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So I tried to do this with a poll but apparently didn't explain myself well enough based on the answers I'm getting.
I have a million cards pinned & favorited (give or take one or two) that use colored ink to stamp with. I cannot afford to buy all of the ink pads available and cannot decide which ones to invest in.
I have distress for distress & background stuff and I have several different blacks to use depending on how I'm using them.
If you could only get one set of dye inks for stamping with which brand would you go with?
SU?
MFT?
SSS?
Hero Arts?
or other?
Or would you just buy colors from each company and which colors would you start with first?
There are just too many dang choices and I cannot choose which colors I want to get :-(
TIA!!!
__________________ Suzanne "Wear fabulous underwear even if you are the only person that is going to see it"
I too only have SU. I like to have everything match.
Me as well. Let me add a thought though,
I have roughly 20 colours of SU ink, I have collected through the years and get another one every now and then. SU has been around a long time and eventually-I think anyway- there is very little new under the sun. So say I have Old Olive. I can make that work for other greens as well, as long as they are in the same warm, olivy tone. It is much like Pear Pizzazz. So I can stamp it off once and achieve a lighter tone.
When I use a stamp set like Work of Art or the Lotus Bloom from Saleabration. These sets have stamps that you may want to use in a graduated dark to light way. I do not need 3 different inks. I can stamp the same one 3 times, each one lighter than the last.
Does that make sense? You can do without a lot of different ones actually.
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SU here too. I like that it matches. I'm about 90% SU. I have maybe 40 SU inks. Some are retired colors I don't use any more.
I just re-read your poll. It seems to me people are generally answering your question and stating their first choice in ink. Maybe not all, but most seem to be.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
Last edited by Allistamps123; 03-22-2015 at 04:32 PM..
I would recommend Fresh Inks by Impress, or one of the ones made by them -- you can get them from Mama Elephant or A Muse studio. They are a fast drying pigment and provide superior coverage compared to dye.
I know what you mean about wanting to be frugal. But there's a reason your poll is doing what it's doing. So many great inks that do different things and it's all good.
If you like inks and paper and other products to color coordinate, a company like SU! will hold an appeal. But companies like Ranger have lovely inks with wonderful things you can do with them.
It's maddening, I'm sure, but just jump in somewhere. I started with the whole SU! line because I liked the color coordination. It's been a good base. But I love the other ink lines and the different things that they can do.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
I would say that some of it depends on how much you want the ink to match your cardstock. If you like things to match pretty close, then you would want to consider what brand of cardstock you use the most. If it's SU, then I'd get the SU inks that match the colors you'd like to use the most. If you use My Favorite Things or Gina K. cardstock (a lot of their colors are the same) then I'd get ink pads from them. Hope that makes sense.
If you don't care about exact matches, then you're going to get a lot of different answers because everyone is going to have to have a different preference. I have dye inks by SU, Memento, Gina K., and My Favorite Things. I know a lot of people on this site prefer SU, but I have found that when it comes to my solid stamps, especially the clear ones, Gina K. and MFT ink pads give me the best coverage. Memento comes in after that, and then SU. But I do want to clarify that I only own one of the new style SU pads, and it's not a color that I use a ton, but it does seem to work pretty well.
Hope this rambling post helped somewhat.
__________________ Julie my gallery
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phillippians 4:13
For dye inks - I recommend getting the 2 sets of dew drops memento. They are about $12-15 for a set of 12 and only 2 sets of these. They make a few others 4 group set of colors but not too many. I recommend to start with this and then one "collection " is done. My second choice is hero arts shadow ink. Also recommend to get the cubes - you get a set of 4 for about $2 each. Then fill in with other brands later
I don't use ink pads very much but lately I have been buying the $2.00 cube die inks from PTI.
BUT if I was really going to invest, I usually go watch Jennifer McGuire on YouTube and watch her "My Favorite Crafty Things" (INKS) for a more expert opinion. She makes cards for a living, so she gets to try out many companies.
I would say that some of it depends on how much you want the ink to match your cardstock. If you like things to match pretty close, then you would want to consider what brand of cardstock you use the most. If it's SU, then I'd get the SU inks that match the colors you'd like to use the most. If you use My Favorite Things or Gina K. cardstock (a lot of their colors are the same) then I'd get ink pads from them. Hope that makes sense.
If you don't care about exact matches, then you're going to get a lot of different answers because everyone is going to have to have a different preference. I have dye inks by SU, Memento, Gina K., and My Favorite Things. I know a lot of people on this site prefer SU, but I have found that when it comes to my solid stamps, especially the clear ones, Gina K. and MFT ink pads give me the best coverage. Memento comes in after that, and then SU. But I do want to clarify that I only own one of the new style SU pads, and it's not a color that I use a ton, but it does seem to work pretty well.
Hope this rambling post helped somewhat.
I don't have a cardstock preference.
The info about Gina K and MFT giving better coverage is exactly what I need. Thanks!
__________________ Suzanne "Wear fabulous underwear even if you are the only person that is going to see it"
I don't use ink pads very much but lately I have been buying the $2.00 cube die inks from PTI.
BUT if I was really going to invest, I usually go watch Jennifer McGuire on YouTube and watch her "My Favorite Crafty Things" (INKS) for a more expert opinion. She makes cards for a living, so she gets to try out many companies.
I have watched probably all of Jennifer's videos and they are not much help. Since she has all of the ink pads from multiple companies and I would too if I got most of them free :-)
__________________ Suzanne "Wear fabulous underwear even if you are the only person that is going to see it"
I'd second Copperkids suggestion. The Dew Drop pads are a great way to get a wide selection of colours for very little money. You can do everything you'd do with a full size inkpad with them.
I'd second Copperkids suggestion. The Dew Drop pads are a great way to get a wide selection of colours for very little money. You can do everything you'd do with a full size inkpad with them.
I "third" this suggestion. I started my ink pad collection with Dew Drops...I think I have every one of them, two or three Tuxedo Black and love them for several reasons.
1. They are easy to find locally in Mike's, Hobby Lobby and Jo's.
2. They travel easy due to their small size
3. They work well with red rubber and photopolymer stamp materials
4. They are inexpensive which allows you to collect all the colors cheaply
I also followed up the Dew Drops with almost all the Versamagic chalk inks in the same dew drop size and I'd recommend those as well but I've heard and read on this board that they are discontinued...which is a total shame! But if you can find those, buy them too, then you'll have dye inks as well as pigments (softer pigments) in a range of luscious colors!
I started with CTMH and then got some SU. I particularly love the newest SU versions with the foam pads. Fantastic coverage with the foam pads. I also like my Black Versafine and the few Memento inks I have, and all my Tim Holtz distress inks. I really couldn't do without any of them in my opinion. If you start slowly and collect over time, it is good to collect the high quality inks you know will last and will stand the test of time.
__________________ Leslie Harnish
Sambro, Nova Scotia
Canada
Even though I have several brands of inks, I seem to always go to my SU inks first (except for black, then it's either fun Stamper's Journey or Ranger's Archival black, whichever is closest!).
Whichever you choose, buy a reinker at the same time. I've had my SU pads for 15 years and I just re-ink and they are going strong. Colors do retire, so I almost always just buy the reinker at the same time as the pad.
I seem to love all inks. I use them all for different purposes and techniques. I love the CTMH & SU inks, but hate the cases they come in. I've given most of them away. Being old I tend to make a huge mess with them. I know it ain't never gonna happen, but I'd love it if they'd change their cases. I don't think I dislike any inks though. I have SU, CTMH, AMuse, Adirondack, Ancient Page, Distress, Marvy, etc. If I like a color, I buy it. Most are quite inexpensive & I've built up my stash over many years. I do wish I had gotten more reinkers though. I didn't see the purpose at the time, but now some of the inks have been discontinued & I miss them. Ooh, and I also love ColorBox chalk ink and Archival. Love color in any way.
__________________ Keep what is worth keeping
and with the breath of kindness
blow the rest away.
Good question. I didn't read all the posts in detail, so pardon me if this is a repeat. If you are looking to invest in colored ink, perhaps you might consider buying used ink pads. Sometimes they can be very reasonable. You can find out if you like the color and if you are made about it, you can get a brand new one down the road. The used ones might be just as good. If you don't mind the felt pad VS the newer foam pad, you could get the older felt style at a good price from someone wishing to upgrade all their colors to the foam pads.
I have only SU! My stash includes all the regular Stampin' Up! colors and some of the In Colors that I just loved. Another approach to your decision would be to pick a color group that appeals to you the most and buy it as a set. I would go for Brights if I had to choose, but I do use colors from all groups.
I hope you come up with a decision that works great for you! Happy Stampin'.
I personally think you should look at the colors that appeal to you the most- look through the gallery and pick cards your eye is drawn to, and then look at the description and see what inks that person uses.
I do us SU ink and cardstock- cause it matches, Shades Die inks and Coordinations match, and the Ranger Distress inks have coordinations papers that match them as well.
I hope that answers your question- don't do as everyone else does, make sure the colors and papers you use are your favorites, otherwise, you will not love the cards you create : )
I would recommend Fresh Inks by Impress, or one of the ones made by them -- you can get them from Mama Elephant or A Muse studio. They are a fast drying pigment and provide superior coverage compared to dye.
Hmmmm....sounds interesting! I love the way Versafine fast drying pigment ink works with clear stamps, but their color selection is extremely limited. Do you know how Fresh Inks compare to Versafine?
I will say this is my opinion only: I bought ink pads as I saw them, I ended up with a bunch of inks that I had no idea how to use them, what to use them for, or I forgot. I ended up getting rid of all those and now stick to one companies inks. I find that easier for me!! I know how to use the ink. How not to use the inks. And I find that I use my inks more. I chose stampin' up inks just for this reason.
I think you are getting the same kind of answers you got on your other thread with the poll because ink pad choices are really based on the kind of stamping you want to do.
I don't recommend buying all of one kind because of the limitations on colors. As soon as you decide that you ONLY buy one kind, you'll see a wonderful color by a different company. Also, without trying different kinds how will you know what YOU will like. Just because I love brand A you might prefer brand B. KWIM
The one bit of advice is only buy colors you really like. Don't buy a color you don't use that often just you saw a couple of cards that used that color. I have a boat load of colors but I have a few that are used all the time. Case in point, I have about 10 different colors of blue, but I only use them for shading skies and water. Green for leaves and trees. Reds and pinks I use all the time and rarely use purple. I have multiple of colors because the pads have different properties.
I still like having the options of different pads and colors but if I were to start over I'd probably have only a 1/3 of the pads I have now.
Suzanne, for what its worth the ones I use most in colors to stamp with are distress inks ( have them all) but, for the other companies... I reach for the markers more than the pads. I hardly ever use colored pads but, when I do. it is either an Memento or an Adirondack.
I have looked at some of the colors of the new ones out from like Hero Arts but, if I go that way I will most likely get the pigments because, I want them for clear stamps.
I would suggest going with a line that has both the regular size ink pads and the small ones. That way you can get black and other often used colors in the big size, and colors you are not sure if you "need-need" in the cube. So Hero Arts, Memento, Versafine are all good choices in my opinion. I also would suggest going with a big name, if you are not planning to buy them all at once, so you know the company will still be offering the ink in the future so you can expand.
Your other really awesome choice? Water based markers! You can use them to color on the stamps directly, OR color in your image with them OR color on your acrylic block and then watercolor with them. And a set can be purchased for pretty cheap and then you have a rainbow of colors. I like memento and tombow markers the best.
Hmmmm....sounds interesting! I love the way Versafine fast drying pigment ink works with clear stamps, but their color selection is extremely limited. Do you know how Fresh Inks compare to Versafine?
I have Avery Elle pigment inks, which are supposed to be just like Mama Elephant. I would barely put them in the same category as versafine. Versafine just stamps so well with great detail. The Avery Elle ones are good, don't get me wrong, but just different.
Tsukineko Dew Drops hands down. They are wonderful inks, I love the small size for many reasons including the ease of storage, ease of inking up a stamp with several colors due to the size and shape and low cost. They are especially low cost if you get them in the 4 packs at Michaels with a coupon to start off with. And frankly I think they stamp better than the others and I have found the inks go quite well with my SU papers. I have all of them - the memento, brilliance shimmery pigments and the versa magic chalk which they may not make anymore.
Let me try this question again....
