Ok, I posted here earlier about problem I was having with the large positive spaces on a stamp I am working on. I have since tried sanding (lightly) with some very fine grit sand paper... no luck

then I tried changing my markers to the Marvy markers... no chnge

then I tried coloring over the image with colored sharpie markers to help seal the stamp... still no luck (in fact it may even be a bit worse now).

*sigh* What am I doing wrong? I can't send out blotchy images! *pout*

Rhea
*sniffle... stamps should never misbehave on one's birthday*

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problem I was having with the large positive spaces on a stamp

How about not having large positive spaces on your stamps?

btw, Happy Birthday!
~SHH :-)

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How about not having large positive spaces on your stamps?

btw, Happy Birthday!
~SHH :-)

Yes, happy birthday! :-)

It may at first seem like SSH is stating the obvious, but you might consider your stamp. What is the large positive area? Is it something that could use some "texture" such as fur or shading, or the like? If you created some texture (by carving out small lines or whatever) it might hold the ink better.

But, again, that would depend on what you are trying to accomplish and it just may be that you WANT large, solid positive space. In that case, maybe a different material. What are you carving from?

Here are the answers...

No pigment ink, just Marvy Markers (although seems to be a bit less splotchy with the pigment ink)

I really need the large positive space as this is specifically for the US and Canade postal and is the CA state. I love the image I have, just not the splotchiness and I am not sure how I would change the image to something I still like without the positive space.

Oh, and I am using the Pink stuff.

Should I be letting the ink dry longer before I try stamping? longer before I huff on it?

Thanks!
Rhea

Also....what kind of paper are you stamping onto?

If you're using some kinds of art paper, like something from a sketch pad, they tend to have more 'tooth' and the image isn't as 'smooth'. Regular copy paper has a really slick finish, so ink tends to pool ever so slightly before soaking into the paper, thus making some areas appear darker and others lighter...

I know this probably isn't the answer you wanted...lol...but it's not an exact science. I tend to stamp on art type papers, even though I KNOW what kind of image I"ll get. The art papers are more forgiving of less than perfect ink application. There's a trade off.

JPMcD

One other tip that might help. Be aware as you are inking the stamp with your markers that you may be overlapping sometimes and getting more ink in some places than in others. I know that I have trouble with this aspect of using markers. The only thing that helps me with that is being careful while inking and nearly going into hyperventilation mode when huffing! LOL! Seriously, I have to cup the stamp in both hands and breathe on it a bunch of times, as if trying to warm really cold hands on a chilly day. That seems to help even out the ink coverage a little bit for me. I'm not the most proficient marker user, though!! LOL!

Webfoot

Oh, and Happy Birthday!!! :)

Webfoot

I have not tried changing paper. Right now, just regular copy paper since I was trying to get the image right... I will try something else and see if that works.

Rhea

Be aware as you are inking the stamp with your markers that you may be overlapping sometimes and getting more ink in some places than in others. I know that I have trouble with this aspect of using markers.

This REALLY shows up on regular copy type paper...again, it's that smooth vs. tooth thing. Huffing does help a good bit...lol...even my 5 year old will cup his hands around a stamp and huff like he's about to hyperventilate, but you do get a better image that way. You can even look at the stamp by angling it away from you to see where the moisture isn't quite 'right' yet and needs more huffing (which sounds strangely like some instruction to illicit drug use, but isn't). Good luck!

Success!!! Whoopee!!!

Ok, I do not know which it was, the paper or the drying time, but I tried letting the ink dry a bit longer before I huffed on it and I tried stamping on a 4x6 card instead of the paper. Bingo, a beautiful image! =o)

Thank you all so much for your wonderful suggestions and all your help! (and birthday greetings too =o)

once again a happy stamper,
Rhea

The success was probably a combination of both...

but keep in mind for future reference, the index cards are more porous than copy paper. They don't have that slick finish that copy paper does, and will take the ink more easily.

Huffing STILL helps make a more even image, though. :-)

Congratulations on your success!

Only how many more cards to go? lol

Hooray!! Success is a good thing! :)

Webfoot

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Only how many more cards to go? lol

Yeah, only 64 more cards to go... and I had to decide to use 5 colors on the stamp! Yikes! At least now it looks cool... =o)

Rhea

Oh.. one more question. When stamping multiple images successively, and you are using the same colores, do you need to clean the stamp between stampings? I have never sat down to stamp multiple images at one time like this so I ahve never run across the question. I always clean my stamps after I stamp, but is there a need until I am all done? I just was not sure about the need to maintain the clean image here...

Thanks!
Rhea

Generally, I don't...although sometimes there comes a point where the lines tend to blur, and I'll wash then.

Others may disagree, but to me, it's a waste of ink and conditioning...

Good luck!

JPMcD

I'm still not convinced that all this huffing has that great of an effect or is incredibly necessary. I have never seen a remarkable difference in my stamped image due to huffing. Every stamp I have stamped that has large stampable areas has come out a little splotchy. That's why I prefer the no large positive areas idea the best.

When I stamp 50 images for the state flowers ring, I had to clean the stamp after about every 5 times of coloring it. There was a lot of detail on some parts and the stamp got little fuzzies on it from the Marvy Markers. So I just took a piece of packing tape and stamped it. It took off all the fuzzies and some of the old ink, but left enough ink on it that I didn't hae to recondition it.
Also, one trick I often do when I don't get a good image of a stamp (like when its blotchy looking). I just find a colored pencil that is as close to the same color as possible and fill in the missing stamp image. It creates the illusion that I stamped a good image.

When stamping multiple images successively, and you are using the same colores, do you need to clean the stamp between stampings?

Generally, no... but eventually, yes.

Keeping the pink stuff (my choice) and Marvy markers (my choice) in mind...

If you're continuously coloring and stamping, I wouldn't worry about it. I but eventually you'll notice that the ink isn't going on smoothly and is streaking, even with Marvys. This could be little fibers from the brush tip and/or dried ink. Even earthly debris. (But that's only for stamps that venture outdoors.)

Coloring and recoloring and recoloring will help condition the stamp.

And the kind of paper most certainly makes a difference. Say NO! to cheap copy paper! Recycled is iffy, too, since there are just as many (if not more) chemical compounds in recycled as there are in "virgin" paper.

You generally want to find an ACID-FREE paper that is NOT super-smooth. You might think that springing for the ultra-bright-white paper is worth it, but it's not.

There IS something about index cards, isn't there...

StarSAELS

When I was stamping my cards for the flowers and birds, I kept a damp paper tower on the table next to me so that I could clean off the stamp after every 4-5 stamps.

TG

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I have since tried sanding (lightly) with some very fine grit sand paper...

then I tried changing my markers to the Marvy markers...

then I tried coloring over the image with colored sharpie markers to help seal the stamp...

*sigh* What am I doing wrong?

You're trying a lot of ineffective methods. Try one that actually has a chance of making a difference: use some acetone on your stamp. Be very careful with an already-carved stamp; ideally, soak a cloth in some acetone and stretch it over a flat surface, then apply the stamp and slide it back and forth a couple of times, then quit.

Next time, do this before carving the stamp. That way you can get really agressive with the acetone, burnishing the surface until it's pristine.

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and I had to decide to use 5 colors on the stamp! Yikes! At least now it looks cool... =o)

oh I can't wait to get my hands on that card!

night writer

I won't sing... you're welcome!

I carved my flower as an outline, then stamped in black and colored in the flower and the sunset behind the saguaro.

I carved my Arizona as an outline, stamped it blue, then colored in the rest of my design...

night writer

How sweet =o)

Thank you!

I get a whole day to go boxing on Saturday... I am so excited i can't wait!!

Rhea

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I get a whole day to go boxing on Saturday... I am so excited i can't wait!!

Now THAT's a Birthday gift! heh Enjoy every second of it~

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I get a whole day to go boxing on Saturday... I am so excited i can't wait!!

Now THAT's a Birthday gift! heh Enjoy every second of it~

Oh I shall... we are going to a place where I will have a chance of doubling my F count... not too many times in a LBer's life that they can say that. And (at the risk of frustrating my friends on the east coast) we should have some beautiful sunny weather too =o)

Rhea