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I'm looking for the best black inkpads - I have quite a few of them, but not nearly all that I hear people love. I ADORE SU's ink, but find the Basic Black to be not as waterproof or as BLACK as I'd like.
I don't have Copic markers, but I hear Memento Tuxedo Black is best for that. I have a small "dew drop" of this one.
I do have the Palette Noir Hybrid ink. Then I heard that Papertrey's "True Black" is *different* from the Palette Noir, so I got that one too. I looked for the full-sized Memento pad at Hobby Lobby, but they had run out of it. I did get their brown and "London Fog", though. I also have StazOn Jet Black and VersaFine's Onyx Black. Oh, and Ancient Page Coal Black (that pad has a totally different surface!).
I guess I could do a side-by-side testing, but I'm just wondering what YOU think! Which works best for Gamsol/Prismacolor Pencil coloring, which is best for watercoloring, which for just plain old pure black ink stamping, etc. If you have preferred cardstock for these inks, you can tell me that too, but I'm working mostly with SU's Whisper White, and SU's Watercolor Paper. Though I do have some Gina K and Papertrey's white.
Thanks in advance for any help!
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*sigh* I'm still searching for the one.
I find Rangers Archival Jet black works best for watercolor, colored pencils/oms. No bleeding. I prefer using it over Palette Noir Hybrid as it didn't impress me.
Staz On, of course for the glossy stuff. It doesn't give you the fine detail of the image, but it works for the non-porous surface. Memento with my Prisma markers still bled a bit, but it's okay. Versafine was no-no. Brilliance didn't work for me either. I only use these for non coloring images.
I use SU Basic Black and Memories to color the cardstock edge.
Adirondack is on my list to try.
VersaFine is the best black ink IMO!!! I Adore it. I use it for almost everything. With copics I just clear emboss over it. The versafine gives the crispest pure black image compared to the others. I have tried MEmento, Stampin UP, Ancient Page.
I really don't think there is 'One' perfect black ink pad for every application. They all have different properties that make them ideal for different applications. This is just my list, I know others will come on here with others that I have never heard of, or have used that they love, but these are the ones that I use.
SU Basic Black: Too Purple. The only thing I use it for is to ink the edges of cs.
Stazon Jet Black: My standard Black ink. Great waterproof ink, good for Prismas and OMS. Also the only ink that I have found that you can use on marble tiles etc.
Memento Tuxedo Black: I use it if I am going to use my copics as it won't bleed into the ink.
I also use Versamagic with my clear stamps, it takes a little longer to dry but I love the chalk finish and haven't had a problem with my prismas if I am careful.
Those are the only ones I have right now, and they seen enough for me. HTH
I am new to this forum here and love to view the various discussions on the different threads.
I am not a SU user as I am not from the US and am not able to get any SU products. I have been using Making Memories black ink as well as Versafine black ink for years. I like the inks as they retain fine details of even the most intricate stamps.
Versafine is very versatile, and can be embossed if you would like to colour the image with a solvent. It is waterproof and would be ok to watercolour without first embossing.
Hmmm.... What did I do wrong? I tested Versafine many many times on SU Whisper White CS and Georgia Pacific CS, and got smudges everywhere. I tried Prismacolored pencils and SU markers, and it was very frustrating. I even used the heat tool to dry, but still no luck. I tried with clear embossing powder, but lines looked thicker, hmmm.
I do agree that Versafine gives you the finest detail, but it just didn't work for me when I tried to use it for coloring. I will try it again...
I've got a stack of black ink pads on the corner of my desk. IMO Adironack (spelling) is the blackest and shows every little detail on the stamp. It rarely bleeds with Copics iunless you don't give it enough drying time. Brilliance works GREAT with Copics on the following papers...PTI, SU Whisper White and GA Pacific. I seem to always reach for it to stamp because I know it doesn't bleed as much as some of the others.
I don't really compare the crispness of the image. I look for even coverage and no bleeding. I don't like to have to keep pushing the stamp into the ink. I like to ink and stamp.
There's a lot of things to think about before you decide. You have to consider what card stock you're using...how long is it going to dry...are you going to heat set it...what are you going to color with.
This is another one of those..."it all depends" questions.
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I personally use Memento Tuxedo Black for everything too. Rubber or Clear stamps. But just a reminder that your paper is a BIG factor in the crisp image you get. I use GK pure luxury paper, both weights are great, for Copic's, Pencils & OMS and general stamping and have not had an issue.
AMUSE black pigment ink pad is fantastico for use with copic markers. Amuse loves copic markers and as such has made an ink that does not bleed! You do not have to use special CS either.
I also have tried LOTS of black inkpads!!! Memento Tuxedo Black if the image is going to be colored with Copics but I fine that it doesn't stamp black enough unless you use a reinker and really make the pad 'juicy' then just wait a bit to let it dry and set. Versafine Onyx Black is the BEST, IMHO, when stamping images just not ones that will be colored with Copics.
I have bought the Ranger black inkpad, Palette Noir and Brilliance Graphite Black and India Ink Black. I was not impressed with any of these.
I like Colorbox black when embossing. It really is tacky and hold the EP well.
Last edited by Crafter 4 Life; 03-26-2009 at 06:50 AM..
Reason: add another company inkpad
I use Memento Tuxedo Black for EVERYTHING now. It can be used for Copics, so I don't have to worry about people not being able to use their Copics when I send images to someone. It's waterproof, so I can use it with watercolor pencils, Gamsol with my colored pencils or waterbased markers, like SU! and Tombow or Marvy.
I have the SU! Basic Black and used it for years until I found Memento. I found that the SU! Basic Black gave some light colores, like pink and yellow, a "dirty " or smeared look sometimes, with gamsol and colored pencils. :( And YES, I even gave it a few extra mintues to dry. I also thought the SU! Basic Black started to look more purple than black.:confused:
I have Versafine Onyx Black ( and like it) for clear stamps and for embossing with detail clear ep when I use Copics
But for me, Memento is THE black ink! It's a winner for sure!:-D
I personally use Memento Tuxedo Black for everything too. Rubber or Clear stamps. But just a reminder that your paper is a BIG factor in the crisp image you get. I use GK pure luxury paper, both weights are great, for Copic's, Pencils & OMS and general stamping and have not had an issue.
I totally agree here. I also just use Memento Tuxedo Black ink and Gina's Pure Lux. I use exclusively the base weight as I just love the "feel" of it and it embosses so beautifully with my Nestibilities. I have a stock pile of Georgia Pacific cardstock from Wal-mart, but honestly, the Primsa blending is just SO much better on Pure Lux. The color seems to just float when I blend.
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I used Archival Jet Black ink on Georgia Pacific card stock from Wal-Mart for coloring with Prismacolor pencils and baby oil (instead of gamsol). I have not had any problems but I have not tried anything else either.
Hmmm.... What did I do wrong? I tested Versafine many many times on SU Whisper White CS and Georgia Pacific CS, and got smudges everywhere. I tried Prismacolored pencils and SU markers, and it was very frustrating. I even used the heat tool to dry, but still no luck. I tried with clear embossing powder, but lines looked thicker, hmmm.
I do agree that Versafine gives you the finest detail, but it just didn't work for me when I tried to use it for coloring. I will try it again...
I found the same thing with versafine-it smudges ages after though I wondered if it's the Whisper White to blame as it's a shiny coated card?
It made me move onto Stazon and I hate the smell and fuss but it dries immediately and is very waterproof, can be used on acetate, friendly plastic etc. Fails on Copics apparently though.
In the Uk we don't have access to some of those mentioned. I have hard the SU isn't waterproof and the colour isn't a great black too which is a shame.
I think we're looking for the perfect bkack ink like the little black dress. you may suit a short dress whilst i may like it longer-we all see the same thing differently but I do think there's an interesting debate here-we're still looking for the perfect black ink which is the one ink we all use, every crafter has at least one and yet like the paper trimmer we're still not entirely satisfied! We want the PERFECT ink and PERFECT papertrimmer and then we'll be happy..will we..?
I also have tried LOTS of black inkpads!!! Memento Tuxedo Black if the image is going to be colored with Copics but I fine that it doesn't stamp black enough unless you use a reinker and really make the pad 'juicy' then just wait a bit to let it dry and set. Versafine Onyx Black is the BEST, IMHO, when stamping images just not ones that will be colored with Copics.
I agree. IMHO, if I had to re-buy all my black pads, I'd have just the Memento and Versafine. I'd skip all the others.
PTI's Pallete black- I use this for anything black that is not being colored.
Stazon- I use this with water based markers.
A Muse- for alcohol based markers.
I am one of those with lots of black pads and a hard time figuring out which to use when.
I don't have time to do it right now, but I know what I am going to do with this thread's information. I am going to Office Max and buy a bunch of labels about the size of a stamp pad, then I am going to list what everyone agrees is a good usage for each kind of black pad I have and stick the labels on the back of my pads. No more remembering "is this ok with watercolors?" or whatever.
The SU black always looked purple to me--back when I used it. LOL After all the raves here, I got some Memento black this weekend and gave it a try, right now I'm not all that impressed. Maybe it's just too juicy being a new pad and all but it didn't seem to have a consistent coverage. My favorite is Memories black. I've been using a pad I've had for years, and it works great! I use Staz-On when I'm not stamping paper.
Jamie Stamps - thank you for your comment about Memento. I thought I was the only one out there with a less than stellar opinion of it.
I bought a full-sized Memento pad to use with my copics and found that my lines look "feathered" and blurry using rubber stamps and Georgia Pacific paper. So I did a comparison today using a thick lined clear stamp. Compared Brilliance and Memento on both Georgia Pacific and SU's Whisper White. The Memento had poor, poor coverage on both papers, whereas the Brilliance looked crisp and clear. And as I said, with a rubber stamp the lines look blurry or feathery instead of crisp and clear.
For all of you out there that love Memento, what paper are you using with it? Thanks for the help.
Jamie Stamps - thank you for your comment about Memento. I thought I was the only one out there with a less than stellar opinion of it.
I bought a full-sized Memento pad to use with my copics and found that my lines look "feathered" and blurry using rubber stamps and Georgia Pacific paper. So I did a comparison today using a thick lined clear stamp. Compared Brilliance and Memento on both Georgia Pacific and SU's Whisper White. The Memento had poor, poor coverage on both papers, whereas the Brilliance looked crisp and clear. And as I said, with a rubber stamp the lines look blurry or feathery instead of crisp and clear.
For all of you out there that love Memento, what paper are you using with it? Thanks for the help.
Ferathery is a good description for what it was doing. Glad to know I'm not the only one too! At least I only bought the little dew drops, so not a major expense, and I'm sure I'll still use it--along with the other pads that came in the set. I'll have to try it on some other papers and see what it does, good idea.
For me, the Palette Noir hands down because it stamps beautifully with rubber or acrylic stamps leaving a crisp clean image. My second choice would be the Stazon, but I don't use it with acrylic. I also have the Memento Tuxedo black (don't like at all!) and the Brilliance onyx (pretty finish, but not for coloring).
CTMH has my favorite colors, but I'm going with all Palette ink from now on I think because it's a better choice for flexibility.
I thought Pallette ink was supposed to be waterproof for watercoloring. has anyone found either the noir or PTI true black to bleed when watercolored with dye ink?
I used to use SU Basic Black but now that I'm into coloring with Copics, I grab my Memento Tuxedo Black for everything!
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Can we talk about black ink pads?
