Th "ink" ing about Ink?

Good morning my crafty peeps!

I met with one of my customers yesterday and she asked me a really good question about the differences between all the inks out there.  So I thought others might be wondering the same. So I decided to make it the subject for todays post.

There are many different types of inks for rubber stamping. These are available in a wide range of colors and pad sizes. In addition to single color pads, there are also multi-colored pads available.

General inks for rubber stamping fall into three categories; dye, pigment or permanent-solvent based. In addition to these, inks have been developed that are technique specific, for instance inks for stamping onto fabric or for use with embossing powders.

General Inks

Most inks are readily available in a wide range of colors from the deepest blacks to pale pastels. The main features of the inks are as follows:

Dye Based (Water) Inks (Stampin' Up!, Memento, Tim Holtz Distress Ink)

• Color fast and quick drying
• Good inks for a beginner to use as being fast drying, they are less likely to smudge
• Work particularly well with white and light colored papers and boards
• Will fade in bright lights
• Typically sold with a felt pad
• Use for stamping images then colouring with Copics or Blendabilities. 

Tip: Store dye based inks upside down so the dye flows to the top of the felt pad. 

Pigment Based Inks  (Versamark, Encore, Brilliance)

• Thick, rich slow drying inks
• Color and light fast
• Good for using with embossing powders
• Typically sold with a sponge pad

Permanent Solvent Inks (Stazon, Sharpie)

• Long lasting and permanent
• Fast drying with good colors
• Resilient dye that is suitable for over painting with water colors
• Can be used on a wide variety of surfaces including glass and wood
• Solvent based inks need to be used in a well ventilated room
• May need a specialist stamp cleaner

Chalk Ink – are a hybrid of dye and pigment ink. They have the opacity of the pigment ink but dry quickly and don't need to be heat set. They also leave a chalky texture on the cardstock that does not rub off.

Fabric Dyes – pads of inks suitable for stamping on fabric are available in a wide range of colors. These dyes are heat set and have other applications, for example they are great for use on shrink plastic and acetate.

Resist Dyes – these have been formulated to repel water based paints and dyes. Resist inks need to be set using heat and are suitable for a wide range of creative ideas.

Hope this answers some of your questions on the different types of inks out there and their uses.

If I can give you just a little inspiration, where you can look at one of my cards and think I can do that, or I could tweak that and put my own spin on it, then I am achieving what I have set out to do! 

P.S. Please share. with your friends and leave me a comment below. I read them ALL! 

Hugs,