Inking inside edges of die cut letters
 

Please share some knowledge about how you ink the inside edges of die cut letters. Even small inkpads are usually too big to get inside those areas. I've not had much luck with using markers either - can't get an even edge. Are there any techniques or products that are good for this?

Try a foam eyeshadow applicator - should do the trick!

Thanks so much! Will give it a try.

I've used q-tips!

Yes - I tried q-tips but they don't seem to hold the ink well and get all raggy. Most of my inks are dies. Not sure if that makes a difference.

I use markers. Try coming in from the back.

I use a brush-ended marker and edge from the back. It gives a fairly uniform coverage, and by going from the back, I don't get ink on the front of the die cut...took me a few times to learn that trick!

Hey, Vic, you were typing faster than me!

You have all been so helpful and given me multiple things to try. Thank you so much!!!

Try blending stubs, like you use for Prisma Pencil/Gamsol blending. I've used those for really tiny spaces.

Using a marker from the back also works really well for anything that is cut out and you don't want to see the edge. I do it every time I cut out an image...just the right finish.

i use pens too! much easier!

I use the spinge ink daubers. The ones you put your finger inside and they have a foam round top. Works great for me.

If all you want is to remove the white edge, I sponge in small circles with an ink blending tool from the back. Works great for the tiny holes in border dies/punches too! I ink the edge normally then flip it to get the tiny areas and holes. Perfect for flourishes, fancy tag dies and some shaped dies too. It looks so much better from the front. I've also cut really tiny pieces of cut n dry foam which is the same foam as ink blending tools and you use it the same way.

If you don't want a ton of tiny ink blenders around in each colour, they are easy to wash in water and reuse even for another colour. I keep a water bottle near my desk for cleaning paint brushes, I just pour a tiny bit into a paint palette well, rince and squeeze a couple times and press onto my rag I keep handy to get out most of the moisture. Then let air dry. Takes about 30 seconds. Took longer to two-thumb type!

Alligator clip and tiny pom-poms. It works pretty well. I have used Q-Tips in a pinch, but the results aren't as good as the poms.

ETA: I bought the clip at a scrap store several years ago. It was attached to a thing that looked like a long ink pen. I also have a pink pom-pom holder that I believe was made by Pebbles. I'm going to look online and see if I can find a link to it so you can see it.

I'm quoting myself above to add, that over time I had forgotten that the tools I use with the pom-poms are actually intended for chalking. I bought mine separately from chalk sets, but there are chalks by Pebbles that have the clip applicator and pom-poms included.

HTH!

More wonderful ideas! I got some brush-ended markers and inked from the back. An epiphanink!