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I just bought some chalk inks, accidentally actually. But I read they are supposed to work good on acrylic stamps which I just got some fancy pants ones. So can I get the low down on the chalk inks?
Can I use embossing powder with them? Can I heat set them? Should I? Is it like chalk where if I don't set them in some way it will come off and smudge and get on to everything else? Do they work well with rubber stamps? Any other suggestions?
Thanks!!!!
__________________ Kelli ~ "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24 My blog ~ My Gallery 2018 Scrap Goal 8/12
__________________ Kelli ~ "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24 My blog ~ My Gallery 2018 Scrap Goal 8/12
Chalk inks are good for rubber and clear stamps. They dry too fast for me to emboss with ... they dry to a chalky matte finish (hence the name) ... I hope that helps
I'm new to stamping but I'll share what I know so far. I haven't embossed with chalk inks, I don't know if you even can. They do work much better with clear acrylic stamps. And glo24 is right the finish is chalky so far I haven't had to heat set them with anything, they work as is. Hope that helps.
They're technically a 'hybrid' ink so they have qualities of both dye and pigment inks. They dry too quickly for embossing and they're only called chalk inks because they have that matt, opaque quality, not because they're actually chalky (so no, you don't need to seal your piece or anything, they'll stay put like any other ink would). They're great for direct to paper use too (for colouring edges etc).
Chalk inks are perfect for acrylic stamps. You can heat set them as they do take longer to dry than dye based ink. They are great for sponging and yes you can emboss with them if you act quickly - I do it all the time with my VersaMagics but you have to be super fast and have the powder out.
They do not feel or act like chalk - they are like pigment based ink. They feel and act creamier than dye ink. Once set you are good to go they do not need any kind of sealant.
If you really wanted to emboss with them you could ink the stamp up with Versamark or clear embossing pad of your choice, then use the chalk ink over that.
I use chalk inks and yes, you can emboss with them if you act quickly. Or, you can ink up the stamp with VersaMagic first and then use the chalk ink over that. Chalk inks actually tend to take a little longer to dry. They usually dry a little bit lighter and give you a really pretty matte finish. I like that I can "erase" mistakes or smudges with a white FACTIS eraser. You just can't do that with dye inks. I agree that they tend to stain acrylic stamps a little easier. However, if you're quick to clean off your stamps, this isn't an issue. Also, I never get a crisp image with dye inks and acrylic stamps -- the image tends to bleed and looks horrible, or the ink dots up on the image and when you stamp it, the image looks spotty. I use my chalk inks with rubber stamps, too. I use them to distress edges, I use them with an aqua painter to "paint" stamped images -- I use them for just about everything. My only caution about chalk ink pads is that the reinkers are hard to come by. I can't find them locally (I use the VersaMark chalk inks) and have only been able to find them online.
Hope that helps and happy stamping!
__________________ I DID learn everything I need to know in Kindergarten!
I have a number of ink pads--pigment, dye, hybrid and chalk--from several different companies. Recently, I wanted to stamp a "solid image" stamp and tried all the different kinds of ink on it (more than one color of each kind, so I could tell if I got a different result with "juicier" stamp pads). Hands down, the BEST and most "solid" image (without streaks and "bald spots") came from the chalk ink!! No comparison!! Try it for yourself!! They also work well with clear stamps. The only thing I have found that they don't work particularly well for is sentiments with very thin or small letters.
I do not use the chalk ink much as I only have a few but was making many cards and the pad seemed dry so I used a Ranger product,"Ink Refresher" It worked really well.
Who can give me the low down on Chalk Inks?
