Stamping Detailed Images

Some Chapel Road stamps are very finely detailed in order to present delicate
shadings. These can require extra effort to produce a fine image but they are worth it.

Cleaning
Often the first impression from a stamp will not be acceptable due to traces of a releasing agent left over from the manufacturing process. First clean your stamp thoroughly, then ink and stamp it several times on scrap paper. Once the stamp is completely clean, it will work much better. Every so often, clean stamp with an old toothbrush to make sure there is no dirt or residue in the grooves.

Inks and Papers
Select a dye ink that's not too juicy: Memories, Palette, etc. Particularly viscous inks, such as pigment inks, do not get into the tiny grooves well.. Persevere.... it sometimes takes 3 or 4 test attempts before the stamp seems to get really well coated with ink.

These stamps do not usually emboss well, although I have had some success using Distress inks (which are a slower drying dye ink).

Finely detailed stamps do not stamp well on textured paper or some cardstocks.
You need a paper that is not too absorbent. Glossy, semi-glossy or some matte finishes work best. A lot of the slab papers work well too. You may find a tendency to have ink puddle on a large area of solid color. There is nothing you can do for this, as glossy paper does not absorb ink evenly. However this can produce some stunning effects.
Traditional Stamping
Apply ink and stamp on scrap paper to test. Sometimes, using a brayer to ink the stamp seems to work best. Then take care to reapply ink to any areas that did not stamp well. If necessary use a dauber or little sponge to add extra ink to resistant spots. When stamping, apply pressure evenly and firmly. You may even want to stand up and press really hard.

Unconventional Stamping
Stamping upside down! More and more I find myself doing this because of the results I get and the ease of getting these results. A lot of stamps have low spots, where the rubber did not flow perfectly evenly; this is especially true with detailed stamps and photo stamps. No longer a problem. Place your stamp, with the image facing up, on a cushion; fun foam, mouse pad or the like. Ink your stamp; I first wipe the ink over it (yes, we know you were told not to do that in Stamping 101) to get into the tiny grooves and then pat on as normal. Then I apply the paper and use my fingers to apply pressure; if you have a low spot, apply extra pressure there and make sure to run your gingers several times around the edges to ensure a clean edge. You have a lot of control this way, and can increase the pressure in the centre of the stamp to get a faded out look.

Finally, PLAY! EXPERIMENT! There are no rules; only what works.

Liz Stenson

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