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Sooo... "your opinion?" Brown or not would seem to fall into the fact category. But curious what 2nd generation stamping gives you. Verdant shifts a lot lfrom bright lime to yellow with barely a green undertone with second gen. I love that, but it starts off accurately.
Just tried it out, and to be honest, not impressed. Yes, there is some brown in the 2nd gen image, but it's very pale.Not getting the same result Lavinia seemed to have, so maybe it is a cardstock thing. Maybe it will work better on a coated cardstock? Might have to dig some out & try that.
But for me right now, this pad is just another black, and that's the only use I can see me getting from it.
What I do wonder, is have Tsukineko actually had this ink trialled by any stampers?
I'm now suddenly thinking about Versafine original, and there's really no color shift in second or third gen stamping, is there? Just the usual fainter image. So this ink does have a different formulation, wouldn't you say?
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Aside from shifting, because of the extra stickiness, yes, it must be a different formula. I'll test my regular Versafines. But of my two Clairs, only one shifted. The teal (Warm Breeze) just got lighter, as did the somewhat similar teal (bluer) in regular Versafine (Deep Lagoon) that I did 2nd/3rd gen stamping with when I tested the Clairs.
Interesting name choice. When I think "warm breeze" I don't think of a vivid, darker color.
The five Clairs arrived from Buddly - one week from the UK to the US east coast! My brain was out to lunch. I didn't get more bright colors because I kept thinking I have a bunch of reds, oranges, etc. But not in Versafine where sentiments and fine details sing, the whole point! Someone smack me a la NCIS, please.
Golden Meadow is a golden, toned down yellow, with the barest green undertone. Just a slight cast. Second gen stamps true pretty yellow so another shift.
Morning Mist is a lovely cool gray, not as bluish as many cool grays. As Shaz reported, Twilight is a rich, dark blue. Second gen is lighter. I'd almost call it a shift but maybe not.
Nocturne is a really nice black.
And my fave, whoda thunk it - Pinecone. The first dark brown I could see using for sentiments. Rich rich. Depending on the light and neighboring colors, it has a wee bit of a reddish undertone, is not ashy or tan leaning. But it's not a red-brown. 2nd gen is a strange mauve-brown.
Caveat: so much depends on both quantity and quality of light, and neighboring colors. So don't take my color descriptions as gospel. As a color hero, Josef Albers, said, "In order to use color effectively, it is necessary to recognize that color deceives continually." 1888-1976.
Or on another note, "The only color I don't have is navy brown."
-Yogi Berra (Play ball!)
Last edited by bjeans; 01-16-2018 at 03:24 PM..
Reason: craziest spacing ever
But would you say it feels like working with Versafine?
Or would you say they are two different inks.
I know - buy some yourself, Robin, and see. But I am on a strict craft supply diet this month and probably next month, due to a three-week period in which I bought more crafting supplies than you can shake a stick at. I didn't even realize what I'd done (stress shopping, so dangerous) until the boxes started arriving, and arriving, and arriving. It was like a fairy-tale Christmas! (Except I bought it all myself and I don't celebrate Christmas.)
So I depend on you. For now.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I am honored. Shaz should weigh in too; she's used them longer and may have come to a different conclusion (?). But from past posts, my take is we both think it's extremely close to regular Versafine, just a bit stickier.
If you packaged Clair in Versafine containers, I don't know that I'd notice a difference, other than thinking a pad might be newer so stickier/more juicy. (And I love the new containers.)
To double check myself, I just stamped a solid, detailed photopolymer leaf with Versafine Satin Red (so pretty and 2nd gen is pinkish), and did the same with a Clair. Same detail, same coverage, Clair a tiny bit stickier. Of course it's new.
In case you do buy any, Buddly's are $6.22 and shipping the slow way would have cost $4.00 or $5.00 if I recall. Royal Post, which took a week, was about $10.00. The two times I've ordered they've shipped the next day and have very responsive CR. I don't know prices from Shaz's store but she speaks very highly of them. Not to enable or anything.
Don't worry, I'm past being susceptible to enabling. Unless I want them to turn the cable TV off. ;)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I have to agree with bjeans, I feel that the Clairs are almost identical to the originals. Love the coverage on clear solid stamps, if anything, I thought they gave a more dense print, IYKWIM? So, my take is that the Clair is probably a slightly thicker ink, and I love the sound of Pinecone. That will be my next buy, to replace the Fallen Leaves. What is odd I think is the colour shift in 2nd gen impressions, rather than just getting a lighter version of the original. I'll be curious to see what happens when they get a general release with some advertising- I think then we'll see a lot more discussion about how they react. It will also be interesting to see what cardstock it performs best on. So far, I've only used my bog standard plain stamping card, I keep meaning to sort out some coated cardstock to try and see what results I get. I know with what I'm using right now, it almost feels as if the cardstock 'sucks' the ink off the stamp, leaving hardly any for a second impression.
I will be using mine on 120 lb. HP watercolor a lot, because I watercolor almost all of the images that I color. Otherwise, I stamp a lot on SU Very Vanilla or Whisper White, which feel coated to me, they are pretty slick.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
My tests were on 80 lb. Neenah Classic Crest. I have 120 and assume it would stamp the same/similarly but will see. I don't think I have coated CS - from what you wrote it sounds like it's not always labeled? I have a watercolor papers - Canson, Ranger/Tim, Arches, others, if you want me to test. Is the HP textured?
No, that's why I love it. It's absolutely smooth hot press, so I can stamp very detailed stamps on it. But it does suck up ink. Still, I use regular Versafine on it constantly.
I think the Classic Crest is what people who don't want to buy the smaller packs of VV and WW from SU buy, so probably a good match.
But don't get crazy with the testing for me. I'm eventually going to get a black pad at least, so I should stop pestering everyone with questions. Really, I'm only going to know what I think when I have the stuff. But so far, I continue to be intriqued.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I saw it on facebook this morning! Super excited to add some of the fun colors to my collection. So much brighter colors than what I have in Versafine!
Okay, so it's an EXTENSION of the Versafine line. And it dries to be smudgeproof within a minute but can be embossed for several minutes afterwards. That clears up some conflicting things I was told.
Gosh, those colors are pretty! I can't wait to be able to buy a few!
Thanks, Mary!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Smudge proof within a minute yet embossable for several minutes sounds like a contradiction. While I've been saying it seems stickier, and I've embossed it, it certainly dries quickly. More testing... not tonight.
Robin, what were some of the conflicting things you were told?
I was at my LSS today and the owner just got the announcement from her distributor.
Thanks for the link!
I was happily loading Versafine into my cart when this one brought me to a halt. VersaFine Clair | Imagine
Shady Lane Versafine Clair for a modest $800.00 a pad!!!!!!! Holy mackerel, that�s a bit out of my price range!
Nothing against Imagine, but how hard is it to proof read prices before you throw up a product listing? Not sure I want to do business with a company that displays such blatant lack of attention to detail...
Looking forward to their availability in the US. I use Versafine for all my sentiments in Onyx, Brown, and Grey. Looking forward to similar bright colors.
The conflicting things were that is different than Versafine, but like Versafine. An extension if Versafine - now that I think about it, still confused. Not a replacement for Versafine. Another version of Versafine? We'll won't know until they stop making Versafine, or they don't.
And that it dries more slowly than Versafine, but people were saying otherwise. I guess it stays "sticky" after it dries for some window of a few minutes.
All clear as mud, really. But I got a look at the chart and Fallen Leaves really does look like a version of black. A less black black, which actually might be useful in some cases if it looked different than the Nocturne, which it apparently doesn't on first gen stamping.
Those colors are so beautiful, though. I look forward to getting me some. ;)!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I get it. And agree - "extension" doesn't clarify. Clair seems to dry about as fast as Versafine, and isn't sticky when dry. "Sticky" (for me) just described how it feels when stamping. But maybe the ink contains magic sticky pixie dust that allows heat embossing when dry. Dryish? Maybe I'll test with a Versafine vs. Clair emboss-off using a timer app. Not that it matters, much. But motto: when no mojo, do something, anything.
Just received my order of a few VF Clair pads from Imagine Crafts (very fast shipping). I do like the shape and the fact that the pads stack. I agree the ink seems a bit creamier than the original VF, but I was comparing to an older Onyx pad that probably needs ink. I used a small dragonfly stamp to test them and what I got from Fallen Leaves was that it's a very, very dark brown. Kind of reminds me of those inks where you have to tap very lightly to avoid over-inking your stamp, at least while they're new and so juicy.
This whole thing reminds me of when they came out with the Stazon Midi inks a few years ago. The pads were smaller with a different shape and the colors were similar to the original Stazon (which are still around), but a bit richer and with more range. Just one more way to get us spending money!
I live in a very humid climate - I can't use regular Versafine without heat setting.
The Versafine Clair inks - not the case - I can watercolor with them right away.
I love these inks.
Whoa! Regular Versafine doesn�t dry in your climate without heat setting? That would be horrible and annoying. And if that isn�t surprising enough, you say the Clair�s dry right away without heat seat. I thought others (or the manufacturer) have said that they stay �embossable� for some time period after stamping, which implied they haven�t dried. :confused:
We have very low humidity and the only time Versafine has not dried promptly is when I use it on SU white or vanilla CS or something glossy.
I hope the new Clair�s will dry promptly, Unheated, like the regular Versafine does for me now. My order is on its way from the UK and should be here soon.
Gee, I live in a super humid climate, and I never have a problem with Versafine. I can stamp and watercolor within a few minutes on watercolor paper.
I will be curious to see how the Clair compares. I haven't bought any yet.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
At last, a satisfying explanation of the drying time/embossing thing. Have to wonder whether/why the original line will continue to be around.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
To me the drying time is almost identical and I haven't tried to emboss dry Clair. We let you down, Robin. I admit my skepticism genes are firing, but quietly, since the person experience it.
I'd like to see a ROYGBIV color chart of Versafines and Clairs together. While computer screen colors vary from each other and from the real deal, it still could give an idea. For instance Satin Red does the trick; I wouldn't need another similar one in Clair.
Is regular Versafine as transparent? I am thinking no.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Lolled. Reminded me of something that happened a few years ago. We went to Paris one year for our Wedding Anniversary. I think it was the Saturday, we were going to go up the Eiffel tower, and it absolutely poured down- literally bucketing down. Standing in one of those snake style queues to get in, and some young enterprising French lads were selling umbrellas to those in the queue. One asked Hubby if he wanted to buy one, Hubby says', No thanks mate, we're British, which makes us practically amphibians'. I almost couldn't breathe for laughing.
I have two videos coming with these inks. I love them to the moon and back.
I could not care less about stained stamps - but if that freaks you out, you'll be happy to know they clean off photopolymer like a dream.
Coverage is amazing, and I love that they are waterproof.
I also accidentally invented a technique with them that I'll come back and show you
I haven't tried embossing so I will, but I swear they dry faster than my Versafine Black.
Can�t wait to see your videos! And your new technique, too.
I just received 4 of the pads that I had ordered from the UK. I used regular red/grey rubber stamps for practice. When I went to clean the rubber right after stamping there was close to nothing that came off on the baby wipe - and better yet, there was no ink stain on the rubber! The ink loaded onto the stamp (not sloppy, just right juiciness), and laid all of the ink onto the paper when stamped. I couldn�t believe what I was seeing - or not seeing!!!!! Awesome doesn�t begin to describe this ink. Can�t wait to get more colors. :cool:
But I am on a strict craft supply diet this month and probably next month, due to a three-week period in which I bought more crafting supplies than you can shake a stick at. I didn't even realize what I'd done (stress shopping, so dangerous) until the boxes started arriving, and arriving, and arriving.
The week-plus of Black Friday sales (all those sale links from Jennifer McGuire's blog) put me in the same position. I was doing shopping for gifts too, but I lost total control over how much I ordered for myself. The one good thing about many of the products from Creativation not being available immediately (or being spread out over the next couple of months) is I have some time to recover before they all hit the shops.
I haven't read through all the rest of the responses on this thread yet, but I am quite curious about the Versafine Clair. I know it "debuted" at Creativation. I love love love versafine so it will be interesting to see how it responds. My area is not as humid as Lydia's locale, on a general basis, but we have our moments (usually late July and August). Winter gets quite dry. Regular versafine does dry without heat setting, but not immediately. I am predicting a relapse of full-set-syndrome.
Boss, I found exactly the same with clear stamps. It was like the paper literally sucked the ink totally off the stamp. So much so, I really struggled trying to get a 2nd gen impression. Agree with Lydia too, it seems to dry almost instantly, yet you can still emboss it without having to rush. really strange combo. Look forward to your video's Lydia, and this new technique. Don't you just love a happy accident?
