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Is it me? Is it the brand of acrylic stamps that I have? or what? I just can't get a crisp clear image with the clear stamps. I use SU white or vanilla and I use SU classic inks. I have tried sanding them just a bit with the SU sanding blocks too.
Anything else to do?
Thanks!
Jodi
PS I have fiskar, target, and Heidi Grace brand clear stamps.
I do not get a good image with the Fiskar. I have gotten the Heidi Grace to work after I have stamped several times with the stamp.
Papertrey clear stamps stamp out a clear image. I erase the stamps before I use them. I find I get a perfect image using SU ink pads and markers/
I usually use a white eraser to get all the "gook" off the stamps. I find you need less ink and a lighter hand than with my SU stamps. Stamping on a padded surface like a mousepad helps too! i have hiedi grace stamps too and i am very happy with the quality of their images.
I have found that the classic inks are not the "best" for acrylics. I use Palette, Adirondack, any chalk or craft ink (including SU) works well. I agree, use a light hand and make sure you have an even surface under your paper (no dips or hollows that some plastic tables have).
The quality of the polymer is also a factor. Good qualities include MFT, Papertrey, Flourishes, Crafty Secrets ( I am only naming ones I have worked with)
Not so great are Martha Stewart, studio G (those $ ones you get at M's). This is just my personal experience.
I agree with Sherrie. Chalk and pigment inks work amazingly well with clear stamps. And yes, the "quality" of the stamp makes a HUGE difference. I have had some poor quality stamps that you could barely peel off the sheet, and no amount of light sanding or erasing would make them stamp right. The truth of the matter is, you shouldn't have to do a billion things to make them stamp well. High-quality stamps, like the ones made by A Muse for example, stamp fabulously right out of the package.
I have PaperTrey, Technique Tuesday, and Stampendous clear stamps. I use regular SU! inks, and the only ones I've had trouble with are the Stampendous stamps. They just don't give a good image no matter what I've tried. [IMG]//www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/images/icons/icon9.gif[/IMG]
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I have had good luck using some of the hybrid inks (versafine). Also if you stamp your clear stamp in versamark first and then into any dye ink you should get a better impression. Makes the cheaper (studio G) stamps print better.
All clear stamps are not created equal! Before you give up, try some higher quality ones. I'm a relatively recent convert, and I just love the new Paper Salon clears as well as the ones from PaperTrey Ink.
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I use Versafine ink and Colorbox regular pigment and chalk ink and get nice clear images when I stamp with acrylics even the cheap $1 Studio G stamps. I found that dye inks like SU Classic do not work well with acrylics. Also, I never condition (use an eraser or sanding block) on the stamps before I stamp with them so the pigment ink must make the difference.
Thanks for all the great ideas! I will give them a try, except I don't htink I will buy a bunch of new inks. I have all the SU inks, in craft and classic and a few extras but I don't think I want to invest in a whole new line just to use clear stamps. I would rather just get more rubber ones from the companies that I know and love. I am going to play around with them tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks for the advise!
Jodi
Personally, I have 'set aside' my Fiskar's acrylic set due to extreme frustration. Mushy, blobbulous images! I like my acrylic Stampendous stamps and get a decent image but my major frustration with them is fuzz sticking to the acrylic and leaving ink traces on my paper. I do find the CTMH stamps work best when you use that little piece of foam insert that comes with each set underneath your cardstock. It IS a challenge.
I read that it is very important to season them 1st. You ink them with a light coloured ink then spread it around with your finger before cleaning off. You may have to repeat this process several times. Hope this helps,
Some clear stamps are better than others. Not all clear stamps are made with the same materials, some are silicone, others polymer.
I've had good luck with polymer (like the ones from Flourishes), and have found if you rub gently with a white eraser initally, then do one or two test stamps on a scrap paper. I like the Palette inks - they work great on polymer stamps.
Acrylic does get great images...you may have to pay attention to what type of acrylics you use. High quality polymer stamps like Papertrey or kitchen sink will yield good results. Martha Stewart stamps don't work at all with the classic inks. I do have a problem with classic inks on occasion IF the stamps are large. The best way to get around this problem is to use the versa mark inks yes, but what I always do is get them dirty with stayzon first, and it seems then to grab my classic inks much better!!!!! I know this is weird, but it really works for me. Beware of the martha stamps unless you buy her ink. I love how pigment and chalk inks work with acrylics as well. I mostly only use acrylics, and this is what works well for me. Don't clean off the stazon!!
I am not a pro in stamping with acrylics but someone told me that if you have trouble with the image being crisp or the the stamp even taking the ink, just go over the stamp with a sanding block real easy and it will take the ink. I've tried it with some Fiskar stamps I just bought, and really had not used because they would not take the ink, and it worked.
I am having this problem with MFT stamps. I am going to try the sanding block - hopefully that helps. I have tried inking with both Staz-On and Palette inks, but I cannot get a crisp image (even with a mousepad under the paper). I know that it will just take some practice, but I am trying to get some Christmas gifts done.
Most of the stamps that are made outside of the United States are made from silicone and are "squishier" than the high quality acrylic polymer stamps made in the USA. I was very frustrated with some clear stamps I purchased that were imported and noticed the difference in quality when I used stamps I purchased from Papertrey. Then after doing the research I needed to start up my clear stamp company, I found there was a huge difference in quality. Acrylic photopolymer stamps work great and you do get clean and crisp images. Just clean them first, ink them and stamp with them a couple of times on scratch paper and they'll stamp perfectly for you. I have used SU! Classic Inks with mine and they work great.
do acrylics ever stamp a good image?
