. Personally, I love chalk inks with clear sets and love using Colorbox Chalk Cat Eyes because I can get into tiny spaces with them most of the time.
I use Versafine ink. It's a hybrid ink and designed to use on both solid and detailed stamps. I don't use the eraser method to condition my acrylic stamps. I ink the stamp with Versafine and stamp off on a scrap sheet of paper a couple of times and that removes what ever film is on the new stamp. I get nice clear images with the Versafine ink pads.
I second this motion. I had gotten several sets of acrylic stamps and was so frustrated that I couldn't get a great clean image from them. I ordered some Versafine from Joann's online when it was on sale and used it yesterday for the first time. It is the greatest product ever made Stamp was crisp and clean and gorgeous!!
With dye inks, it sometimes helps to stamp in versamark and then into your ink before stamping. I think the versamark helps give the ink something to "stick" to. Palette inks also work really well.
I "condition" my clear stamps by following a suggestion given to me by a manufacturer in the UK.
Before I use the stamp, I rub it GENTLY with an emery board (the kind we use for fingernails). I rub until it's cloudy or dull. Just enough so that the shininess is off. Then I clean the stamp off with a damp paper towel so the "grit" comes off. I then stamp to see if I "sanded" enough. If the ink still beads up, I sand a little more. I do this especially to the solid images.
I have no problem with beading of ink with this method and it you do it GENTLY, you do not ruin the stamp.
It works fine for me.
I've done this before as well. Only I use the sanding blocks from SU! Works great!
I use VersaFine ink exclusively with my clear stamps. I saw on another thread to condition the stamps with black VersaFine and then they will work with dye-based inks. That did not happen for me. It did with a couple of them and so I'm on that thread singing it's praises. The ink cleans off beautifully and the image stamps soooooo clear and crisp. I learned not to press too hard with the clear stamps as well. I love some of those $ stamps from Michaels and JoAnns and almost threw them out until VersaFine. Hope this helps.
__________________ ShariW
Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart-Prov.3:5a
I to find that by using my Sanding Block (I have the Making Memories one) and I use the fine side on all my stamps when I first get them, both acrylic and rubber and then I also use the foam pad to stamp on... Using the foam pad under your stamping takes getting used to but once you have gotten the feel for it and know how hard to push it truly does make your images stamp just right!!!
I use an eraser to condition all my stamps, acrylic and rubber, I have one that is white one end and grey the other. The grey end has a little bit of abrasive stuff (grit) and is perfect for this job. Just rub over the stamps GENTLY in a couple of directions. I've never had a problem with ink pick up since.
i posed this question a while back, and the suggestion to stamp on a *mouse pad* as the base instead of the table was offered and i have used that method since. every time my complete image stamps.
jan
__________________ "grandma squared" janice aka *favorites stalker* MY BLOG
I use the thin cutting boards from ikea as my tabletop surface and as a tray for clearing fast...
they are a little bumpy but not abrasive,
and I use that surface to rub my new stamps on if they are not picking up ink at first.
also the back of my mousepad that I use as a stamping foamycushion for acrylic stamp projects
and jeans work great too.
__________________ if your path is boobytrapped you are probably on the right track to treasure BUT if everything is inordinately hard you probably are rushing to the final exam in the wrong place a day early.
Need help with new acrylic stamps
