Is There a Backgrounds 101...I sure need some help!

[lovespekes]

Two questions for all you more experienced stampers....

1. What method do you use when applying ink to your background stamps? Tap the ink pad on the stamp, rub the ink pad on the stamp, or what. The more fine ones like linen seem to come out so splotchy looking.

2. How do you go about transfering the background stamp to the paper? Do you have the paper on the bottom and the stamp on top or the stamp on bottom and the paper on top? Do you use a brayer to help the image be more unform?

The ones that aren't so fine, like Irish Blessing or Scrip, seem to work fine, but I never seem to get an even coverage of the more detailed one. I either end up with white spots or you can see lines where the ink was heavier on the stamp.

Help:???:

[kimber4m]

I usually flip the BG stamp over and lay it on the table. Then I kinda tap/rub the ink all over the stamp. When I get the ink on really good, I lay my cardstock over the top of the stamp and rub all over it with my fingers. That has been the only sure way for me to get the whole image onto my CS without it looking smudgy. Hope that helps.

[scoopy]

The answer is - a Brayer. Lay your background stamp on a table with the rubber side up. Ink up your brayer and roll the ink onto your background stamp to ensure complete coverage. Then place your paper onto the stamp and hold in place. Turn the brayer over so that the plastic edge side is facing down (not the inky rolling side). Use the brayer's plastic edge to rub over the cardstock.

[allee's]

Using the brayer to ink the stamp as well as transfer the ink to paper solved all my background issues. I've usually used 2 brayers, one to ink and a clean one to move the ink from the stamp to the paper. But, scoopy, I love your idea of flipping the brayer over and using the handle to rub on the ink. I'm going to give that a try!

[nancystamps]

What everyone else said! I also ink the stamp with the brayer- you get a nice even coat that way. The only thing I do different is, after I place my cardstock down on the stamp, I cover that with a piece of scrap paper and just rub over it with my hand. Works great!

[Soni B]

Hi I am somewhatchallenged as one of my arms is paralyzed...so I stayed away from bg stamps til the weathered... love it
so in my attempts I ink up my syamp rubber side up usually with the pad...but I may try the brayer thing... then I put my card stock on top then I hold the cs and brayer over it,,,so far it is great.... good luck...some say of course to "butt" stamp and just sit on it... I guess you could try that...

[thewheelgirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoopy

The answer is - a Brayer. Lay your background stamp on a table with the rubber side up. Ink up your brayer and roll the ink onto your background stamp to ensure complete coverage. Then place your paper onto the stamp and hold in place. Turn the brayer over so that the plastic edge side is facing down (not the inky rolling side). Use the brayer's plastic edge to rub over the cardstock.

Are you guys using the rubber brayer or the foam brayer? how much to you ink it up? Never done this before.

Cindy in Orlando

[scoopy]

I use the rubber brayer and I ink it up really well. You can tell how well it is inked when you use a dark ink - you'd want to ink it up enough that you can't really see any of the rubber showing through the ink on the brayer.

[speanburg4]

I just recently started using my brayer to ink up my BG stamps and can't believe I ever did any other way. The eveness of the color is unbeatable. You can add more ink or less, depending on the desired effect. I use Canvas and Linen quite a bit more now that I brayer them. The only thing I do different than what has been posted is after I ink up the stamp, I put a piece of scratch paper down over my cardstock, then brayer over the scratch paper. That way the extra ink on the brayer transfers to the scratch paper and kind of cleans itself. So I get a nice evenly stamped image and a clean brayer in one step. HTH

[MoberKitty]

I still swear by the Lunar Lana Butt Stamping method. I put my cardstock to be stamped on the table, put the bg stamp on top of the cardstock and hoist myself up onto the table and SIT on the bg stamp!! Yes, it sounds a little weird, but it has never failed me.

[row4d]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thewheelgirl

Are you guys using the rubber brayer or the foam brayer? how much to you ink it up? Never done this before.

Cindy in Orlando

Use the rubber brayer. The foam one is too soft and is better for things like the plaid maker.

[kthaman]

I have also found that craft ink works well with some of the more detailed backgrounds (like Floral).

I only use my brayer on Just Jeans...the rest you really can't see the lines (and I have the spots, so there are plenty of opportunities to get lines).

My technique is to have the rubber up, the cardstock on that and scrap paper over that then rub with my fingers, ensuring I get all over it.

[ktc_texas]

Agree with the scrap paper. It keeps my card, hands and everything else clean.

Karen C.

[scoopy]

I use the scrap paper over my cardstock sometimes too. It depends on whether the layer that I'm stamping is a mat layer (so it doesn't matter if it gets ink on the backside of it) or the main card (which I'd want to stay as clean as possible on the back).

[lovespekes]

Oh DUH....why didn't I think of that! When I asked about using a brayer I wasn't even thinking about inking up the brayer and using it to transfer the ink. I was thinking of rolling it over the blank cardstock...on the back...just to help transfer the image.

You guys are priceless

[SCEmily]

i totally agree with everyone else on the brayer. some other people on this site suggested it to me just recently, and ever since, i've been getting a nice even look when i stamp it on the cardstock. i've never tried to use the brayer to apply coverage though. i've never had a problem with that. i just lay the BG stamp face up, and rub the inkpad on it in circular motions. always works for me.

[stricklandpm]

I lay the stamp on the table, rubber side up.
Swipe the ink pad across a few times for good coverage.
Then tap the ink pad until I can see the stamp is evenly and well covered with ink.
Lay a piece of CS on top of the stamp.
Cover with a piece of scrap paper that is larger than the stamp.
Hold everything lightly in place with one hand, while carefully rubbing firmly on the scrap paper. Be sure to get the edges and corners. Also be sure to hold everything in place with the other hand when you have to move your "holder" hand out of the way to rub. Otherwise it might shift when you move your hand.
Be sure to rub the entire BG rubber, even the area that extends beyond the cardstock. This will prevent smudges on the CS or your fingers
Carefully lift the scrap paper, and most of the time a corner of the CS will pop up, so that it is easy to remove the cs without smudging.
My success rate is close to 100% since I do all this.