White Text
 

Hi Everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any idea of how I can create white text on dark card stock. It's for my Christmas cards so I need a technique that would work well for creating multiples. I don't want to hand write the text. I looked into getting a custom stamp made but it is too costly. I also thought of creating the text with the Cricut and using the background of the text as a stencil but I'm not sure if I can create the text with the Cricut small enough for what I need. I also considered creating my own stamp but the only methods I am finding for doing that involve carving it out and that would be too labor intensive. Anyone have any other ideas?? TIA!

What kind of text are you wanting? It sounds like you don't want to stamp it, but the only way a printer that you'd use at home can get white text on a dark background is by printing the dark background on white cardstock and not printing the text part.

There are printers and plotters that have white toner cartridges, but the ones I've seen are WAY more expensive than a custom-made stamp :) You could try checking with printing companies in your area; one of them might have one of those printers. Although having them do the printing might also be more expensive than the custom stamp.

You could also try the foils like the ones from Deco-Art or the Minc - those you would print on a regular laser printer, cover the text with a piece of the foil and then run it thru a laminator (or back thru the printer) and the foil adheres to the laser toner. I'm not sure, though, if any of those companies make a white foil or if it would be opaque enough over the black laser print to look truly white.

Thanks for your reply Cheryl and your suggestions. The text I'm wanting to print in white is a phrase but not something that is available on a ready made stamp. Yeah, I know you can't actually print white text on a printer and have to print the background color but I was looking to get white text on the dark card stock I want to use. I have been playing around with the Cricut and I think I have been able to create a stencil template. I think that is going to work out just fine. It seems like every year when I create my Christmas cards I come up with a design that requires something that has to be "worked out". Good thing I start early! LOL

Another thing, maybe . . . if the stencil doesn't work; Silhouette makes a kit to cut stamps on a Cameo (and I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to cut it with a Cricut). From what I've read, you can't do anything incredibly detailed, but I think I've seen the kit at Joann.com and discounted, so it might be worth a try.

If you need a good white ink, I can recommend Hero Arts Unicorn. I used it on my Christmas cards a while back, and it stamped nicely on dark red cardstock, so it would probably do well on black. Here is a link to my card:

May Your Days Be Merry & Bright by buggainok - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

Thanks, I checked out that kit. It looks like something that would be fun to have even if I don't end up needing it for this project.

Thanks for the tip about the ink. I can see the nice results you got with it on your card. I'll put it on my list. Very cute card - thanks for sharing!

Have you looked into having a stamp made? I don't think they are all that expensive. Doesn't hurt to ask. Happy Stamping...Bobbi

If you have a cricut, could you use a pen holder or fashion one for your cricut and use a white ink pen to draw out the text on your cardstock? I've done this several times with my CraftRobo and Zing with metallic ink and it looks beautiful.

I've done white text on black cardstock several times, stamping with Versamark, sprinkling on Stampendous detail white powder and heating it. White ink without heated embossing works, but not as well. I seldom use my Stamping Buddy before stamping, but on black cardstock it was essential. That could have been because of the magnetic properties of the particular brand of cardstock, so you might be able to eliminate that step. While heat embossing might seem too troublesome for a mass-production project, once you sprinkle on the embossing powder, you have several hours before you need to stop stamping and go back and heat all that you've embossed. I did it in the kitchen where I had enough counter space to spread out 25 cards at a time so nothing touched the ones that had been powdered but not yet heated. I was surprised how fast it went. This year it will go even faster because now I have my MISTI for the no-fail stamping part of the project.

Good luck!

Stamping with VersaMark and embossing with white powder would be my suggestion. Maybe if you cut a stencil and tap the VersaMark through the stencil, then emboss?

Another option is to print the reverse on your computer/printer where you print the background with black/colored ink so the sentiment is white. Then you can cut that for a layer.

I've ordered custom stamps from Rubberstamps.net in the past - they do a nice job and their service is very fast.

Wow, Dini - I checked out that link and was surprised at how reasonable their prices are. Thanks for sharing it!

When I have a lot of heat embossing to do, I use my toaster oven. Makes heating up the embossing powder easy and you don't have to stand there with your heat tool. I emboss the card stock before I add anything else to the card. I got the toaster oven at a garage sale and only use it for crafts.

Please give details of temp settings and time cooking it. Thanks!

I would do what Cat_Woman suggested :)

But...I am guessing you want the sentiment straight on the card?

If...you could just use your cutting machine with the white pen of choice and fill up a sheet at a time, spacing the sentiments enough for a simple *tag* shape around it in black....

Then after it writes the machine could cut around the sentiments?

They would still be black, but just glued on the matching black card base.

You could likely get quite a few done with your cutter. You could be quickly gluing them down while the next batch is writing then cutting.

Sounds like assembly line! LOL That's how I roll LOL

I have been using the SAME Color Box white pigment ink pad for years and it still inks up juicy and stamps really great. However, I now have a new tool that makes it even more successful . . . . the MISTI! If I don't get the depth of color I want the first time I go back and stamp it again! I'm using this tool for the 90 Christmas cards we are making and I'm whipping through each step really quickly.

I have several different companies' white inks and I just keep going back to the Color Box!

You could try printing from your computer onto vellum with an ink jet printer. Use a setting that lays down lots of ink. The instant it comes out of the printer cover it with fine, white embossing powder. Heat with a heat gun. Cut into strips and add to card.

Experiment with the colour of your printing. Grey or pale blue might be good.

I got this tip on another post here: Embossing Inkjet Printouts

Lesley

I would also love to have the details for your methods of using your toaster oven to heat emboss. Do you use a special surface for your project, the temperature you use, and the timing, etc.?

Does SU still make the white Staz On ink pads? That should work fine on darker papers.

WPlus9 makes a great white pigment ink that's waterproof, archival, and shows up on all colors that I've used it on so far, especially dark colors! Looks great on Kraft as well. It's my favorite, and no I don't work for them!!! :) It dries quickly or you can heat set it if you like.

White staz-on is actually not recommended for porous surfaces.

Try etsy for reasonable custom stamps.

You could try a white foil - works great if you have a toner printer!

Lots of great suggestions! I can't wait to see what you choose and how it turns out. Please share with us!

Can you recommend a brand of white foil to use? I'm having trouble finding it! :confused:

Color Foils has a white foil that can be used with toner printed sentiments. My limited experience has been it works better with a more bold font rather than with serif fonts.

I ordered this white foil a few days ago (it hasn't arrived yet).

Question: Can you see where the toner printed on black paper so you know where to place the foil?

You can see the toner on black cardstock so you shouldn't have any problem knowing where to place the foil. Have fun!

Terrific!! Thanks so much for your help :)

Great suggestions. Helpful for me.