Clear stamps are essential in the industry if you're a stamper or want to learn more about the satisfyingly addicting art! As their popularity grows, more and more companies are releasing stunning designs for stampers of different preferences. This article will teach you the five most important things to know about clear acrylic stamps, whether you're a seasoned stamper or new to the hobby!
Plastic is used to make clear stamps. This is excellent for a number of reasons, including cost, size, weight, and stamping visibility. However, it is critical to understand and remember that clear stamps must be preserved in cool settings. Because they are constructed of plastic, they are prone to distorting in excessive heat, such as the summers in Arizona, where Scrapbook.com is located!
Because of the transparency of plastic, even little changes in colour or opacity might stand out more than on red rubber stamps. But don't be alarmed. With transparent stamps, staining is normal and expected. As long as you clean your clear stamps on a regular basis, you should not be concerned about any ink remaining - this is totally normal and will not affect the stamped pictures.
Cleaning transparent stamps is a major source of anxiety among stamp collectors. What is the best way to clean clear stamps? Which strategy is more effective? Though different approaches work best for different people, there is one tried and tested method that practically all stampers agree on: the stamp shammy.
You can learn more about this top stamping tool here, but in essence, it's a tool that not only cleans your stamps, but is also reusable - meaning a one-time purchase! No more squandering baby wipes or squandering your money!
Because clear stamps are often sticky (they need to be to attach to their acrylic blocks), baby wipes and paper towels frequently leave residue on them, causing your stamped images to be inconsistent or the ink to bead up on the stamp - something none of us want to see in our impressions! Save yourself the trouble and wow your friends with not only a lovely stamp impression, but also squeaky-clean clear stamps.
An acrylic block is the best way to use clear stamps. The 5-star Perfect Clear Acrylic Stamp Blocks are highly recommended. They are available in three sizes, allowing hands of various shapes and sizes to stamp images of various shapes and sizes. Their edges are rippled, resulting in a pleasant and easy-to-hold block. This is vital if you stamp regularly because the grip will be easy and comfortable to hold time after time.
Clear acrylic blocks in general are revolutionary for stamping because you can see the paper through the acrylic block, ensuring correct placement every time. Simply peel your clear stamp from the acetate sheet it came on, wash it with your stamp shammy to remove any potential remaining chemicals or coatings from the production process, then dry and press it onto your acrylic block. Any acrylic block will work, but we prefer the Perfect Clear Stamping Blocks because they include etched grid lines, allowing you to position your stamp (or several stamps) precisely. Perfectionists unite! It's the stamping block we've been looking forward to!
Though there are numerous advantages to using acrylic stamps, such as their lower cost, ease of storage, and precision, it is crucial to realise that they must be treated differently from typical red rubber stamps. If you're concerned, avoid using StazOn inks for longer periods of time or letting it rest on your acrylic cling for too long - and reserve the StazOn long-use for your rubber stamping and photopolymer adventures!
Cling Stamps and clear-mount rubber stamps are not your typical photopolymer stamps. These stamps are made of the same high-quality red rubber as the wood-mount stamps, but instead of an adhesive to stick the rubber to the wooden block, the rubber has a cling feature on the back that allows it to adhere to transparent acrylic blocks momentarily.
When using Cling Stamps and clear-mount stamps with clear blocks, you can see through the block and position the die-cut stamp. There is also an image label on the back of the stamp to assist you in positioning it on the paper. So you now have repositionable rubber stamps as well as clearly greater Stampin' Up! image quality and durability.
To use a Cling Stamp or clear-mount stamp, just place the stamp image of your choosing on a clear block. Press and hold it for a few seconds before using it like any other standard wood-mount stamp. You can stamp with any ink you like. Use your Stampin' Scrub and Stampin' Mist Stamp Cleaner to clean your Cling Stamps or clear-mount stamps.
They must be cut out and placed onto a 'handle,' which is commonly a clear acrylic block, before usage. Individual stamps can be permanently mounted into blocks (such as traditional wood blocks), but it is much more cost effective to buy a variety of acrylic blocks in various sizes and use them as temporary handles. The many mounting options are listed below.
Clear stamps are pre-cut and packaged on a polyester storage sheet. They are made of a polymer resin that leaves the stamps somewhat sticky, allowing them to adhere to an acrylic block without the use of glue or mounting cushion. When not in use, always return to a protective polyester sheet to avoid the natural tackiness taking up undesirable dust and fluff.
Brand new stamps may not always produce a crisp image the first time they are used, but this is easily remedied by cleaning the stamps before use. Always test on scrap paper and, if necessary, remove any manufacturing residue with a stamp cleaner such as StazOn Cleaner.
If you're getting ink around the image, it's usually because you're picking up ink from the backdrop rubber and need to cut the stamps more. This is frequently visible, and it indicates where you should trim a little more. You could also be over-inking the stamp; always take the inkpad to the stamp and lightly tap over the image several times to ink it up.
As you prepare to stamp with your numerous stamps, you'll note that the components required differ. Clear stamps, for example, are naturally adhesive; all you need to use it is a clear acrylic block, and the stamp will attach to it. Rubber need some sort of mounting system. In the case of wood mount rubber stamps, for example, the rubber is adhered to the wooden block with self-adhesive foam. Unmounted stamps require some method of attaching the rubber image to the acrylic block, which can be cling foam or another adhesive mechanism. With foam, you'll also need something to hold the stamp, which usually comes affixed to a foam block or a clear acrylic plate.